Population 81,030 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wake Forest
Household size in Wake Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.78 | 2.63 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.87 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.70 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.88 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Wake Forest average 2.88 people, above the national 2.65, so families with children are more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.78, even as the national average fell. Only 29 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have larger 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 Wake Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0 | 35.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.5 | 36.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.5 | 38.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.5 | 38.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.5 | +2.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
At 39.5, the median age in Wake Forest is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 36.0 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 11.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 10.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 9.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.9% of households in Wake Forest, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points, mirroring the country.
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 Forest
Renters in Wake Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.4% | 32.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.2% | 33.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.8% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.6% | 33.4% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Wake Forest is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 21.4% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 1.8 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 Wake Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 9.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 8.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 7.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Wake Forest: 6.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.1 points, as it has nationally. Wake Forest has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
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 Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1998 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1999 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 2001 | 1994 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2006 | 1999 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Wake Forest is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2006, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1998 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the north has the oldest housing. Only ten of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people 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 Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $862 | $923 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,068 | $1,018 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,200 | $1,207 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,591 | $1,666 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$729 | +$743 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wake Forest pays $1,591 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $729 a month from 2006–10, an 85% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Forest
Bachelor's degrees in Wake Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.6% | 41.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.4% | 43.0% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.9% | 47.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.7% | 51.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.0 pts | +9.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Wake Forest: 57.7% 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 14.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only 15 have 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 Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.4% | 89.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.3% | 90.6% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.9% | 92.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.7% | 93.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +3.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Wake Forest: 96.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.3 points, mirroring the country. Only 19 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Forest
| Period | Wake Forest | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 6.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 7.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Wake Forest has been strong: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Wake Forest compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest | 2.88 | 39.5 | 7.9% | 20.6% | 6.6% | 2006 | $1,591 | 57.7% | 96.7% | 3.0% |
| Rolesville | 2.95 | 42.7 | 7.0% | 8.1% | 5.2% | 2010 | $1,552 | 62.6% | 97.9% | 4.5% |
| Youngsville | 2.60 | 42.7 | 7.8% | 13.4% | 3.4% | 2005 | $1,257 | 37.7% | 93.9% | 3.6% |
| Grissom | 2.44 | 39.6 | 7.2% | 6.8% | 8.7% | 1997 | $1,380 | 42.5% | 97.1% | 4.7% |
| Raleigh area | 2.64 | 38.4 | 9.4% | 33.4% | 7.6% | 1999 | $1,666 | 51.6% | 93.3% | 4.1% |
| Katesville | 2.52 | 37.8 | 21.3% | 49.8% | 10.2% | 1985 | $948 | 17.5% | 90.1% | 12.5% |
| North Side | 2.63 | 40.3 | 16.9% | 18.7% | 11.3% | 1998 | $1,217 | 42.6% | 87.9% | 0.8% |
| Zebulon | 2.95 | 39.1 | 11.5% | 21.6% | 7.0% | 2001 | $1,416 | 28.2% | 88.2% | 5.8% |
| Bunn | 2.78 | 40.7 | 16.6% | 15.7% | 8.3% | 1987 | $854 | 14.2% | 84.1% | 6.6% |
| Louisburg | 2.52 | 40.6 | 14.9% | 32.4% | 10.2% | 1988 | $1,037 | 22.8% | 86.5% | 6.7% |
| Gorman | 2.85 | 53.1 | 3.4% | 7.0% | 10.9% | 1988 | $1,339 | 20.9% | 89.1% | 11.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Vernon, OH · Veseli, MN · Warren, OH · Walker, WV · Wabeno, WI · Wabun, VA · Wabuska, NV · Watson, AL · Wacissa, FL · Warrensville, NC
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 Forest. 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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