What is the median household income in Raleigh, NC?
The median household income in Raleigh, NC is $85,395 (±$2,159) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Paying the median gross rent of $1,572 a month would take about $62,900 a year at the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of income on rent.
In Raleigh, the median household income went from $67,266 in 2015–2019 to $85,395 in 2020–2024 (+27.0%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
Figures last updated on .
- Median household income
- $85,395 (±$2,159)
- Median renter income
- $59,538 (±$2,334)
- Income to afford median rent
- about $62,900
Income in Raleigh against Wake County, its state and the nation
| Raleigh | Wake County | North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,395 (±$2,159) | $105,768 (±$1,626) | $72,388 (±$324) | $80,734 |
| Median renter household income | $59,538 (±$2,334) | $65,172 (±$1,743) | $48,010 (±$418) | $52,966 |
| Median owner household income | $123,576 (±$3,554) | $136,256 (±$2,266) | $88,911 (±$521) | $100,009 |
| Median gross rent | $1,572 (±$23) | $1,623 (±$16) | $1,228 (±$5) | $1,413 |
In Raleigh, median household income is lower than in Wake County ($105,768).
It is also higher than in North Carolina ($72,388).
It is higher than the national figure ($80,734).
In Wake County, Raleigh ranks 10 of 12 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median household income.
Statewide, it ranks 138 of 643.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How much you need to earn to rent in Raleigh
Many landlords and housing programs use 30% of gross income as the most a household should spend on rent.
At that guideline, the median gross rent of $1,572 a month ($18,864 a year) needs an income of about $62,900 a year.
The median renting household in Raleigh earns $59,538 a year, less than that.
This is arithmetic on the published medians, not a rule any landlord must follow; screening criteria vary and some places limit how income may be weighed.
Income against housing costs since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,266 (±$1,360) | $85,395 (±$2,159) | +27.0% | Up after inflation |
| Median gross rent | $1,121 (±$9) | $1,572 (±$23) | +40.2% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $248,300 (±$3,295) | $415,800 (±$7,720) | +67.5% | Up after inflation |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Median household income in places near Raleigh
| Place | Distance | Median household income | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | — | $85,395 (±$2,159) | — |
| Knightdale | 8.6 mi | $103,220 (±$11,333) | Higher |
| Garner | 9.9 mi | $78,756 (±$8,951) | Not measurably different |
| Cary | 11 mi | $134,905 (±$3,712) | Higher |
| Morrisville | 11 mi | $125,396 (±$12,240) | Higher |
| Rolesville | 12 mi | $149,565 (±$18,991) | Higher |
| Wake Forest | 12 mi | $123,802 (±$6,456) | Higher |
| Apex | 15 mi | $144,135 (±$9,485) | Higher |
| Clayton | 16 mi | $78,822 (±$4,441) | Lower |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Clayton, NC ($78,822).
Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Knightdale, NC ($103,220), Cary, NC ($134,905), Morrisville, NC ($125,396).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median household income across Wake County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Cary | $134,905 (±$3,712) |
| 5 | Morrisville | $125,396 (±$12,240) |
| 6 | Wake Forest | $123,802 (±$6,456) |
| 7 | Fuquay-Varina | $115,497 (±$8,663) |
| 8 | Knightdale | $103,220 (±$11,333) |
| 9 | Wendell | $95,787 (±$17,543) |
| 10 | Raleigh | $85,395 (±$2,159) |
| 11 | Zebulon | $79,112 (±$14,209) |
| 12 | Garner | $78,756 (±$8,951) |
Showing 9 of 12 places in Wake County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Raleigh
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Questions about Raleigh
What is the median household income in Raleigh?
The median household income in Raleigh is $85,395 (±$2,159) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How much do you need to make to afford rent in Raleigh?
About $62,900 a year, if rent is to stay at or below 30% of income at the median gross rent of $1,572 a month.
Have incomes in Raleigh kept up with inflation?
In Raleigh, the median household income went from $67,266 in 2015–2019 to $85,395 in 2020–2024 (+27.0%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
What do renters earn in Raleigh?
The median renting household in Raleigh, NC earns $59,538 (±$2,334) a year.
Sources
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Raleigh city, North Carolina
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Raleigh city, North Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Raleigh city, North Carolina
- Median Household Income (B19013), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Raleigh city, North Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Raleigh city, North Carolina
- Median Value (B25077), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Raleigh city, North Carolina
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Raleigh city, North Carolina (place:55000, in state:37).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B19013_001E, B19013_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
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