Raleigh is a city located in Wake County North Carolina. Raleigh has a 2024 population of 487,942. Raleigh is currently growing at a rate of 1.17% annually and its population has increased by 4.85% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 465,354 in 2020.
The average household income in Raleigh is $112,110 with a poverty rate of 11.81%. The median age in Raleigh is 34.6 years: 33.5 years for males, and 35.8 years for females.
The Raleigh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) has a population estimated at 1.21 million, however. The larger Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Combined Statistical Area (CSA) is estimated at 2.03 million. Raleigh has a population density of 2,963 people per square mile (1,097/sq km).
Raleigh is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States with a growth rate of about 3.4% per year. A Forbes study last year found the Raleigh metropolitan area was the fastest growing in the United States, increasing 47% from 2000 to 2012.
Between 2000 and 2009, the Raleigh-Durham-Cary metropolitan area grew 40%, leading the nation. It is predicted that Raleigh will remain the fastest-growing metro area through 2025.
Raleigh was chosen as the new capital of North Carolina in 1788. It is one of the few planned cities in the United States, and its site was chosen in a central location to protect it from coastal attacks. From 1810 to 1820, the population grew from just 876 to more than 2,600. During the Civil War, the city was protected against Union troops and, despite a nearby battle, Raleigh experienced little serious damage, but it failed to grow for decades due to an economy based on agriculture.
After the Civil War, many free blacks (freedmen) migrated from rural areas to Raleigh, which had a large free black community. The city became the site of Shaw University, the first African American college in the South with classes that began in 1865. Despite progress made during the 19th century for black people in the state, voter registration rules passed in 1900 reduced black voting to zero by 1908. It was not until federal civil rights legislation in the 1960s that most black people in North Carolina could vote again, sit on juries and serve in local offices.
Raleigh has since grown and changed dramatically. For the past ten years, it has frequently made Top 10 Lists, including those by Forbes and Money Magazine. Except for 1830, Raleigh has posted positive population growth at every census since 1800.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Raleigh was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 258,136 | 55.45% |
| Black or African American | 131,013 | 28.14% |
| Two or more races | 31,945 | 6.86% |
| Other race | 21,648 | 4.65% |
| Asian | 21,114 | 4.54% |
| Native American | 1,525 | 0.33% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 136 | 0.03% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 189,830 | 2.35 | 51.1 | 48.9 |
| Non Family | 87,949 | 1.37 | 36.6 | 63.4 |
| Married | 72,228 | 3.11 | 75.3 | 24.7 |
| Female | 22,735 | 3.39 | 32.8 | 67.2 |
| Male | 6,918 | 3.43 | 42.6 | 57.4 |
3.12
Average Family Size
2.35
Average Household Size
51.1%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 12,877 | 4.08% |
| Associates Degree | 23,327 | 7.38% |
| Bachelors Degree | 103,293 | 32.69% |
| Graduate Degree | 63,112 | 19.97% |
| High School Graduate | 50,717 | 16.05% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 11,102 | 3.51% |
| Some College | 51,553 | 16.32% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 176,315 | 171,746 | 117,916 |
| Black | 86,316 | 78,943 | 27,515 |
| Hispanic | 29,865 | 19,822 | 7,307 |
| 2+ Races | 16,774 | 13,673 | 6,830 |
| Asian | 14,896 | 13,213 | 9,085 |
| Other Race | 12,635 | 7,711 | 2,219 |
| Native American | 1,121 | 817 | 274 |
| Islander | 136 | 119 | 22 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 97.41%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 66.88%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $65,153 | $80,812 | $55,708 |
| Graduate Degree | $77,626 | $105,909 | $65,303 |
| High School Graduate | $33,355 | $35,569 | $29,984 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $28,526 | $34,003 | $22,028 |
| Overall | $51,669 | $57,759 | $46,792 |
| Some College | $41,197 | $43,420 | $39,230 |
$51,669
Average Earnings
$57,759
Average Male
$46,792
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
82.3% of Raleigh residents speak only English, while 17.7% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 9.29% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 126,541 | 21,294 | 16.83% |
| White | 232,894 | 18,050 | 7.75% |
| Hispanic | 52,713 | 8,640 | 16.39% |
| Multiple | 30,552 | 4,925 | 16.12% |
| Other | 20,978 | 3,480 | 16.59% |
| Asian | 20,300 | 2,886 | 14.22% |
| Native | 1,441 | 172 | 11.94% |
11.81%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.41%
Male Poverty Rate
12.2%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Raleigh is Black, with 16.83% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Raleigh is White, with 7.75% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.22%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.27%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 20.67%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 24.44% |
| High School | 13.55% |
| Some College | 9.41% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.4% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 31.81% |
| Female Unemployed | 29.65% |
| Female Employed | 7.4% |
| Male Employed | 5.98% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $103,882 | $142,114 |
| Households | $78,631 | $112,110 |
| Married Families | $133,596 | $173,204 |
| Non Families | $56,519 | $74,893 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
40.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
42.3%
Male Marriage Rate
38.0%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
18,254
Number of Veterans
15,508
Male Veterans
2,746
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| First Gulf War | 5,551 |
| Second Gulf War | 5,278 |
| Vietnam | 4,534 |
| Korea | 1,031 |
| World War II | 239 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 5,876 |
| 75+ | 3,806 |
| 65 to 74 | 3,375 |
| 55 to 64 | 3,215 |
| 18 to 34 | 1,982 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 11,247 | 5.21% |
| Black | 5,869 | 5.84% |
| Hispanic | 693 | 1.89% |
| 2+ Races | 530 | 2.49% |
| Other Race | 277 | 1.8% |
| Asian | 217 | 1.22% |
| Native American | 73 | 5.61% |
| Islander | 41 | 30.15% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
6.86%
Veteran Poverty Rate
21.37%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
69.8%
Labor Force Participation
66.6%
Employment Rate
4.5%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
46.29%
Born in Raleigh
87.04%
Native Born
12.96%
Foreign Born
7.52%
Non Citizen
5.44%
Naturalized
87.04% of Raleigh residents were born in the United States, with 46.29% having been born in North Carolina. 7.52% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 516,177 | 5,647 | 1.11% |
| 2028 | 510,530 | 5,647 | 1.12% |
| 2027 | 504,883 | 5,647 | 1.13% |
| 2026 | 499,236 | 5,647 | 1.14% |
| 2025 | 493,589 | 5,647 | 1.16% |
| 2024 | 487,942 | 5,647 | 1.17% |
| 2023 | 482,295 | 8,872 | 1.87% |
| 2022 | 473,423 | 2,610 | 0.55% |
| 2021 | 470,813 | 5,459 | 1.17% |
| 2020 | 465,354 | -8,901 | -1.88% |
| 2019 | 474,255 | 4,471 | 0.95% |
| 2018 | 469,784 | 3,607 | 0.77% |
| 2017 | 466,177 | 6,381 | 1.39% |
| 2016 | 459,796 | 9,944 | 2.21% |
| 2015 | 449,852 | 10,093 | 2.3% |
| 2014 | 439,759 | 8,172 | 1.89% |
| 2013 | 431,587 | 8,131 | 1.92% |
| 2012 | 423,456 | 9,385 | 2.27% |
| 2011 | 414,071 | 7,659 | 1.88% |
| 2010 | 406,412 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 276,093 | 68,142 | 32.77% |
| 1990 | 207,951 | 57,696 | 38.4% |
| 1980 | 150,255 | 27,425 | 22.33% |
| 1970 | 122,830 | 28,899 | 30.77% |
| 1960 | 93,931 | 28,252 | 43.02% |
| 1950 | 65,679 | 18,782 | 40.05% |
| 1940 | 46,897 | 9,518 | 25.46% |
| 1930 | 37,379 | 12,961 | 53.08% |
| 1920 | 24,418 | 5,200 | 27.06% |
| 1910 | 19,218 | 5,575 | 40.86% |
| 1900 | 13,643 | 965 | 7.61% |
| 1890 | 12,678 | 3,413 | 36.84% |
| 1880 | 9,265 | 1,475 | 18.93% |
| 1870 | 7,790 | 3,010 | 62.97% |
| 1860 | 4,780 | 262 | 5.8% |
| 1850 | 4,518 | 2,318 | 105.36% |
| 1840 | 2,200 | 500 | 29.41% |
| 1830 | 1,700 | -974 | -36.42% |
| 1820 | 2,674 | 1,974 | 282% |
| 1800 | 700 | -515,477 | -99.86% |