Wake County, North Carolina
Among the top 5% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 14% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 5% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 95% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 86% of US counties
- top 1% for broadband access
- top 2% for airport distance
- bottom 4% for cost of living
Wake County is a county in North Carolina with about 1,132,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on natural disaster risk and cost of living.
Official websitewake.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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62%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in3.4 in
muggy 94%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$97k96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$64kbetter than 4% of US counties
Home Value$386k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 6% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 8% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.75%better than 59% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.80%better than 44% of US counties
Unemployment4.2%better than 62% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.7 in68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall4.4 inbetter than 64% of US counties
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 27% of US counties
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 52% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk95.5better than 4% of US counties
Air Quality49 AQIbetter than 19% of US counties
School Quality43.6better than 24% of US counties
Violent Crime1153/100kbetter than 28% of US counties
Property Crime1677/100kbetter than 21% of US counties
Community
Population1,132,10399th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.017th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5792nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9623rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+276th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)58.3%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)19.2%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.4%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)7.9%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.2%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 42% of US counties
Walkability9.8/20better than 92% of US counties
Airport Distance11 mibetter than 98% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.2%better than 99% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.07better than 73% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 42% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Wake County an affordable place to live?
- Wake County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $64k, better than 4% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Wake County?
- The median home value in Wake County is $386k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Wake County?
- Median household income in Wake County is $97k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Wake County?
- Median gross rent in Wake County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Wake County safe?
- Wake County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1153/100k (better than 28%). Property crime is 1677/100k.
- What is the weather like in Wake County?
- Wake County averages 80°F in July and 41°F in January, with 48.7 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Wake County?
- Public-school quality in Wake County is below average, scoring better than 24% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Wake County?
- The average one-way commute in Wake County is 25 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)