Wake County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Wake County, North Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Wake County, North Carolina has a population of 1,178,653, the 1st most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $105,768 and the median home value is $461,300. The poverty rate is 8.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Wake County Quick Facts

Population 1,178,653

Median Household Income $105,768

Median Home Value $461,300

Poverty Rate 8.1%

Unemployment Rate 4.1%

Median Age 37.3 years

Homeownership Rate 64.1%

Affordability Ratio 4.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 57.2%

High School Graduation 94.0%

Cities/Places 14

Population 1,178,653 1st of 100

Median Income $105,768 46% higher than state

Poverty Rate 8.1%

Unemployment 4.1%

How Wake County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	1,151,009	1,178,653	+2.4%
Median household income	$101,763	$105,768	+3.9%
Median home value	$422,800	$461,300	+9.1%

Median Household Income

Wake

$105,768

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Wake

$461,300

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.4%

$25K-$50K 12.9%

$50K-$100K 25.2%

$100K+ 52.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.2%

$10K-$15K

1.9%

$15K-$20K

2.0%

$20K-$25K

2.3%

$25K-$30K

2.1%

$30K-$35K

2.4%

$35K-$40K

2.8%

$40K-$45K

2.9%

$45K-$50K

2.7%

$50K-$60K

5.7%

$60K-$75K

7.8%

$75K-$100K

11.8%

$100K-$125K

10.7%

$125K-$150K

8.4%

$150K-$200K

12.4%

$200K+

20.9%

Employment

4.1% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

69.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 64.1%

Renter 35.9%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,623/mo 18.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.0%

18-34

23.5%

35-54

29.0%

55-74

19.4%

75+

5.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Wake County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Raleigh	481,031	$85,395	11.9%	$415,800
Cary	179,306	$134,905	5.7%	$580,200
Apex	70,630	$144,135	2.3%	$576,100
Wake Forest	52,844	$123,802	4.5%	$474,500
Holly Springs	45,248	$135,578	4.8%	$535,800
Fuquay-Varina	40,485	$115,497	8.2%	$451,500
Garner	34,473	$78,756	8.4%	$355,000
Morrisville	31,422	$125,396	3.1%	$518,800
Clayton	29,320	$78,822	5.9%	$329,600
Knightdale	20,214	$103,220	5.3%	$380,100
Wendell	13,064	$95,787	3.2%	$330,500
Rolesville	10,766	$149,565	1.1%	$535,000
Zebulon	8,711	$79,112	9.0%	$320,700
Angier	6,241	$52,214	10.6%	$268,200

Explore North Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Wake County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 1,178,653. It is the 1st most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 14 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wake County is 37.3 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wake County is $105,768. This is 46% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 31% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.1%. This is 38% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $461,300. Housing costs are 60% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 64.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Wake County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 56.2% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 18.5%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (8.5% vs 3.3%).

Education

57.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Wake County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 60% higher than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.0%. Notably, 23.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wake County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against North Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Wake County, North Carolina?

Wake County has a population of 1,178,653, making it the 1st most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Wake County?

The median household income in Wake County is $105,768 with a poverty rate of 8.1%.

How many cities are in Wake County, North Carolina?

Wake County contains 14 Census-designated places.