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Raleigh, NC

City in Wake County, North Carolina. ZIP codes: 27601, 27603, 27604, 27605, 27606, 27607 and more.

Population

481,031

Land area

150.9sq mi

People per sq mi

3,187

ZIP codes

17

Raleigh and its ZIP codes

Full map

Raleigh at a glance

  • Raleigh is about 14 times as dense as North Carolina as a whole.
  • By population, it ranks 2nd among 772 cities and towns in North Carolina.
  • The median household income is $85,395, 18% above the North Carolina median of $72,388.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $415,800 (44% above North Carolina) and median rent is $1,572 a month.

Local data for Raleigh, NC

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Raleigh, NC, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$85,395

Poverty rate

11.9%

Median home value

$415,800

Median rent

$1,572/mo

Homeownership

50.7%

Bachelor's or higher

54.0%

Median age

34.7

Average commute

23.0 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (44,612), Irish Americans (42,175), Mexican Americans (21,574).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Wake County. PPP loans are for Raleigh.

Details

Unemployment rate

3.1%

Aug 2026, -0.4 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$81,099

665,775 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$85,573

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$9.8B

FY 2026, $8,702 per person

PPP loans

$1.1B

12,583 loans, 128,641 jobs reported

Wake County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Raleigh, NC, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone62.3%
  • Carpooled6.7%
  • Public transit1.4%
  • Walked1.6%
  • Bicycle0.4%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.7%
  • Worked from home25.8%

Average one-way commute: 23.0 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Raleigh, NC, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively High

Top: hail

Storm events since 1996

1,525

Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

2,790

0.8% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

91° / 32°F

49.4 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone93 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Raleigh, NC, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

30.9%

U.S. 33.3% -2.4 pts

Diabetes

9.1%

U.S. 12.1% -3.0 pts

Smoking

10.5%

U.S. 12.8% -2.3 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

9.7%

U.S. 11.1% -1.4 pts

ZIP codes in Raleigh

17 in or overlapping Raleigh. Population shown

·

Cities near Raleigh

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
KnightdaleTown9.4 mi9.6
CaryTown9.7 mi61
MorrisvilleTown10 mi9.2
GarnerTown11 mi19.7
Wake ForestTown11 mi19.9
RolesvilleTown12 mi7
YoungsvilleTown16 mi2.5
WendellTown16 mi9.4
ClaytonTown17 mi16.8
GormanCensus-designated place17 mi2.8
Holly SpringsTown17 mi19.4
ApexTown18 mi26.9
DurhamCity18 mi118.8
Archer LodgeTown18 mi9.1
Fuquay-VarinaTown19 mi19.4
CreedmoorCity20 mi5.4

Frequently asked questions

What county is Raleigh, NC in?
Raleigh is in Wake County, North Carolina.
What ZIP codes are in Raleigh, NC?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Raleigh include 27601, 27603, 27604, 27605, 27606, 27607, 27608, 27609, 27610, 27612, 27613, 27614 and others.
What is the population of Raleigh, NC?
About 481,031 people live in Raleigh, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Raleigh?
Nearby places include Knightdale (9.4 mi), Cary (9.7 mi), Morrisville (10 mi), Garner (11 mi), Wake Forest (11 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023