Wake County, NC

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Population

1.09M

1.87% growth

Median Age

36.4


Median Household Income

$79,970

3.43% growth

Poverty Rate

10.1%


Number of Employees

586,724

2.99% growth

Median Property Value

$301,900

9.38% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2018, Wake County, NC had a population of 1.09M people with a median age of 36.4 and a median household income of $79,970. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Wake County, NC grew from 1.07M to 1.09M, a 1.87% increase and its median household income grew from $77,318 to $79,970, a 3.43% increase.

The population of Wake County, NC is 59.4% White Alone, 19.5% Black or African American Alone, and 10.3% Hispanic or Latino. 17.4% of the people in Wake County, NC speak a non-English language, and 93.2% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Wake County, NC are North Carolina State University at Raleigh (9,141 degrees awarded in 2017), Wake Technical Community College (6,075 degrees), and MyComputerCareer.edu-Raleigh (757 degrees).

The median property value in Wake County, NC is $301,900, and the homeownership rate is 63.4%. Most people in Wake County, NC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 23 minutes. The average car ownership in Wake County, NC is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Neuse River Greenway in Raleigh, North Carolina

Photo by James Willamor

United StatesNorth CarolinaRaleigh, NC

Economy

The economy of Wake County, NC employs 587k people. The largest industries in Wake County, NC are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (96,375 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (66,655 people), and Retail Trade (57,588 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($80,340), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($79,500), and Information ($75,711).

Median household income in Wake County, NC is $79,970. Males in Wake County, NC have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $47,552. The income inequality in Wake County, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$79,970

2018 value

± $2,039

3.43%

1 Year Growth

± 3.93%

Households in Wake County, NC have a median annual income of $79,970, which is more than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $77,318 in 2017, which represents a 3.43% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Wake County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

$62,551

Average Male Salary

± $1,091

$47,552

Average Female Salary

± $846

In 2018, full-time male employees in North Carolina made 1.32 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $66,551 ± $4,420

  2. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

    $53,592 ± $28,568

  3. White

    $52,871 ± $810

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of North Carolina workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.24 times more than Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Wake County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2018 Wage GINI

0.473

2017 Wage GINI

In 2018, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.556% decline from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2018 the GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 517

  2. Census Tract 536.04

  3. Census Tract 538.05

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Wake County, NC was Census Tract 517 with a value of $190,962, followed by Census Tract 536.04 and Census Tract 538.05, with respective values of $182,734 and $168,250.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Wake County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 18 - 24

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

10.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wake County, NC (101k out of 1M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    51,640 ± 1,824

  2. Black

    31,543 ± 1,465

  3. Hispanic

    25,215 ± 1,331

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wake County, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

587k

2018 Value

± 14,427

2.99%

1 Year growth

± 3.3%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Wake County, NC grew at a rate of 2.99%, from 570k employees to 587k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wake County, NC, are Management Occupations (78,173 people), Sales & Related Occupations (61,729 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (51,475 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wake County, NC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Wake County, NC, by number of employees, are Management Occupations (78,173 people), Sales & Related Occupations (61,729 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (51,475 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Wake County, NC has an unusually high number of residents working as Computer & Mathematical Occupations (2.36 times higher than expected), Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (1.95 times), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (1.58 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Wake County, NC, by median earnings, are Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($93,088), Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($82,330), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($80,156).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

587k

2018 Value

± 14,427

2.99%

1 Year growth

± 3.3%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Wake County, NC grew at a rate of 2.99%, from 570k employees to 587k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wake County, NC, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (96,375 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (66,655 people), and Retail Trade (57,588 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wake County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Wake County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Wake County, NC, by number of employees, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (96,375 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (66,655 people), and Retail Trade (57,588 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Wake County, NC has an unusually high number of Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (2.18 times higher than expected), Information (1.4 times), and Finance & Insurance (1.17 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Wake County, NC, by median earnings, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($80,340), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($79,500), and Information ($75,711).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Mixed freight

    $54.9B

  2. Pharmaceuticals

    $41.2B

  3. Machinery

    $40B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $54.9B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($41.2B) and Machinery ($40B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina state.

$443B

2020 Value

$632B

Projected 2045 Value

42.7% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $443B. This is expected to increase 42.7% to $632B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. South Carolina

    $28.4B

  2. Virginia

    $28.1B

  3. Georgia

    $28B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $28.4B, followed by Virginia with $28.1B and Georgia and $28B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

90.9% of the population of Wake County, NC has health coverage, with 58.4% on employee plans, 10.3% on Medicaid, 8.15% on Medicare, 13.1% on non-group plans, and 1.01% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Wake County, NC was $7,264 in 2014. This is a 3.37% increase from the previous year ($7,027).

Primary care physicians in Wake County, NC see 1169 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.776% increase from the previous year (1160 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1464 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 377 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16.2%). Additionally, Hertford County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (40.5%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,169 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Wake County, NC see an average of 1,169 patients per year. This represents a 0.776% increase from the previous year (1,160 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Wake County, NC in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

$7,264

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$3,859

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,225

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,260

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in North Carolina (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.37%, from $7,027 to $7,264.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

9.15%

Uninsured

58.4%

Employer Coverage

10.3%

Medicaid

8.15%

Medicare

13.1%

Non-Group

1.01%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wake County, NC grew by 20.7% from 7.58% to 9.15%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Wake County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Edgecombe County

    16.2% prevalence

  2. Robeson County

    16.1% prevalence

  3. Hertford County

    16% prevalence

Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina, at 16.2%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Wake County, NC is home to a population of 1.09M people, from which 93.2% are citizens. As of 2017, 12.7% of Wake County, NC residents were born outside of the country (136k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Wake County, NC is composed of 649k White Alone residents (59.4%), 213k Black or African American Alone residents (19.5%), 113k Hispanic or Latino residents (10.3%), 77.9k Asian Alone residents (7.13%), 34.2k Two or More Races residents (3.13%), 3.38k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.309%), 1.72k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.157%), and 331 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0303%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Wake County, NC are Spanish (83,679 speakers), Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (12,663 speakers), and Hindi (7,693 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

35

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

41

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.6

In 2018, the median age of all people in Wake County, NC was 36.4. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 35, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 41. But people in Wake County, NC are getting getting older. In 2017, the average age of all Wake County, NC residents was 36.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

12.7%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

136k people

12.4%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

130k people

As of 2017, 12.7% of Wake County, NC residents (136k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Wake County, NC was 12.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Wake County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    229,977 ± 11,643 people

  2. India

    71,606 ± 6,547 people

  3. Honduras

    31,466 ± 4,348 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 229,977 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 71,606 and Honduras with 31,466.

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Citizenship

93.2%

2018 Citizenship

91.5%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 93.2% of Wake County, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Wake County, NC was 91.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Wake County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    649k ± 2.5k

  2. Black or African American Alone

    213k ± 4.53k

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    113k ± 11.1k

In 2018, there were 3.05 times more White Alone residents (649k people) in Wake County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 213k Black or African American Alone and 113k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Wake County, NC as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. Spanish

    83,679 speakers (8.17%)

  2. Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)

    12,663 speakers (1.24%)

  3. Hindi

    7,693 speakers (0.751%)

17.4% of Wake County, NC citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.9%. In 2018, the most common non-English language spoken in Wake County, NC was Spanish. 8.17% of the overall population of Wake County, NC are native Spanish speakers. 1.24% speak Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) and 0.751% speak Spanish, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    14,523 ± 1,711

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    12,089 ± 1,884

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    9,759 ± 1,408

Wake County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.2 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Wake County, NC awarded 19,221 degrees. The student population of Wake County, NC is skewed towards women, with 35,387 male students and 37,799 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Wake County, NC are White (10,732 and 60.5%), followed by Black or African American (3,324 and 18.7%), Unknown (1,252 and 7.05%), and Hispanic or Latino (1,195 and 6.73%).

The largest universities in Wake County, NC by number of degrees awarded are North Carolina State University at Raleigh (9,141 and 47.6%), Wake Technical Community College (6,075 and 31.6%), and MyComputerCareer.edu-Raleigh (757 and 3.94%).

The most popular majors in Wake County, NC are General Business Administration & Management (1,801 and 9.37%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,295 and 6.74%), and Computer Systems Networking & Telecommunications (852 and 4.43%).

The median tuition costs in Wake County, NC are $12,890 for private four year colleges, and $6,535 and $24,883 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Business Administration & Management

    705 degrees awarded

  2. General Biological Sciences

    404 degrees awarded

  3. General Psychology

    287 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Wake County, NC was General Business Administration & Management with 705 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Wake County, NC according to their major.

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

    9,141 degrees awarded

  2. Wake Technical Community College

    6,075 degrees awarded

  3. MyComputerCareer.edu-Raleigh

    757 degrees awarded

$6,535

Median In-State Public

$12,890

Median Private

In 2017, the Wake County, NC institution with the largest number of graduating students was North Carolina State University at Raleigh with 9,141 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

9,515

Degrees Awarded to Men

9,706

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 9,515 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wake County, NC, which is 0.98 times less than the 9,706 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Wake County, NC by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    10,732 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    3,324 degrees awarded

  3. Unknown

    1,252 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Wake County, NC were to White students. These 10,732 degrees mean that there were 3.23 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 3,324 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Wake County, NC was $301,900 in 2018, which is 1.31 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $276,000 to $301,900, a 9.38% increase. The homeownership rate in Wake County, NC is 63.4%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Wake County, NC have an average commute time of 23 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Wake County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$301,900

2018 Median

± $5,619

$276,000

2017 Median

± $5,623

In 2018, the median property value in Wake County, NC grew to to $301,900 from the previous year's value of $276,000.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Wake County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Wake County, NC the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$79,970

Median Household Income

± $2,039

408k

Number of Households

± 11,084

In 2018, the median household income of the 408k households in Wake County, NC grew to $79,970 from the previous year's value of $77,318.

The following chart displays the households in Wake County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Wake County, NC distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Wake County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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Rent vs Own

63.4%

2018 Homeownership

65.4%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 63.4% of the housing units in Wake County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 65.4%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Wake County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

23 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wake County, NC have a shorter commute time (23 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.62% of the workforce in Wake County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Wake County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    78.2%

  2. Worked At Home

    9.99%

  3. Carpooled

    8.52%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Wake County, NC was Drove Alone (78.2%), followed by those who Worked At Home (9.99%) and those who Carpooled (8.52%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Wake County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Wake County, NC have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

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