Wake Forest, North Carolina
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 21% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 16% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 44% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 74% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 59% of US places
- top 9% for airport distance
- top 10% for broadband access
- bottom 8% for cost of living
Wake Forest is a mid-size city in North Carolina with about 48,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include airport distance, broadband access, and walkability. It rates lower on sunny days and cost of living.
Official websitewakeforestnc.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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warm
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62%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in3.6 in
muggy 93%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$115k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$64kbetter than 8% of US places
Home Value$397k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 21% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 17% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.89%better than 57% of US places
Income Tax4.50%better than 61% of US places
Sales Tax7.00%better than 60% of US places
Estimated total tax burden9.87%better than 49% of US places
Unemployment4.3%better than 45% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.4 in77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.3 inbetter than 71% 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 Risk43.5better than 78% of US places
Air Quality49 AQIbetter than 34% of US places
School Quality45.4better than 26% of US places
Violent Crime646/100kbetter than 55% of US places
Property Crime1047/100kbetter than 46% of US places
Community
Population48,04797th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.041st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4881st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9339th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2710th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)67.4%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)17.9%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.9%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.3%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time32 minbetter than 18% of US places
Walkability8.9/20better than 81% of US places
Airport Distance17 mibetter than 91% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access97.5%better than 90% of US places
Amenities Nearby35.17better than 31% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 45% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Wake Forest an affordable place to live?
- Wake Forest is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $64k, better than 8% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Wake Forest?
- The median home value in Wake Forest is $397k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Wake Forest?
- Median household income in Wake Forest is $115k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Wake Forest?
- Median gross rent in Wake Forest is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Wake Forest safe?
- Wake Forest is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 646/100k (better than 55%). Property crime is 1047/100k.
- What is the weather like in Wake Forest?
- Wake Forest averages 80°F in July and 41°F in January, with 49.4 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Wake Forest?
- Public-school quality in Wake Forest 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 Wake Forest?
- The average one-way commute in Wake Forest is 32 min.
Other places in Wake County
Places near Wake Forest
Compare Wake Forest
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)