Population 1,178,653 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wake County
Household size in Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.63 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.67 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.70 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Wake County average 2.62 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast. Wake County has larger households than the great majority of North Carolina counties.
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 Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.4 | 35.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.3 | 36.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.8 | 38.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.3 | 38.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +2.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Wake County is 38.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 35.4 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the north.
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 Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 11.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 9.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Wake County than nationally: 9.1%, against 11.6%. The Raleigh area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points, as it has 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 Wake County
Renters in Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.8% | 32.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.1% | 33.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.1% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.9% | 33.4% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Wake County rent their homes (35.9%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 27.0% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 9.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 8.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 7.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Wake County than nationally: 7.7%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 1.5 points, mirroring the country. Only five of North Carolina's 100 counties have a lower vacancy rate.
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 Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1990 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1994 | 1994 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1999 | 1999 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Wake County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1999, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1990 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center. Only five of North Carolina's 100 counties have newer homes.
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 Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $958 | $923 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,059 | $1,018 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,265 | $1,207 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,758 | $1,666 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$800 | +$743 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Wake County runs $1,758 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $800 a month since 2006–10, up 84%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the west.
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 Wake County
Bachelor's degrees in Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.3% | 41.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 48.7% | 43.0% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.3% | 47.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.6% | 51.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.3 pts | +9.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Wake County: 57.6% 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 10.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other North Carolina county has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 89.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 90.6% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.1% | 92.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.0% | 93.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +3.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Wake County is above the national rate: 94.0% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.2 points, in line with the national trend. Few North Carolina counties have a higher share of high school graduates: only two of 100.
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 Wake County
| Period | Wake County | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 6.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 7.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Wake County than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.2 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
Wake County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 2.62 | 38.3 | 9.1% | 35.9% | 7.7% | 1999 | $1,758 | 57.6% | 94.0% | 4.1% |
| Chatham County | 2.48 | 47.2 | 7.5% | 19.4% | 8.3% | 1997 | $1,436 | 49.9% | 91.0% | 3.1% |
| Wilson County | 2.40 | 41.5 | 13.5% | 40.0% | 11.3% | 1986 | $988 | 21.3% | 85.0% | 5.8% |
| Randolph County | 2.58 | 41.3 | 11.2% | 27.5% | 9.4% | 1985 | $915 | 17.9% | 84.3% | 3.4% |
| Davidson County | 2.49 | 42.7 | 11.7% | 25.6% | 9.5% | 1985 | $980 | 21.5% | 88.4% | 4.3% |
| Martin County | 2.30 | 45.5 | 11.6% | 33.2% | 13.6% | 1978 | $770 | 16.9% | 85.1% | 5.7% |
| Rowan County | 2.52 | 41.4 | 12.7% | 27.7% | 9.9% | 1981 | $1,054 | 23.0% | 89.0% | 5.2% |
| Washington County | 2.32 | 50.8 | 22.9% | 32.0% | 19.5% | 1975 | $772 | 13.2% | 85.4% | 15.6% |
| Iredell County | 2.62 | 40.9 | 10.5% | 28.1% | 9.3% | 1994 | $1,373 | 35.2% | 91.8% | 4.2% |
| Tyrrell County | 1.95 | 48.2 | 10.5% | 22.2% | 30.4% | 1974 | $762 | 14.8% | 83.8% | 3.2% |
| Alexander County | 2.48 | 45.1 | 10.7% | 19.3% | 14.4% | 1985 | $774 | 16.9% | 85.7% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Hudson County, NJ · Hartford County, CT · Contra Costa County, CA · Shelby County, TN · Collin County, TX · Snohomish County, WA · Cobb County, GA · Hennepin County, MN · Hidalgo County, TX · Hillsborough County, 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 Wake County. 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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