Fuquay-Varina vs Wake Forest
Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina versus Wake Forest, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Fuquay-Varina edges out Wake Forest on overall objective livability (50 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fuquay-Varina | Wake Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $94k | $115k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $64k |
| Home Value | $364k | $397k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.75% | 0.89% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.72% | 9.87% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 4.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.2 in | 49.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8 in | 3.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 80 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.6 | 43.5 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.4 | 45.4 |
| Violent Crime | 402/100k | 646/100k |
| Property Crime | 843/100k | 1047/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 35,428 | 48,047 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 39.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.48 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+27 | D+27 |
| White (%) | 68.1% | 67.4% |
| Black (%) | 15.7% | 17.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.1% | 7.9% |
| Asian (%) | 1.9% | 2.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 8.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 19 mi | 17 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.2% | 97.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 37.54 | 35.17 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Fuquay-Varina or Wake Forest more affordable?
- Wake Forest has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Fuquay-Varina's $64k and Wake Forest's $64k. Median rent is $2k in Fuquay-Varina versus $1k in Wake Forest.
- Is Fuquay-Varina or Wake Forest safer?
- Fuquay-Varina has the lower violent crime rate. Fuquay-Varina reports 402/100k and Wake Forest reports 646/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fuquay-Varina or Wake Forest?
- The median home value is $364k in Fuquay-Varina and $397k in Wake Forest, so homes are more affordable in Fuquay-Varina.