Population 7,204 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Central
Household size in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.26 | 2.63 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.15 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.08 | 2.70 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.61 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.64 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Central are small: just 1.61 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.26, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Raleigh neighborhood has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.6 | 35.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.0 | 36.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.6 | 38.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.3 | 38.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +2.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Central is young: half of its residents are under 33.3, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has crept up from 32.6 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 11.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 9.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.6% of households in Central, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 7.8 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Central
Renters in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.2% | 32.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 64.2% | 33.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 71.4% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 80.3% | 33.4% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +13.1 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Central: 80.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 34.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 13.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Raleigh neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.6% | 9.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 8.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 7.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.7 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Central than nationally: 12.9%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 7.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1994 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1996 | 1999 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +43 | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Central is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1996, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1953 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the west.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $558 | $923 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $882 | $1,018 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,214 | $1,207 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,604 | $1,666 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,047 | +$743 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Central pays $1,604 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,047 a month from 2006–10, a 188% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Central
Bachelor's degrees in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.7% | 41.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.7% | 43.0% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.1% | 47.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 56.5% | 51.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +20.9 pts | +9.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Central: 56.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 20.9 points, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.6% | 89.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.6% | 90.6% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.2% | 92.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.8% | 93.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +14.2 pts | +3.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Central have finished high school as nationally: 90.8%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Raleigh area overall (93.3%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 14.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Central
| Period | Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 6.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 7.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Central than nationally: unemployment was 7.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 8.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Central compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central | 1.61 | 33.3 | 6.6% | 80.3% | 12.9% | 1996 | $1,604 | 56.5% | 90.8% | 7.1% |
| South Central | 2.23 | 37.8 | 15.6% | 58.8% | 8.2% | 1983 | $1,101 | 25.7% | 83.5% | 11.6% |
| North Central | 1.80 | 30.4 | 8.8% | 63.8% | 22.9% | 1993 | $1,554 | 63.2% | 89.5% | 6.1% |
| Mordecai | 1.88 | 36.0 | 5.5% | 28.7% | 9.8% | 1977 | $1,791 | 78.6% | 97.8% | 2.6% |
| Hillsborough | 1.83 | 28.2 | 5.1% | 79.3% | 11.7% | 1984 | $1,365 | 72.1% | 95.7% | 4.2% |
| Southwest Raleigh | 2.34 | 30.8 | 9.6% | 64.4% | 12.7% | 1994 | $1,416 | 52.2% | 89.9% | 6.1% |
| Five Points | 2.39 | 38.9 | 8.2% | 30.6% | 8.1% | 1963 | $1,773 | 85.2% | 98.7% | 3.4% |
| Wade | 2.17 | 32.5 | 4.4% | 40.0% | 12.3% | 1975 | $1,393 | 74.0% | 93.8% | 4.2% |
| East Raleigh | 2.55 | 36.0 | 23.7% | 51.7% | 8.7% | 1973 | $1,260 | 37.6% | 90.4% | 8.5% |
| South | 2.90 | 36.6 | 22.4% | 39.0% | 6.4% | 1994 | $1,555 | 25.1% | 82.2% | 9.6% |
| Glenwood | 2.42 | 41.7 | 3.6% | 34.6% | 7.8% | 1979 | $2,204 | 83.3% | 98.2% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Gross Point, Wilmette, IL · Sierra Springs, San Antonio, TX · Scenic Heights, Arvada, CO · Coomer Creek, Garland, TX · Crest Drive, Eugene, OR · Riverside, Wichita, KS · Downtown Modesto, Modesto, CA · Palmer, Newport News, VA · Elmwood Park, Detroit, MI · Alki, Seattle, WA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Central. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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