Raleigh, NC vs Wake Forest, NC

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricRaleigh, NCWake Forest, NC
Population481,03152,844
Median Household Income$85,395$123,802
Median Rent$1,572/mo$1,596/mo
Median Home Value$415,800$474,500
Cost of Living (US = 100)9898
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50.5%44.7%
Poverty Rate11.9%4.5%
Unemployment Rate3.3%3.3%
Violent Crime Rate /100k39585
Property Crime Rate /100k2,3051,021
Median AQI4343
Good AQI Days /yr250250
Summer Highs89°F85°F
Winter Lows33°F30°F
Snowfall5 in/yr2 in/yr
Avg Commute23 min30.9 min
Hospitals4—
Avg Hospital Rating4.5 / 5—
Students per Teacher14.216.3
College Degree Rate54%59.5%
Foreign-Born %13.8%9.5%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+8.2%+21.1%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.