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Living in
Holly Springs.
About
Life in Holly Springs
The town itself is almost entirely urban in character, so if you're looking for rural charm, this isn't it. Job prospects are genuinely solid thanks to anchor employers like Novartis and Fujifilm in biotech manufacturing, plus the typical suburban mix of service and professional work; unemployment sits at just 3.0%. A college degree is common here (nearly 68% of residents have one), and the median household income reflects that affluence at over $132,000.
Holly Springs at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.8%
Foreign-Born
11.4%
Broadband Internet
98.1%
of households
Population Growth
+21.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.4% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Holly Springs: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Holly Springs, the largest foreign-born group is from India (35.5%), and 5.0% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
32.4%
of residents
65 and Older
8.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
51.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
14.0%
of households
Married Couples
69.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.02
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 65% above NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Holly Springs
In Holly Springs, rent runs 65% above the NC average, and home values are 85% above the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,087
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
80.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2008
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $572,759 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below NC average
Unemployment in Holly Springs and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Holly Springs is 0.8 percentage points lower than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Holly Springs Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Raleigh, NC metro area
Commute28.8 min avg
How Holly Springs residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Holly Springs, most residents drive alone to work (60%), and 49% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 16 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 122 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 73% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Holly Springs runs 73% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
88.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
709
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Holly Springs Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 32 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Wake County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Wake County, which includes Holly Springs, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 32 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $167,000 |
| 2024 | 29 | Flash Flood | $425,000 |
| 2023 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $326,500 |
| 2022 | 43 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2021 | 15 | Winter Weather | $265,000 |
| 2020 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.6M |
| 2019 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $101.4M |
| 2018 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7.2M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Wake County, county-wide
Holly Springs is about 4% of Wake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Wake County, which includes Holly Springs, is typically good — 250 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
250
per year
Moderate Days
115
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Wake County, county-wide
Holly Springs is about 4% of Wake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate88°F summers, 30°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Holly Springs has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/30°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.8"
Annual Snowfall
4.8"
Hot Days/Year
43
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
89
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
119
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 28°F | 3.25" |
| Feb | 55°F | 30°F | 2.98" |
| Mar | 62°F | 36°F | 3.76" |
| Apr | 72°F | 45°F | 3.72" |
| May | 79°F | 55°F | 3.41" |
| Jun | 86°F | 63°F | 4.77" |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 5.00" |
| Aug | 88°F | 66°F | 4.27" |
| Sep | 82°F | 60°F | 5.65" |
| Oct | 72°F | 48°F | 3.53" |
| Nov | 62°F | 37°F | 3.19" |
| Dec | 54°F | 31°F | 3.55" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Holly Springs
Uninsured
3.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Holly Springs's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Wakemed, Cary Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.1 mi away · Cary
Rex Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.8 mi away · Raleigh
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Holly Springs
Holly Springs's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 67.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
67.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Holly Springs (within 15 miles)
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
13.2 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 27,371 students · in-state tuition $8,815 · 85% graduate · median earnings $77,810 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,188 students · in-state tuition $47,448 · 67% graduate · median earnings $54,417 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 875 students · in-state tuition $19,278 · 22% graduate · median earnings $38,822 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 666 students · in-state tuition $35,180 · 52% graduate · median earnings $47,869 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 65 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Holly Springs
Holly Springs has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (65 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
65 mi awayMoores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
92 mi awayPublic Libraries in Holly Springs
Holly Springs Community Library
300 W Ballentine St, Holly Springs
Cities Near Holly Springs
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Holly Springs?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Holly Springs FAQ
Is Holly Springs, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Holly Springs's median rent is $2,021/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $135,578/year. Median home value is $535,800.
Is Holly Springs, North Carolina safe?⌄
Holly Springs's violent crime rate was 89 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 709 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Holly Springs, North Carolina?⌄
Holly Springs has an unemployment rate of 3.0%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Holly Springs, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Holly Springs is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,021/month and median household income is $135,578/year. The median home value is $535,800. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Holly Springs, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Holly Springs is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from