Forsyth County vs Wake County
Forsyth County, North Carolina versus Wake County, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Forsyth County and Wake County score about the same overall (43 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Forsyth County | Wake County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $97k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $64k |
| Home Value | $206k | $386k |
| Monthly Rent | $969 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.89% | 0.75% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.82% | 9.80% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 4.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 40°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7 in | 48.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.1 in | 4.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 211 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 91.5 | 95.5 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.4 | 43.6 |
| Violent Crime | 3650/100k | 1153/100k |
| Property Crime | 3174/100k | 1677/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 383,739 | 1,132,103 |
| Median Age | 38.4 | 37.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.56 | 0.57 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+14 | D+27 |
| White (%) | 55.2% | 58.3% |
| Black (%) | 25.2% | 19.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.7% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.4% | 7.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 6.9/20 | 9.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 73 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.8% | 94.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 6.83 | 6.07 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Forsyth County or Wake County more affordable?
- Forsyth County has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Forsyth County's $48k and Wake County's $64k. Median rent is $969 in Forsyth County versus $1k in Wake County.
- Is Forsyth County or Wake County safer?
- Wake County has the lower violent crime rate. Forsyth County reports 3650/100k and Wake County reports 1153/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Forsyth County or Wake County?
- The median home value is $206k in Forsyth County and $386k in Wake County, so homes are more affordable in Forsyth County.