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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Raleigh Metro

Raleigh-Cary, NC · 3 counties · 797,071 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 $51,878. Population has grown 47% since 1990. 38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 24%. Median home value has risen by half since 1990, reaching $142,971.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 33.3
US median: 35.2
More educated
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
797,071
+47%since 1990
from 541,100 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
376 / sq mi
+47%since 1990
from 255 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
33.3
+4%since 1990
from 32.1 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
446K730K1.0M1.3M1.6M1990201020202024Raleigh
20241.5M
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57.3%(58,010)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97.4%(58,738)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.9%(55,031)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.5%(51,489)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 247.4%(58,933)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3417.7%(141,417)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4418.2%(144,732)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.4%(106,736)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.3%(58,446)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 744.5%(35,524)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 842.7%(21,281)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over0.8%(6,734)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$51,878
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $33,809 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,187
+58%since 1990
from $15,971 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
8.9%
−0.8 ptssince 1990
from 9.7% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$142,971
+23%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $88,281 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$678
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $445 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
67.7%
+4.5 ptssince 1990
from 63.3% in 1990
32.3% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Raleigh on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic76.4%(413,655)
Black21.3%(115,137)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(6,063)
Asian1.6%(8,450)
2000
White, non-Hispanic70.4%(561,365)
Black19.5%(155,743)
Hispanic / Latino5.7%(45,525)
Asian2.7%(21,675)

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)
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)
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)
+ 11 more asian origin groups with data
Burmese0%(365)
Kazakh0%(342)
Uzbek0%(326)
Laotian0%(299)
Cambodian0%(286)
Hmong0%(187)
Indonesian0%(117)
Malaysian0%(91)
Okinawan0%(14)
Mongolian0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
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)
Somali0.1%(912)
Iraqi0.1%(909)
Syrian0%(630)
Serbian0%(610)
Slovene0%(594)
Armenian0%(546)
Israeli0%(413)
Guyanese0%(293)
Australian0%(204)
Latvian0%(155)
Macedonian0%(122)
Barbadian0%(108)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
37.8%
+7.9 ptssince 1990
from 29.9% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
86.3%
+5.6 ptssince 1990
from 80.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
12.0%
+2.9 ptssince 1990
from 9.1% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.6 min
−13%since 1990
from 20.2 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.3%(92,586)
Married61.3%(187,446)
Widowed1.5%(4,668)
Divorced7%(21,282)
Women 15+
Never married24.7%(78,592)
Married58.3%(185,735)
Widowed7.4%(23,476)
Divorced9.7%(30,995)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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

Wake CountyCENTRAL1,257,235Johnston County256,448Franklin CountyCENTRAL82,037
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 Raleigh
Head to head

Compare Raleigh side by side

RALEIGH VS
Salt Lake City
Income$98,059+89%
Home value$519,848+264%
Population1,308,377−18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RALEIGH VS
Providence
Income$87,204+68%
Home value$426,358+198%
Population1,708,161+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RALEIGH VS
Richmond
Income$89,669+73%
Home value$351,202+146%
Population1,389,338−13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RALEIGH VS
Hartford
Income$95,076+83%
Home value$332,239+132%
Population1,171,426−27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

Raleigh-Cary, NC has about 797,071 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

The typical household in Raleigh-Cary, NC earns about $51,878 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 $142,971, and the typical rent is about $678 a month.

How educated are people in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

About 37.8% 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 8.9% of people in Raleigh-Cary, NC live below the federal poverty line.

Has Raleigh-Cary, NC grown since 1990?

Yes, Raleigh-Cary, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 255,971 residents, a change of about 47 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →