Raleigh, North Carolina
Among the top 4% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 24% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 14% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 7% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 34% of US places
- top 3% for airport distance
- top 7% for walkability
- bottom 8% for cost of living
Raleigh is a major city in North Carolina with about 466,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and broadband access. It rates lower on violent crime and cost of living.
Official websiteraleighnc.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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61%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in3.5 in
muggy 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$79k71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$64kbetter than 8% of US places
Home Value$347k82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 20% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 27% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.80%better than 64% of US places
Income Tax4.50%better than 61% of US places
Sales Tax7.00%better than 60% of US places
Estimated total tax burden10.32%better than 43% of US places
Unemployment4.5%better than 44% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.6 in77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall4.5 inbetter than 68% of US places
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 17% of US places
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 20% of US places
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 44% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk57.7better than 61% of US places
Air Quality50 AQIbetter than 27% of US places
School Quality45.4better than 26% of US places
Violent Crime1899/100kbetter than 9% of US places
Property Crime2364/100kbetter than 13% of US places
Community
Population465,517100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.621st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6093rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9543rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2710th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)52.5%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)27.5%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.6%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.5%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.9%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 64% of US places
Walkability12.5/20better than 93% of US places
Airport Distance9 mibetter than 97% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.2%better than 77% of US places
Amenities Nearby16.24better than 19% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 34% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Raleigh an affordable place to live?
- Raleigh is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $64k, better than 8% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Raleigh?
- The median home value in Raleigh is $347k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Raleigh?
- Median household income in Raleigh is $79k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Raleigh?
- Median gross rent in Raleigh is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Raleigh safe?
- Raleigh is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1899/100k (better than 9%). Property crime is 2364/100k.
- What is the weather like in Raleigh?
- Raleigh averages 80°F in July and 41°F in January, with 49.6 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Raleigh?
- Public-school quality in Raleigh is below average, scoring better than 26% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Raleigh?
- The average one-way commute in Raleigh is 24 min.
Other places in Wake County
Places near Raleigh
Compare Raleigh
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)