Population 5,337 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North Central
Household size in North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.97 | 2.63 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.99 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.24 | 2.70 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.80 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in North Central are small: just 1.80 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. Household size has dropped from 1.97 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one 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 North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.6 | 35.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.3 | 36.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.9 | 38.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.4 | 38.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.2 | +2.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
North Central is young: half of its residents are under 30.4, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 33.6, even as the national median rose. Of Raleigh's 18 neighborhoods, only two are younger.
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 North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 11.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 9.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in North Central (8.8%), below the national share of 11.6%. The Raleigh area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.9 points, even as the national share fell.
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 North Central
Renters in North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.1% | 32.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 62.5% | 33.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.6% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 63.8% | 33.4% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in North Central: 63.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About one in five owners (19.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the center. The renter share has fallen 3.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 9.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 8.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.1% | 7.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.9% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 22.9% of the housing in North Central, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 9.1 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1994 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1993 | 1999 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +38 | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in North Central is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1993, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Even so, homes here are older than in the wider Raleigh area, where the median home dates to 1999. The median year built has moved up from 1955 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $655 | $923 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $870 | $1,018 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,099 | $1,207 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,554 | $1,666 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$900 | +$743 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in North Central runs $1,554 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the Raleigh area overall ($1,666). Rents are up $900 a month from 2006–10, a 137% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 28.6% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 North Central
Bachelor's degrees in North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.7% | 41.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 43.0% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.4% | 47.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 63.2% | 51.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +31.5 pts | +9.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in North Central: 63.2% 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. The share with a degree has risen 31.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.6% | 89.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.1% | 90.6% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.7% | 92.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.5% | 93.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in North Central have finished high school as nationally: 89.5%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Raleigh area overall (93.3%). The share with a diploma is up 8.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 North Central
| Period | North Central | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 6.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 7.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in North Central than nationally: unemployment was 6.1%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.6 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
North 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| South Central | 2.23 | 37.8 | 15.6% | 58.8% | 8.2% | 1983 | $1,101 | 25.7% | 83.5% | 11.6% |
| Central | 1.61 | 33.3 | 6.6% | 80.3% | 12.9% | 1996 | $1,604 | 56.5% | 90.8% | 7.1% |
| East Raleigh | 2.55 | 36.0 | 23.7% | 51.7% | 8.7% | 1973 | $1,260 | 37.6% | 90.4% | 8.5% |
| Five Points | 2.39 | 38.9 | 8.2% | 30.6% | 8.1% | 1963 | $1,773 | 85.2% | 98.7% | 3.4% |
| Hillsborough | 1.83 | 28.2 | 5.1% | 79.3% | 11.7% | 1984 | $1,365 | 72.1% | 95.7% | 4.2% |
| Wade | 2.17 | 32.5 | 4.4% | 40.0% | 12.3% | 1975 | $1,393 | 74.0% | 93.8% | 4.2% |
| Southwest Raleigh | 2.34 | 30.8 | 9.6% | 64.4% | 12.7% | 1994 | $1,416 | 52.2% | 89.9% | 6.1% |
| Glenwood | 2.42 | 41.7 | 3.6% | 34.6% | 7.8% | 1979 | $2,204 | 83.3% | 98.2% | 3.3% |
| South | 2.90 | 36.6 | 22.4% | 39.0% | 6.4% | 1994 | $1,555 | 25.1% | 82.2% | 9.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Merry Oaks, Nashville, TN · Greater Belhaven, Jackson, MS · Greater Mount Washington, Baltimore, MD · Greendale, Worcester, MA · Hadwen Park, Worcester, MA · Hancock, Austin, TX · Ingram Hills, San Antonio, TX · Jahnke, Richmond, VA · Jefferson-Carl Ben, Fargo, ND · Kelsey City, Lake Park, FL
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 North 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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