City safety & data profile

RaleighNC

Raleigh, NC is a 482K-resident city in Wake County with a median household income of $85,395.

Wake County, North Carolina. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Raleigh, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Raleigh has a population larger than 99% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $415,800, and 4 hospitals serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

482K
Population
Top 1%
By size
$85,395
Median income
$415,800
Median home
11.9%
Poverty rate

The read on Raleigh

Raleigh posts a median household income higher than 55% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 4 hospitals serve the Raleigh area.

Top 45%
by median income, US cities
4
hospitals in & near Raleigh

Where Raleigh income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$85,395 Top 45% higher than 55% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. NC $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Raleigh, NC beyond the headline numbers

Raleigh sits inside Wake County, North Carolina, at roughly 35.77°N, -78.64°W. Population 482,295, $85,395 median household income. Median home value $415,800, median rent $1,572. Poverty rate 11.9%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Raleigh's highest-prevalence health measure is short sleep duration at 33.4%, then high blood pressure at 30.9%. 4 hospitals in/around Raleigh, 4.5/5 avg rating, 2 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Raleigh from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
482,295
Raleigh
Median Income
$85,395
+26% vs avg
Median Home Value
$415,800
+83% vs avg
Median Age
34.7
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Wake County) - Raleigh's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
1.2M+27%
Median Income
$105,768+60%
Median Home Value
$461,300+101%
Poverty Rate
8.1%-26%
Unemployment
4.1%-47%

Economics

Economics indicators for Raleigh, NC
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$1,572/mo
Poverty Rate
11.9% -16% vs avg
Unemployment 4.4%
Bachelor's Degree+ 54%
Work From Home 25.8%
Public Transit 1.4%

Population

White 52.8%
African American 26.6%
Asian 5.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.8%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Short Sleep Duration
33.4%
High Blood Pressure
30.9%
Obesity
30.9%
Physical Inactivity
19.4%
Frequent Mental Distress
16.6%
Binge Drinking
15.3%
Current Asthma
10.7%
Current Smoking
10.5%
Frequent Physical Distress
9.8%
Lack of Health Insurance
9.7%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 65.7%
Annual Checkup 79%

Other Measures

Diabetes
9.1%
Coronary Heart Disease
4.3%
Stroke
2.6%

Hospitals 4 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
1
★★★★
1
★★★
0
★★
0
0
Average Rating
4.5/5
Total Hospitals
4
With ER
2
REX HOSPITAL
RALEIGH · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★★
WAKEMED, RALEIGH CAMPUS
RALEIGH · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Raleigh, NC?
Raleigh, NC has a population of 482,295 people, located in Wake County, North Carolina.
What is the median household income in Raleigh?
The median household income in Raleigh, NC is $85,395 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 11.9%.
What is the median home value in Raleigh?
The median home value in Raleigh, NC is $415,800. Median rent is $1,572/month.
What are the top health concerns in Raleigh?
The top health indicators in Raleigh include Short Sleep Duration (33.4%), High Blood Pressure (30.9%), Obesity (30.9%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Raleigh?
Raleigh has 4 hospitals with an average rating of 4.5/5 stars. 2 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Raleigh?
The median age in Raleigh, NC is 34.7 years. 54% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Raleigh, NC is located in Wake County, North Carolina. With a population of 482K and a $85,395 median household income, the community faces health challenges including short sleep duration and high blood pressure. Residents have access to 4 hospitals with an average rating of 4.5/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Raleigh area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

Primary source data

Nearby Cities 8

Using Raleigh's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Raleigh area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Raleigh against North Carolina peers on any ranking lens. Explore North Carolina

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Wake County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.