With 506,306 people, Raleigh can't be summed up by one letter: its B− averages neighborhoods that are worlds apart. It ranks 80th of 286 graded places in North Carolina. It is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns and its schools outperform 75% of the state's. What weighs on its grade: its police reported 1,993 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 87% of U.S. towns. 44% of working residents work locally in Raleigh, against 6.8% in North Carolina’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. On walkability, just 15 of North Carolina’s 450 towns do better. Its National Register listings include North Carolina State Capitol and Christ Episcopal Church.

StrongestAWalkability AOutdoors AHealthWeakestDSafety CCost of living

What makes Raleigh stand out

Where Raleigh beats most towns.

North Carolina State Capitol

HistoryA⁻

Settled in 1770

137 places on the National Register

A history going back 256 years.

Biggest of 5

College	Students
North Carolina State University at Raleigh	34,210
Meredith College	1,561
Saint Augustine's University	836

Colleges in town

5 colleges

37,989 students on campus

Students are 10% of residents.

WalkabilityA

More walkable than 87% of U.S. towns

3.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

North Carolina State Capitol · National Register of Historic Places

Raleigh’s story

256 years in pictures

North Carolina State Capitol is one of 3 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its 137 National Register listings are more than in any other North Carolina town with a listing.

Census counts: 669 in 1800, a low of 669 in 1800, 467,665 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1798 and 7 maps from 1943 on.

1770Raleigh is settled

Explore the history →

How Raleigh grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Raleigh is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.5 of 20; 6% of households have no carAOpen →SafetyDOpen →HealthRex Hospital 3.6 miles awayAOpen →SchoolsA⁻Open →Cost of livingCOpen →Jobs & income$85K median household incomeBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 43% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors16% conserved landAOpen →History32 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life5.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market32 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.7; 54% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Lenovo Center and 24 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Raleigh. Close and well known come first.

All 32 attractions →

in town Stadium & arenaLenovo Center

5 mi Stadium & arenaCarter–Finley Stadium

in town MuseumNorth Carolina Museum of Art

in town MuseumNorth Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

7 mi Stadium & arenaWakeMed Soccer Park

23 mi Stadium & arenaKenan Memorial Stadium

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Lenovo Center: Edward T. Funkhouser, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carter–Finley Stadium: SMaloney, CC BY 3.0 · North Carolina Museum of Art: Justin Doub, CC BY 2.0 · North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences: Jmturner, Public domain · WakeMed Soccer Park: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kenan Memorial Stadium: Yeungb, CC BY 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Raleigh: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Raleigh, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerDuke Energy13.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Raleigh water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpLiberty Waste Solutions (Headquarters and South Raleigh Transfer Station)2126 Garner RoadOpenStreetMap

SchoolsWake County SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereWake County Board of ElectionsWake County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2023

ZIP codes27610, 27616, 27604, 2761227610 14% · 27616 11% · 27604 9% · 27612 8%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Raleigh.

Raleigh draws workers from Cary and beyond and has less COPD than most of North Carolina, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.

OutdoorsA

Raleigh has set aside 16.1% of its land for conservation

107 miles of trail in 172 parks and preserves. The biggest place to walk is William B. Umstead State Park, 5,306 acres with 33.4 miles of trail. Raleigh’s trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile.

#44for trails in NC

16.1%

conserved · 15,748 of 97,696 acres

107 mi

of trails · 0.7 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. William B. Umstead State Park	33.4 mi	5,306
2. Lake Johnson Park	6.1 mi	474
3. Durant Nature Preserve	4.7 mi	279

Full pageRaleigh’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map107 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk33.4 miles of trail · William B. Umstead State Park Conserved land16.1% conserved · 15,748 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Raleigh?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsA⁻

For schools, Raleigh earns an A−

Its public schools are run by the Wake County Schools. Three of its 131 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

75%of NC districts it outscoresA⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
West Millbrook MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	1,164	B
Enloe HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	2,643	A
Raleigh Charter High SchoolTop results in townGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	552	A⁺

Full pageRaleigh’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsWake County Schools Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 5 graded neighbors Every school131 schools · Harris Creek Elementary Questions“Are Raleigh’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

About one in two working residents works right in Raleigh

366,134 jobs are based in Raleigh, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 25.8% of workers work from home, against 16.3% across North Carolina.

26% of workers work from home in Raleigh. Jobs based in Raleigh grew to 366,134 in 2023, 55,997 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Durham (10%), Cary (8%) and Charlotte (4%).

44%work in town

	Raleigh	North Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	26%	12%	11%
Median household income	$85,000	$69,000	$80,000
Average trip to work	23 minutes	24 minutes	25 minutes
Below the poverty line	12%	13%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Raleigh44%

Durham10%

Cary8%

Charlotte4%

Morrisville3%

10 mi

median commute distance

366,134

jobs based in Raleigh

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 87% of U.S. towns

Full pageRaleigh’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here366,134 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work44% work in Raleigh Commute times23 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 10 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

SafetyD

For safety, Raleigh earns a D

Reported crimes fell from 15,053 to 13,641 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

The violent crime rate in Raleigh is 3.9 per 1,000 residents. Raleigh reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 87% report less. The property crime rate in Raleigh is 22.9 per 1,000 residents.

13%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade

	Raleigh	North Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	3.9 per 1,000 residents	3.1	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	22.9 per 1,000 residents	21.8	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Raleigh3.9

North Carolina3.3

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Raleigh22.9

North Carolina18.2

U.S.15.5

13th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

37th

percentile among NC towns

1,993

violent crimes reported in 2025

11,648

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageRaleigh’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type3.9 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 5 graded neighbors Questions“Is Raleigh, NC safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HealthA

For health, Raleigh earns an A

Its widest gap with North Carolina is COPD: 4.6% of its 371,178 adults have COPD, against 7.1% statewide.

9.8% of Raleigh adults report frequent physical distress. Raleigh beats the North Carolina average on 13 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 31% of Raleigh adults have high blood pressure.

87%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade

	Raleigh	North Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	9.8%	13%	14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	31%	38%	35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	9.1%	13%	12%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	11%	14%	14%

32 measures vs. North Carolina

13 better18 too close to call1 worse

What stands out	Raleigh	NC
Fewer adults with COPD	4.6%	7.1%
Fewer adults with heart disease	4.3%	6.6%
Fewer adults treating high blood pressure	71.1%	76.7%

Rex Hospital

3.6 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

85th

percentile among NC towns

Full pageRaleigh’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby3.6 miles to an ER · Rex Hospital How adults are doingFewer adults in frequent physical distress Every CDC estimateBetter than NC on 13 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade C

Raleigh’s typical home value is about $425K

The median property tax bill is $3,048, against $1,896 across North Carolina, another input to its cost-of-living grade.

The typical Raleigh home is worth about $425,000, down 1.7% in a year, 28% above the North Carolina typical home.

$425KZillow home value

	Raleigh	North Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	51%	67%	73%
Median rent	$1,572 a month	$1,084 a month	$1,185 a month
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	52%	49%	48%

Typical home value

Raleigh$425K

North Carolina$332K

Market temperature

days on market

98.9%

sale-to-list price

−1.7%

value change, 1 year

525

homes sold in May

Full pageRaleigh’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 1.7% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.0 years of income Rents$1,572 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 5 graded neighbors

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Climate

Raleigh has mild winters and hot summers

Raleigh has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 90°, January nights drop to 31° and about 5 inches of snow falls in a winter.

5″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter32–54°

Spring47–72°

Summer67–88°

Fall50–72°

Nov 8

typical first frost

Mar 28

typical last frost

+1.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageRaleigh’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 90°, January lows 31°Rain & snow5″ of snow a winter · 48 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B⁻

Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Raleigh

900 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 121 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 900 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Raleigh.

43risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves

900

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageRaleigh’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims900 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters6 federal disasters · Paid out in Raleigh Get ready4.6 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Raleigh

20pages on Raleigh

The big questions

SchoolsA⁻Beat 75% of NC districts · 131 schools SafetyD3.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NC on 13 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC$425K typical home · down 1.7% in a year Work & commuteB$85K median household income · 366,134 jobs here Natural hazardsB⁻FEMA risk higher than 43% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA107 mi of trails · 16% conserved land PlacesAttractions32 nearby · Lenovo Center under 1 mi LibraryB⁻Green Road Community Library CollegesShaw University, in town

The story

HistoryA⁻Settled 1770 · 137 on the National Register Famous people32 born in Raleigh Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 120 residents Climate90° summer highs · 5″ of snow

Day to day

News9 recent stories about Raleigh WeatherHandbookZIP code 27601, 27602, 27603 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

9 within 15 miles of the center of Raleigh

North Carolina State University at RaleighUniversity or college · Public · RaleighIn town$8,799 in-state tuition Shaw UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · RaleighIn town$17,538 tuition Wake Technical Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Raleigh13.1 mi$2,254 in-state tuition

About 10 of every 100 Raleigh residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

10% of Raleigh is in college

5 colleges in town.

North Carolina State University at Raleigh34,210 students on campus

Admission: 42%
Net price: $17,303
Graduate: 85%

Meredith College1,561 students on campus

Admission: 74%
Net price: $22,488
Graduate: 70%

Saint Augustine's University836 students on campus

Admission: 34%
Net price: $24,313
Graduate: 25%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

137 places in Raleigh on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

North Carolina State CapitolBuilt 1833 · National Historic Landmark

Christ ChurchNational Historic Landmark

Christ Episcopal ChurchNational Historic Landmark

North Carolina Executive Mansion

Famous people from Raleigh

32 notable people were born in Raleigh.

See all 32 →

Andrew JohnsonPresident of the United States from 1865 to 1869 · 1808–1875

Evan Rachel WoodAmerican actress · born 1987

Michael C. HallAmerican actor · born 1971

Daniel McFaddenAmerican economist · born 1937

Clay AikenAmerican singer-songwriter, actor, and record producer · born 1978

Peyton ReedAmerican film director · born 1964

About Raleigh

Capital city of North Carolina, U.S.

Official town website ↗

Raleigh ( RAH-lee) is the capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte), tenth most populous city in the Southeast, the largest city in the Research Triangle area, and the 39th-most populous city in the U.S. Known as the "City of Oaks" for its oak-lined streets, Raleigh covers 148.54 square miles (384.7 km2) and had a population of 467,665 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Wake County and is named after Sir Walter Raleigh, who founded the lost Roanoke Colony. Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University and is part of the Research Triangle, which includes Durham (home to Duke University and North Carolin…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1770
Area: 146 sq mi
Elevation: 315 ft
ZIP code: 27601, 27602, 27603
Area code: 919, 984

Raleigh’s neighbors

5 towns share a border with Raleigh.

Explore the map →

CaryGarnerWake ForestDurhamKnightdaleRaleigh

Cary

W · 8% of Raleigh workers commute here

Visit

Garner

S · 2% of Raleigh workers commute here

Visit

Wake Forest

NE · 1% of Raleigh workers commute here

Visit

Durham

NW · 10% of Raleigh workers commute here

Visit

Knightdale

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	NC rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Raleigh	#80	B⁻	C	D	A⁻	A
Cary	#11	A	C⁻	B	A⁻	A⁺
Garner	#103	B⁻	C⁺	D	A⁻	A⁻
Wake Forest	#24	A⁻	C	B⁻	A⁻	A
Durham	#179	C⁻	C⁻	D	C⁺	A⁻
Knightdale	#66	B	C⁺	C⁻	A⁻	B

Compare Raleigh with a neighbor →

Questions about Raleigh

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Raleigh, NC a good place to live?

Raleigh grades B− overall, better than 54% of U.S. towns and #80 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades A for health, D for safety and A− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Raleigh, NC safe?

Within North Carolina, it does better than 37% of towns.

Is Raleigh, NC expensive?

That is 4.2 years of the area's median household income ($100,103 across the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.

What is Raleigh, NC known for?

32 notable people were born here, including Andrew Johnson and Evan Rachel Wood.

Post to Raleigh

Check your email

RaleighNC

What is it like to live in Raleigh?

What makes Raleigh stand out

256 years in pictures

How Raleigh grades

Lenovo Center and 24 more within 40 miles

Moving to Raleigh: who provides what

The data

Raleigh has set aside 16.1% of its land for conservation

For schools, Raleigh earns an A−

About one in two working residents works right in Raleigh

Where working residents work

For safety, Raleigh earns a D

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

For health, Raleigh earns an A

Raleigh’s typical home value is about $425K

Typical home value

Raleigh has mild winters and hot summers

Typical low → high °F

Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Raleigh

Everything we know about Raleigh

Colleges nearby

10% of Raleigh is in college

Landmarks

Famous people from Raleigh

About Raleigh

Raleigh’s neighbors

Questions about Raleigh