Wake Forest, NC

Census Place

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2023 Population

51,199

6.56% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

38.8

0.513% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

2.95%

2.48% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$120,777

4.88% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$435,000

9.49% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

25,502

4.82% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Wake Forest, NC had a population of 51.2k people with a median age of 38.8 and a median household income of $120,777. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Wake Forest, NC grew from 48,047 to 51,199, a 6.56% increase and its median household income grew from $115,159 to $120,777, a 4.88% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Wake Forest, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (65.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (19.7%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.11%), Two+ (Hispanic) (3.62%), and Other (Hispanic) (2.47%).

None of the households in Wake Forest, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.2% of the residents in Wake Forest, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Wake Forest, NC are Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (570 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Wake Forest, NC was $435,000, and the homeownership rate was 74.7%.

Most people in Wake Forest, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Wake Forest, NC was 2 cars per household.

United States North Carolina Franklin County, NC Wake County, NC Raleigh, NC Franklin & Vance Counties PUMA, NC Wake County (Northeast)--Raleigh City (Northeast), Wake Forest & Rolesville Towns PUMA, NC

Population & Diversity

Wake Forest, NC is home to a population of 51.2k people, from which 97.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 7.84% of Wake Forest, NC residents were born outside of the country (4.01k people).

In 2023, there were 3.32 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (33.6k people) in Wake Forest, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 10.1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.1k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.2%

2023 Citizenship

97.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.2% of Wake Forest, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Wake Forest, NC was 97.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wake Forest, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
33.6k ± 1.38k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
10.1k ± 1.41k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
2.1k ± 582

7.8%

Hispanic Population

4k people

7.8% of the people in Wake Forest, NC are hispanic (4k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Wake Forest, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

7.84%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

4.01k people

7.08%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

3.4k people

As of 2023, 7.84% of Wake Forest, NC residents (4.01k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Wake Forest, NC was 7.08%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
936 ± 403
Vietnam
842 ± 342
Gulf War (1990s)
812 ± 325

Wake Forest, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.11 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Wake Forest, NC employs 25.5k people. The largest industries in Wake Forest, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,092 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (3,568 people), and Retail Trade (3,225 people), and the highest paying industries are Wholesale Trade ($128,217), Utilities ($121,057), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($107,888).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

25.5k

2023 Value

± 1,541

4.82%

1 Year growth

± 8.33%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Wake Forest, NC grew at a rate of 4.82%, from 24.3k employees to 25.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wake Forest, NC, are Management Occupations (4,777 people), Sales & Related Occupations (3,172 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (2,526 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wake Forest, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

25.5k

2023 Value

± 1,541

4.82%

1 Year growth

± 8.33%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Wake Forest, NC grew at a rate of 4.82%, from 24.3k employees to 25.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wake Forest, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,092 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (3,568 people), and Retail Trade (3,225 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wake Forest, NC, though some of these residents may live in Wake Forest, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$75,364

Median earning men ± $6,614

$50,253

Median earning women ± $3,714

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($128,545), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($119,155), and Manufacturing ($113,539).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($93,667), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($90,225), and Information ($79,342).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Education

In 2022, universities in Wake Forest, NC awarded 570 degrees. The student population of Wake Forest, NC in 2022 is skewed towards men, with 1,948 male students and 816 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Wake Forest, NC are White (449 and 79.8%), followed by Asian (44 and 7.82%), Hispanic or Latino (38 and 6.75%), and Black or African American (20 and 3.55%).

The largest universities in Wake Forest, NC by number of degrees awarded are Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (570 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Wake Forest, NC are Divinity & Ministry (297 and 52.1%), Theological Studies (60 and 10.5%), and Christian Studies (59 and 10.4%).

The median tuition cost in Wake Forest, NC for private four year colleges is $9,432.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Wake Forest, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 80%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 68.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 2,764 (70.5% men and 29.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 2,764 students enrolled in Wake Forest, NC, 70.5% men and 29.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,166 records, of which 29.3% were women and 70.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Divinity & Ministry
225 degrees awarded
Christian Studies
59 degrees awarded
Theological Studies
49 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Wake Forest, NC was Divinity & Ministry with 225 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

570 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with 570 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 447 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wake Forest, NC, which is 3.63 times more than the 123 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 449 degrees mean that there were 10.2 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 44 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($9,432) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($672) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($800) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Wake Forest, NC was $435,000 in 2023, which is 1.43 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $397,300 to $435,000, a 9.49% increase. The homeownership rate in Wake Forest, NC is 74.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Wake Forest, NC have an average commute time of 30.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wake Forest, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Wake Forest, NC is $120,777. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Wake Forest, NC was Census Tract 542.03 with a value of $137,069, followed by Census Tract 542.04 and Census Tract 542.06, with respective values of $90,481 and $89,658.

Housing

Property

$435,000

Median Property Value 2023

±$11,199

$13,342

Median Property Taxes

±$883

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Wake Forest, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Wake Forest, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

74.7%

Homeownership

2023

67.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 74.7% of the housing units in Wake Forest, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 73.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wake Forest, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 542.03
Census Tract 542.04
Census Tract 542.06

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Wake Forest, NC was Census Tract 542.03 with a value of $137,069, followed by Census Tract 542.04 and Census Tract 542.06, with respective values of $90,481 and $89,658.

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

Household Income

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

$120,777

Median Household Income

± $4,710

17.9k

Number of Households

± 1,332

In 2023, the median household income of the 17.9k households in Wake Forest, NC grew to $120,777 from the previous year's value of $115,159.

The following chart displays the households in Wake Forest, 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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (68.5%)
Worked At Home (25.1%)
Carpooled (4.49%)

In 2023, 68.5% of workers in Wake Forest, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (25.1%) and those who carpooled to work (4.49%).

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.

Commute Time

30.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wake Forest, NC have a longer commute time (30.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.74% of the workforce in Wake Forest, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

2.95% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wake Forest, NC (1.48k out of 50.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wake Forest, 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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.3% of the population of Wake Forest, NC has health coverage, with 58.9% on employee plans, 6.4% on Medicaid, 10.1% on Medicare, 14.9% on non-group plans, and 4.04% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Wake County, NC see 1159 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.13% increase from the previous year (1146 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1376 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 272 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Wake County, NC.

1,159 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Wake County, NC

Primary care physicians in Wake County, NC see an average of 1,159 patients per year. This represents a 1.13% increase from the previous year (1,146 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 its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 29% under 18 years, 16.7% between 18 and 34 years, 41.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.74%

Uninsured

58.9%

Employer Coverage

6.4%

Medicaid

10.1%

Medicare

14.9%

Non-Group

4.04%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wake Forest, NC declined by 3.89% from 5.97% to 5.74%.

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

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