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Living in
Wendell.
About
Life in Wendell
Wendell is a community of 11,585 people in North Carolina. The median household income is $95,787, median rent runs about $1,457 per month, and median home values are around $330,500. Unemployment is low at 3.2%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Wendell at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.2%
Foreign-Born
13.5%
Broadband Internet
89.0%
of households
Population Growth
+100.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Wendell: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wendell, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (56.2%), and 14.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.7%
of residents
65 and Older
15.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.8%
of households
Married Couples
51.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.63
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 19% above NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Wendell
In Wendell, rent runs 19% above the NC average, and home values are 14% above the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,396
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
78.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2010
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $365,931 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below NC average
Unemployment in Wendell and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Wake County, which includes Wendell, is 0.6 percentage points lower than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
Wendell: Wake County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Wake County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Wendell is about 1% of Wake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Wendell 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
Commute29 min avg
How Wendell residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wendell, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 45% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 149 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 70% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Wendell runs 70% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
98.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,020.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Wendell 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 Wendell, 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
Wendell is about 1% 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 Wendell, 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
Wendell is about 1% of Wake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate88°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Wendell has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and mild winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
72°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.8"
Annual Snowfall
3.3"
Hot Days/Year
48
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
61
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
94
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 31°F | 3.73" |
| Feb | 56°F | 31°F | 3.14" |
| Mar | 64°F | 38°F | 4.10" |
| Apr | 73°F | 47°F | 3.37" |
| May | 80°F | 56°F | 3.78" |
| Jun | 87°F | 65°F | 4.14" |
| Jul | 90°F | 70°F | 5.91" |
| Aug | 88°F | 68°F | 4.43" |
| Sep | 82°F | 63°F | 6.39" |
| Oct | 72°F | 50°F | 3.83" |
| Nov | 63°F | 39°F | 3.38" |
| Dec | 56°F | 34°F | 3.70" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Wendell
Uninsured
8.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Wendell's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Holly Hill Mental Health Services
Psychiatric · 10.8 mi away · Raleigh
Wakemed, Raleigh Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.1 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.
Education16.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Wendell
Wendell's student/teacher ratio is 16.1:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 38.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
38.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Wendell (within 15 miles)
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, 85 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wendell
Wendell has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (85 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
85 mi awayMoores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Wendell
Wendell Community Library
207 S Hollybrook Rd, Wendell
Cities Near Wendell
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wendell?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wendell FAQ
Is Wendell, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Wendell's median rent is $1,457/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $95,787/year. Median home value is $330,500.
Is Wendell, North Carolina safe?⌄
Wendell's violent crime rate was 99 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 1021 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Wendell, North Carolina?⌄
Wake County, which includes Wendell, has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Wendell, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Wendell is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,457/month and median household income is $95,787/year. The median home value is $330,500. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wendell, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Wendell 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