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METRO AREA · 2020 ACS

Raleigh Metro

Raleigh-Cary, NC · 3 counties · 1,413,982 residents · 2,118 sq mi
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The short version

With 1,413,982 people, Raleigh is a metro area. Since 2000 the metro area has risen by half, up 616,911 people. 48% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. Median household income runs $79,011, well clear of the $66,278 US median. Poverty is uncommon here, at 9.2% of people across the metro. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $276,261.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 36.8
US median: 38.8
More educated
48% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 29%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
1,413,982
+77%since 2000
from 797,071 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
667 / sq mi
+77%since 2000
from 376 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
36.8
+11%since 2000
from 33.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
2,118 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
446K730K1.0M1.3M1.6M19902000201020202024Raleigh
20241.5M
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.8%(82,484)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.6%(94,029)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.3%(103,187)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.1%(100,033)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.5%(92,085)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.1%(198,709)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4414.3%(202,438)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.8%(195,500)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6411.6%(164,519)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 748%(112,688)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.6%(50,946)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.2%(17,364)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$79,011
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,878 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$39,941
+59%since 2000
from $25,187 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
52.1%
+12.5 ptssince 2009
from 39.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
9.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 8.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information10%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade9%
US avg: 10%
Other services7.8%
US avg: 6.6%
Wholesale trade6.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration5.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance4%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food2.7%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.5%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$276,261
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $142,971 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,131
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $678 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
64.2%
−3.6 ptssince 2000
from 67.7% in 2000
35.8% rent
Persons per household
2.64 people
+1%since 2009
from 2.63 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
3.5
+8%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
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%
2020
White, non-Hispanic58.3%(823,769)
Black17.9%(253,361)
Hispanic / Latino12%(169,603)
Asian7%(98,948)
Other3.5%(49,073)
Segregation Score
36
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican5.5%(74,717)
Central American1.5%(20,341)
Puerto Rican1.4%(19,204)
South American0.8%(11,285)
Salvadoran0.6%(7,661)
Honduran0.4%(6,029)
Dominican0.4%(5,795)
Cuban0.4%(5,416)
Colombian0.3%(4,359)
Guatemalan0.2%(3,192)
Spaniard0.1%(1,890)
Venezuelan0.1%(1,832)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.1%(1,427)
Nicaraguan0.1%(1,403)
Ecuadorian0.1%(1,231)
Panamanian0.1%(1,036)
Argentine0.1%(910)
Chilean0.1%(873)
Costa Rican0.1%(717)
Uruguayan0%(362)
Bolivian0%(185)
Asian origin
Asian Indian3.1%(41,844)
Chinese0.9%(12,671)
Vietnamese0.5%(7,426)
Korean0.4%(4,935)
Filipino0.3%(4,251)
Pakistani0.2%(1,911)
Japanese0.1%(1,252)
Bangladeshi0.1%(1,077)
Nepalese0.1%(906)
Thai0%(474)
Taiwanese0%(418)
Burmese0%(397)
+ 9 more asian origin groups with data
Cambodian0%(389)
Hmong0%(338)
Sri Lankan0%(181)
Bhutanese0%(161)
Laotian0%(159)
Indonesian0%(100)
Mongolian0%(42)
Malaysian0%(36)
Okinawan0%(16)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(258)
Samoan0%(201)
Fijian0%(65)
Tongan0%(48)
Ancestry
English10.8%(147,162)
German10%(136,471)
American9.1%(123,718)
Irish8.9%(120,770)
Italian4.6%(62,868)
Scottish2.4%(33,111)
Polish2.1%(28,721)
Scotch-Irish1.9%(25,709)
French1.9%(25,444)
Subsaharan African1.6%(22,418)
British0.9%(12,680)
Dutch0.9%(12,077)
+ 51 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.8%(10,880)
Swedish0.8%(10,855)
Russian0.7%(9,385)
Norwegian0.6%(8,660)
West Indian0.5%(6,610)
Hungarian0.5%(6,254)
French Canadian0.4%(5,779)
Czech0.3%(4,423)
Greek0.3%(4,128)
Ukrainian0.3%(3,768)
Portuguese0.3%(3,693)
Nigerian0.2%(3,257)
Swiss0.2%(3,186)
Danish0.2%(2,981)
Canadian0.2%(2,781)
Egyptian0.2%(2,778)
Lithuanian0.2%(2,469)
Austrian0.2%(2,296)
Jamaican0.2%(2,175)
Slovak0.2%(2,151)
Lebanese0.1%(1,900)
Ethiopian0.1%(1,833)
Iranian0.2%(1,825)
Haitian0.1%(1,815)
Moroccan0.1%(1,775)
Romanian0.1%(1,555)
Finnish0.1%(1,479)
Kenyan0.1%(1,375)
Brazilian0.1%(1,255)
Croatian0.1%(1,253)
Belgian0.1%(1,075)
Turkish0.1%(1,071)
Arab0.1%(814)
Palestinian0.1%(773)
Armenian0.1%(764)
Jordanian0%(661)
Slovene0%(560)
Syrian0.1%(550)
Bulgarian0%(513)
Serbian0%(504)
Somali0%(418)
Australian0%(414)
Israeli0%(353)
Ghanaian0%(351)
Iraqi0%(273)
Guyanese0%(269)
Barbadian0%(207)
Latvian0%(154)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
47.8%
+10.0 ptssince 2000
from 37.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.3%
+6.0 ptssince 2000
from 86.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
17.7%
+5.7 ptssince 2000
from 12.0% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
26.9 min
+53%since 2000
from 17.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
77.1%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 80.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
3.9%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.3%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 7.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
69.1%
−2.0 ptssince 2011
from 71.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.1%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
49.7%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 44.6% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.8%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
Female
51.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
Foreign born
12.0%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
9.1%
−4.9 ptssince 2013
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
95.5%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
83.9%
US average: 86.2%
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
9.1%
−4.9 ptssince 2013
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
63.3%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
14.1%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
13.2%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
12.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.8%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
75.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
25.2%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.2%(16,904)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)29.5%(20,599)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era29.2%(20,430)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War5.9%(4,093)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.8%(1,243)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 69,851 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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+24%
Home value$519,848+88%
Population1,308,377−18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RALEIGH VS
Providence
Income$87,204+10%
Home value$426,358+54%
Population1,708,161+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RALEIGH VS
Richmond
Income$89,669+13%
Home value$351,202+27%
Population1,389,338−13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RALEIGH VS
Hartford
Income$95,076+20%
Home value$332,239+20%
Population1,171,426−27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

Raleigh-Cary, NC has about 1,413,982 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Raleigh-Cary, NC earns about $79,011 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 $276,261, and the typical rent is about $1,131 a month.

How educated are people in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

About 47.8% 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 9.2% 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 872,882 residents, a change of about 161 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 →