Wake County, NC

County

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2020 Population

1.09M

2.11% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

36.4

0.552% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

8.52%

6.32% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$83,567

3.69% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$301,600

7.06% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

579,420

2.51% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Wake County, NC had a population of 1.09M people with a median age of 36.4 and a median household income of $83,567. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Wake County, NC grew from 1.07M to 1.09M, a 2.11% increase and its median household income grew from $80,591 to $83,567, a 3.69% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Wake County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (59.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (19.7%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (7.32%), White (Hispanic) (4.52%), and Other (Hispanic) (3.42%).

None of the households in Wake County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

92.7% of the residents in Wake County, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Wake County, NC are North Carolina State University at Raleigh (10,643 degrees awarded in 2021), Wake Technical Community College (8,408 degrees), and MyComputerCareer.edu-Raleigh (1,831 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Wake County, NC was $301,600, and the homeownership rate was 63.9%.

Most people in Wake County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Wake County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Wake County, NC borders Chatham County, NC, Durham County, NC, Franklin County, NC, Granville County, NC, Harnett County, NC, Johnston County, NC, and Nash County, NC.

About the photo: Neuse River Greenway in Raleigh, North Carolina

Photo by James Willamor

United States North Carolina Raleigh, NC

Population & Diversity

Wake County, NC is home to a population of 1.09M people, from which 92.7% are citizens. As of 2020, 13.3% of Wake County, NC residents were born outside of the country (145k people).

In 2020, there were 3.02 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (647k people) in Wake County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 215k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 79.9k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

92.7%

2020 Citizenship

92.3%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 92.7% of Wake County, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Wake County, NC was 92.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Wake County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wake County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
647k ± 2.83k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
215k ± 1.68k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
79.9k ± 1.08k

10.2%

Hispanic Population

111k people

10.2% of the people in Wake County, NC are hispanic (111k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Wake County, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
224,275 ± 11,501 people
India
74,765 ± 6,689 people
Honduras
37,815 ± 4,766 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,275 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 74,765 and Honduras with 37,815.

Foreign-Born Population

13.3%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

145k people

13.5%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

145k people

As of 2020, 13.3% of Wake County, NC residents (145k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Wake County, NC was 13.5%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Wake County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
13,983 ± 821
Gulf War (2001-)
12,301 ± 1,266
Gulf War (1990s)
10,236 ± 871

Wake County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.14 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Wake County, NC employs 579k people. The largest industries in Wake County, NC are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (95,191 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (66,927 people), and Retail Trade (54,326 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($87,622), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($83,997), and Utilities ($78,021).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,357. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

579k

2020 Value

± 7,148

2.51%

1 Year growth

± 1.56%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Wake County, NC grew at a rate of 2.51%, from 565k employees to 579k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wake County, NC, are Management Occupations (81,413 people), Sales & Related Occupations (62,827 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (58,179 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wake County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

579k

2020 Value

± 7,148

2.51%

1 Year growth

± 1.56%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Wake County, NC grew at a rate of 2.51%, from 565k employees to 579k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wake County, NC, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (95,191 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (66,927 people), and Retail Trade (54,326 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wake County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Wake County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$54,842

Median earning men ± $1,100

$41,033

Median earning women ± $558

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($86,800), Information ($84,339), and Manufacturing ($82,397).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($64,026), Manufacturing ($63,350), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($58,590).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

12,227
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
9,108
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
6,901
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$9.53M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$8.55M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
$7.18M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $53.7B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($49.7B) and Machinery ($44.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina.

$462B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $462B. This is expected to increase 100% to $926B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

South Carolina
$32.8B
Virginia
$26.1B
Georgia
$18.1B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $32.8B, followed by Virginia with $26.1B and Georgia and $18.1B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Wake County, NC went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 62.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (35.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.19%).

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (62.3%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (35.8%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.19%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Wake County, NC went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 62.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (35.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.19%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Wake County, NC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Ted Budd

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Wake County, NC awarded 23,073 degrees. The student population of Wake County, NC in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 66,652 male students and 70,750 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Wake County, NC are White (12,944 and 60.7%), followed by Black or African American (3,461 and 16.2%), Hispanic or Latino (2,144 and 10.1%), and Asian (1,267 and 5.95%).

The largest universities in Wake County, NC by number of degrees awarded are North Carolina State University at Raleigh (10,643 and 46.1%), Wake Technical Community College (8,408 and 36.4%), and MyComputerCareer.edu-Raleigh (1,831 and 7.94%).

The most popular majors in Wake County, NC are General Business Administration & Management (1,995 and 8.65%), Computer Systems Networking & Telecommunications (1,886 and 8.17%), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,713 and 7.42%).

The median tuition costs in Wake County, NC are $11,388 for private four year colleges, and $6,535 and $27,320 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Wake County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 53%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 28%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 137,402 (48.5% men and 51.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 137,402 students enrolled in Wake County, NC, 48.5% men and 51.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 77,136 records, of which 50% were women and 50% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
366 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
873 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
477 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Wake County, NC was General Psychology with 366 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Wake County, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

North Carolina State University at Raleigh
10,643 degrees awarded
Wake Technical Community College
8,408 degrees awarded
MyComputerCareer.edu-Raleigh
1,831 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was North Carolina State University at Raleigh with 10,643 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 11,909 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wake County, NC, which is 1.07 times more than the 11,164 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 12,944 degrees mean that there were 3.74 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 3,461 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($15,324) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,596) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,572) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2020, 0.849% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.733% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (2.14M), Some college (1.89M), and Bachelors Degree (1.54M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Wake County, NC was $301,600 in 2020, which is 1.31 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $281,700 to $301,600, a 7.06% increase. The homeownership rate in Wake County, NC is 63.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Wake County, NC have an average commute time of 25.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wake County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Wake County, NC is $83,567. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Wake County, NC was Census Tract 517 with a value of $232,670, followed by Census Tract 538.03 and Census Tract 534.10, with respective values of $196,944 and $179,250.

In 2022, 12.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wake County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.83%.

Housing

Property

$301,600

Median Property Value 2020

±$3,547

$262,278

Median Property Taxes

±$4,126

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Wake County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Wake County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

63.9%

Homeownership

2020

67.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 63.9% of the housing units in Wake County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 63.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wake County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 517
Census Tract 538.03
Census Tract 534.10

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Wake County, NC was Census Tract 517 with a value of $232,670, followed by Census Tract 538.03 and Census Tract 534.10, with respective values of $196,944 and $179,250.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Wake County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$83,567

Median Household Income

± $1,282

411k

Number of Households

± 5,690

In 2020, the median household income of the 411k households in Wake County, NC grew to $83,567 from the previous year's value of $80,591.

The following chart displays the households in Wake County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Wake County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.472

2019 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2020, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.395% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (75.7%)
Worked At Home (13.3%)
Carpooled (7.45%)

In 2020, 75.7% of workers in Wake County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.3%) and those who carpooled to work (7.45%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wake County, NC have a shorter commute time (25.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.75% of the workforce in Wake County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Wake County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Wake County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Wake County, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 12.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wake County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.83%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

8.52% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wake County, NC (91.1k out of 1.07M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wake County, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 8.3% of the children was living in poverty in Wake County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 7.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 115 in Wake County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 159 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

91.5% of the population of Wake County, NC has health coverage, with 59.2% on employee plans, 9.27% on Medicaid, 8.63% on Medicare, 13.1% on non-group plans, and 1.33% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in North Carolina was $7,264 in 2014. This is a 3.37% increase from the previous year ($7,027).

Primary care physicians in Wake County, NC see 1146 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.63% decrease from the previous year (1177 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1391 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 298 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,146 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Wake County, NC

Primary care physicians in Wake County, NC see an average of 1,146 patients per year. This represents a 2.63% decrease from the previous year (1,177 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Wake County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.6% under 18 years, 22.3% between 18 and 34 years, 40.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 11.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.45%

Uninsured

59.2%

Employer Coverage

9.27%

Medicaid

8.63%

Medicare

13.1%

Non-Group

1.33%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wake County, NC grew by 0.442% from 8.42% to 8.45%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Wake County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 42.6 in Wake County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Wake County, NC.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 28.4% in Wake County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Wake County, NC.

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