Wake County, North Carolina
Population estimates, July 1, 2025, (V2025) 1,257,235
People
Population
Population estimates, July 1, 2025, (V2025) 1,257,235
Population estimates, July 1, 2024, (V2024) 1,232,444
Population estimates base, April 1, 2020, (V2025) 1,129,356
Population estimates base, April 1, 2020, (V2024) 1,129,352
Population, percent change - April 1, 2020 (estimates base) to July 1, 2025, (V2025) 11.3%
Population, percent change - April 1, 2020 (estimates base) to July 1, 2024, (V2024) 9.1%
Population, Census, April 1, 2020 1,129,410
Population, Census, April 1, 2010 900,993
Age and Sex
Persons under 5 years, percent 5.6%
Persons under 18 years, percent 22.3%
Persons 65 years and over, percent 13.7%
Female persons, percent 51.0%
Race and Hispanic Origin
White alone, percent 65.5%
Black alone, percent(a) 20.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) 0.9%
Asian alone, percent(a) 10.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) 0.1%
Two or More Races, percent 3.0%
Hispanic or Latino, percent(b) 11.9%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent 56.1%
Population Characteristics
Veterans, 2020-2024 51,127
Foreign-born persons, percent, 2020-2024 15.3%
Housing
Housing Units, July 1, 2025, (V2025) 543,103
Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2020-2024 64.1%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2020-2024 $461,300
Median selected monthly owner costs - with a mortgage, 2020-2024 $2,113
Median selected monthly owner costs - without a mortage, 2020-2024 $672
Median gross rent, 2020-2024 $1,623
Building Permits, 2025 13,806
Families & Living Arrangements
Households, 2020-2024 460,175
Persons per household, 2020-2024 2.51
Living in the same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+ , 2020-2024 85.0%
Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2020-2024 19.4%
Computer and Internet Use
Households with a computer, percent, 2020-2024 98.1%
Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2020-2024 95.3%
Education
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2020-2024 94.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2020-2024 57.2%
Health
With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2020-2024 6.4%
Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent 8.0%
Economy
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2020-2024 69.7%
In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2020-2024 64.3%
Total accommodation and food services sales, 2022 ($1,000)(c) 4,397,837
Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2022 ($1,000)(c) 11,654,818
Total transportation and warehousing receipts/revenue, 2022 ($1,000)(c) 2,648,692
Total retail sales, 2022 ($1,000)(c) 30,744,152
Total retail sales per capita, 2022(c) $26,260
Transportation
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2020-2024 25.1
Income & Poverty
Median households income (in 2024 dollars), 2020-2024 $105,768
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2024 dollars), 2020-2024 $55,448
Persons in poverty, percent 8.6%
Businesses
Businesses
Total employer establishments, 2023 33,873
Total employment, 2023 556,250
Total annual payroll, 2023 ($1,000) 39,600,620
Total employment, percent change, 2022-2023 4.8%
Total nonemployer establishments, 2023 113,775
All employer firms, Reference year 2023 25,296
Male-owned employer firms, Reference year 2023 14,069
Female-owned employer firms, Reference year 2023 6,509
Minority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2023 5,254
Nonminority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2023 17,702
Veteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2023 994
Nonveteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2023 21,933
Geography
Geography
Population per square mile, 2020 1,353.3
Population per square mile, 2010 1,078.8
Land area in square miles, 2020 834.59
Land area in square miles, 2010 835.22
FIPS Code 37183