METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS
Raleigh Metro
Raleigh-Cary, NC · 3 counties · 541,100 residents · 2,118.432 sq mi
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The short version
Raleigh is wealthier than most US places, with a median household income of $33,809. Population has fallen 32% since 2000, a loss of 255,971 residents. 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 20%. Median home value is $88,281.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 32.1
US median: 33.0
More educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 19%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01
Population & growth
Population, 1990 – 2024
20241.5M
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57%(37,852)
5 to 96.3%(34,287)
10 to 146.3%(34,333)
15 to 197%(37,895)
20 to 248.9%(48,226)
25 to 3420.5%(110,997)
35 to 4417%(92,171)
45 to 5410.7%(57,713)
55 to 647.3%(39,393)
65 to 745.5%(29,632)
75 to 842.7%(14,392)
85 and over0.8%(4,209)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$33,809
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $51,878 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Section 03
Housing
$88,281
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $142,971 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in Raleigh on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic70.4%(561,365)
Black19.5%(155,743)
Hispanic / Latino5.7%(45,525)
Asian2.7%(21,675)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic76.4%(413,655)
Black21.3%(115,137)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(6,063)
Asian1.6%(8,450)
Other0.7%(3,858)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Hispanic origin
Mexican5.8%(86,138)
Central American2%(29,233)
Puerto Rican1.4%(21,182)
South American1.3%(18,741)
Salvadoran0.6%(9,608)
Honduran0.6%(9,463)
Dominican0.6%(9,233)
Colombian0.5%(6,759)
Guatemalan0.4%(6,546)
Cuban0.4%(6,369)
Spaniard0.2%(3,526)
Venezuelan0.2%(3,399)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.2%(3,081)
Ecuadorian0.1%(1,981)
Argentine0.1%(1,657)
Panamanian0.1%(1,401)
Nicaraguan0.1%(1,055)
Chilean0.1%(1,051)
Costa Rican0.1%(996)
Uruguayan0%(321)
Bolivian0%(268)
Paraguayan0%(27)
Asian origin
Asian Indian3.7%(55,754)
Chinese0.9%(13,606)
Vietnamese0.5%(8,013)
Korean0.4%(6,654)
Filipino0.3%(5,090)
Pakistani0.2%(2,346)
Nepalese0.1%(1,742)
Japanese0.1%(1,621)
Bangladeshi0.1%(1,526)
Taiwanese0.1%(983)
Thai0%(585)
Sri Lankan0%(474)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.1%(941)
Samoan0%(364)
Chamorro0%(288)
Fijian0%(47)
Guamanian0%(12)
Ancestry
English13.4%(199,623)
German9.8%(145,566)
Irish9.1%(134,665)
American6.5%(96,339)
Italian4.7%(69,254)
Scottish2.4%(35,825)
Polish1.9%(28,315)
Subsaharan African1.7%(25,181)
French1.7%(25,059)
Scotch-Irish1.6%(23,150)
Arab1.1%(16,278)
Dutch0.7%(11,040)
+ 51 more ancestry groups with data
West Indian0.7%(9,713)
Welsh0.6%(9,542)
Norwegian0.6%(9,325)
Swedish0.6%(9,316)
British0.6%(8,285)
Russian0.6%(8,279)
Hungarian0.4%(6,233)
French Canadian0.4%(5,468)
Nigerian0.4%(5,459)
Greek0.3%(5,198)
Ukrainian0.3%(5,060)
Portuguese0.3%(4,628)
Czech0.3%(4,569)
Lebanese0.3%(4,036)
Egyptian0.3%(3,963)
Jamaican0.2%(3,238)
Danish0.2%(3,152)
Haitian0.2%(3,025)
Canadian0.2%(2,913)
Swiss0.2%(2,837)
Lithuanian0.2%(2,656)
Slovak0.2%(2,536)
Moroccan0.2%(2,423)
Austrian0.2%(2,323)
Ethiopian0.2%(2,288)
Iranian0.1%(1,993)
Brazilian0.1%(1,989)
Romanian0.1%(1,954)
Kenyan0.1%(1,704)
Turkish0.1%(1,585)
Ghanaian0.1%(1,292)
Croatian0.1%(1,207)
Finnish0.1%(1,166)
Jordanian0.1%(1,151)
Palestinian0.1%(1,126)
Belgian0.1%(1,095)
Bulgarian0.1%(957)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(922)
Somali0.1%(912)
Iraqi0.1%(909)
Syrian0%(630)
Serbian0%(610)
Slovene0%(594)
Armenian0%(546)
Israeli0%(413)
Guyanese0%(293)
Cape Verdean0%(233)
Australian0%(204)
Latvian0%(155)
Macedonian0%(122)
Barbadian0%(108)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
80.7%
−5.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 86.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community
No data for the years selected.
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married34.7%(203,214)
Married56.2%(328,787)
Widowed1.8%(10,571)
Divorced7.3%(42,940)
Women 15+
Never married30.6%(189,666)
Married52.2%(323,214)
Widowed6.3%(38,847)
Divorced10.9%(67,713)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
In this metro
Largest cities
RaleighCENTRAL506,306CaryCENTRAL183,582Apex80,419Wake Forest58,147Holly Springs50,288Garner41,562Clayton32,633Knightdale23,144Wendell19,687Smithfield13,114Rolesville12,839Zebulon11,933Selma7,406Archer Lodge5,649Louisburg3,480Lake Royale3,168Wilson's Mills2,987Four Oaks2,978Franklinton2,890Youngsville2,461Pine Level2,405Kenly1,722Princeton1,544Micro537Bunn391Centerville202
What's inside
3 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Raleigh
Salt Lake City
Pop 1,308,377
Providence
Pop 1,708,161
Richmond
Pop 1,389,338
Hartford
Pop 1,171,426
Places similar to RaleighHead to head
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RALEIGH VS
Salt Lake City
Income$98,059+190%
Home value$519,848+489%
Population1,308,377−18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RALEIGH VS
Providence
Income$87,204+158%
Home value$426,358+383%
Population1,708,161+7%
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RALEIGH VS
Richmond
Income$89,669+165%
Home value$351,202+298%
Population1,389,338−13%
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RALEIGH VS
Hartford
Income$95,076+181%
Home value$332,239+276%
Population1,171,426−27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
Raleigh-Cary, NC has about 541,100 residents according to the 1990 Census.
What is the median household income in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The typical household in Raleigh-Cary, NC earns about $33,809 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Raleigh-Cary, NC expensive?
In Raleigh-Cary, NC, the median home is worth about $88,281, and the typical rent is about $445 a month.
How educated are people in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
About 29.9% of adults age 25 and over in Raleigh-Cary, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
About 9.7% of people in Raleigh-Cary, NC live below the federal poverty line.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024