Wake County, North Carolina

NC · FIPS 37183 · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Metric Value vs National Rank Percentile
Total Population 1,178,653 #38 / 3,222
99th
Median Household Income $105,768 +40.7% #120 / 3,222
96th
Median Age 37.3 years -4.1% #2,704 / 3,222
16th
Median Home Value $461,300 +63.6% #175 / 3,222
95th
Median Gross Rent $1,623 +39.6% #174 / 3,222
95th
Poverty Rate 8.1% -35.5% #383 / 3,222
88th

Demographics

Wake County has a population of 1,178,653, making it the #38 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.3 years, which is 4.1% below the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

84.7%
Native Born
15.3%
Foreign Born

Household Type

Economy

The median household income in Wake County is $105,768, ranking #120 out of 3,222 counties — 40.7% above the national median. The poverty rate is 8.1% and unemployment stands at 4.1%.

Median Household Income
$105,768 +40.7% vs nat'l
Rank #120 of 3,222
96th percentile
Per Capita Income
$55,448 +34.4% vs nat'l
Rank #119 of 3,222
96th percentile
Poverty Rate
8.1% −35.5% vs nat'l
Rank #383 of 3,222
88th percentile
Unemployment Rate
4.1% −23.2% vs nat'l
Rank #1,356 of 3,222
58th percentile
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
57.2% +69.6% vs nat'l
Rank #38 of 3,222
99th percentile
Mean Commute Time
27.6 min −0.2% vs nat'l
Rank #1,358 of 3,222
58th percentile

Median Household Income Trend

Rankings →

Poverty Rate Trend

Rankings →

Housing

The median home value in Wake County is $461,300 (+63.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,623/mo and the homeownership rate is 64.1%.

Median Home Value
$461,300 +63.6% vs nat'l
Rank #175 of 3,222
95th percentile
Median Gross Rent
$1,623 +39.6% vs nat'l
Rank #174 of 3,222
95th percentile
Homeownership Rate
64.1% −0.4% vs nat'l
Rank #2,797 of 3,222
13th percentile
64.1% Homeownership

Median Home Value Trend

Rankings →

Health

92.5% of residents in Wake County have health insurance coverage, which is 0.8% above the national rate.

92.5% Health Insurance
Health Insurance Coverage
92.5% +0.8% vs nat'l
Rank #1,548 of 3,222
52th percentile

About Wake County, North Carolina

Wake County, North Carolina has a total population of 1,178,653, making it the 38th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Wake County is 37.3 years, which is 4.1% below the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Wake County is $105,768, which ranks #120 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 40.7% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 8.1%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.1%.

The median home value in Wake County is $461,300, 63.6% above the national median. Renters in Wake County pay a median gross rent of $1,623 per month. The homeownership rate is 64.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Wake County, 57.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 69.6% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.6 min.

Wake County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 56.2% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (18.5%) and Hispanic or Latino (11.6%).

All data for Wake County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.