Wake County, North Carolina

12 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 1,151,009
Median household income: $101,763
Median home value: $422,800

Home to 1,151,009 residents, Wake County is one of North Carolina's counties. 12 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $101,763 is above the North Carolina median ($69,904).

Between 2019 and 2023, Wake County's population grew 7.7% from 1,069,079 to 1,151,009, while its median household income rose 26.3% from $80,591 to $101,763.

The median resident is 37.2 years old. The largest age group is 5 to 17, 17.6% of residents.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 1,151,009
Median age: 37.2 yrs
Median household income: $101,763
Median home value: $422,800
Median gross rent: $1,508
Housing units: 481,999
Homeownership rate: 64.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 56.3%
Unemployment rate: 4.2%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

1,069,0791,151,009

Median household income

$80,591$101,763

Median home value

$281,700$422,800

Median gross rent

$1,150$1,508

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	1,069,079	$80,591	$281,700	$1,150
2020	1,091,662	$83,567	$301,600	$1,204
2021	1,112,883	$88,471	$324,500	$1,276
2022	1,132,103	$96,734	$385,700	$1,412
2023	1,151,009	$101,763	$422,800	$1,508

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.8%

5 to 1717.6%

18 to 248.7%

25 to 3414.6%

35 to 4415.1%

45 to 5414.1%

55 to 6411.6%

65 to 747.8%

75 and over4.7%

	Count	Share
Under 5	67,090	5.8%
5 to 17	202,173	17.6%
18 to 24	100,438	8.7%
25 to 34	168,275	14.6%
35 to 44	173,395	15.1%
45 to 54	162,093	14.1%
55 to 64	133,491	11.6%
65 to 74	89,427	7.8%
75 and over	54,627	4.7%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	656,508	57.0%
Black or African American	217,801	18.9%
American Indian & Alaska Native	2,123	0.2%
Asian	92,960	8.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	341	0.0%
Some other race	6,705	0.6%
Two or more races	43,467	3.8%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	131,104	11.4%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma6.0%

High school graduate14.5%

Some college or associate's23.1%

Bachelor's degree33.8%

Graduate or professional degree22.5%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	47,269	6.0%
High school graduate	113,488	14.5%
Some college or associate's	180,855	23.1%
Bachelor's degree	263,970	33.8%
Graduate or professional degree	175,726	22.5%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 25 min

Drove alone64.4%

Carpooled6.1%

Public transit0.7%

Walked1.3%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home26.0%

Other means1.4%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	387,908	64.4%
Carpooled	36,528	6.1%
Public transit	3,991	0.7%
Walked	7,602	1.3%
Bicycle	1,196	0.2%
Worked from home	156,806	26.0%
Other means	8,451	1.4%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	95,517	21.4%
15 to 29 min	188,230	42.2%
30 to 44 min	106,069	23.8%
45 to 59 min	34,060	7.6%
60+ min	21,800	4.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.54
Poverty rate: 7.9% (89,566 of 1,129,229)

	Count	Share
Family households	290,233	65.1%
Nonfamily households	155,403	34.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1999

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	445,636	92.5%
Vacant	36,363	7.5%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	287,109	64.4%
Renter-occupied	158,527	35.6%

1-unit, detached58.5%

1-unit, attached11.1%

2 to 4 units3.7%

5 to 19 units12.3%

20 or more units11.6%

Mobile home & other2.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	282,172	58.5%
1-unit, attached	53,645	11.1%
2 to 4 units	17,895	3.7%
5 to 19 units	59,362	12.3%
20 or more units	55,829	11.6%
Mobile home & other	13,096	2.7%

Geography

County GEOID: 37183
State: North Carolina
Land area: 835 sq mi
Water area: 22 sq mi
Center point: 35.7898, -78.6506