What percentage of people rent in Raleigh, NC?
49.3% (±1.1 points) of the occupied homes in Raleigh, NC are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
That is 100,202 renting households against 103,241 that own their home.
In Raleigh, the share of households that rent went from 48.5% in 2015–2019 to 49.3% in 2020–2024 (+0.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.
Figures last updated on .
- Households that rent
- 49.3% (±1.1 points)
- Renting households
- 100,202 (±2,447)
- Median renter income
- $59,538 (±$2,334)
Who rents and who owns in Raleigh
| Raleigh | Wake County | North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renter-occupied share | 49.3% (±1.1 points) | 35.9% (±0.7 points) | 33.4% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Renting households | 100,202 (±2,447) | 165,106 (±3,068) | 1,428,852 (±8,279) | 45,017,354 |
| Owning households | 103,241 (±2,432) | 295,069 (±3,419) | 2,853,493 (±14,473) | 84,210,142 |
| Average renter household size | 2.1 (±0.0) | 2.2 (±0.0) | 2.3 (±0.0) | 2.3 |
| Average owner household size | 2.4 (±0.0) | 2.7 (±0.0) | 2.5 (±0.0) | 2.6 |
| 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 |
In Raleigh, the renter share is higher than in Wake County (35.9%).
It is also higher than in North Carolina (33.4%).
It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).
In Wake County, Raleigh ranks 2 of 12 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.
Statewide, it ranks 95 of 663.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How renting in Raleigh has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 48.5% (±0.7 points) | 49.3% (±1.1 points) | +0.8 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,121 (±$9) | $1,572 (±$23) | +40.2% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $67,266 (±$1,360) | $85,395 (±$2,159) | +27.0% | 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.
Households that rent in places near Raleigh
| Place | Distance | Households that rent | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | — | 49.3% (±1.1 points) | — |
| Knightdale | 8.6 mi | 35.3% (±5.1 points) | Lower |
| Garner | 9.9 mi | 36.8% (±3.9 points) | Lower |
| Cary | 11 mi | 33.4% (±1.7 points) | Lower |
| Morrisville | 11 mi | 54.6% (±3.8 points) | Higher |
| Rolesville | 12 mi | 7.5% (±5.2 points) | Lower |
| Wake Forest | 12 mi | 26.0% (±3.7 points) | Lower |
| Apex | 15 mi | 23.5% (±2.0 points) | Lower |
| Clayton | 16 mi | 37.3% (±4.4 points) | Lower |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Knightdale, NC (35.3%), Garner, NC (36.8%), Cary, NC (33.4%).
Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Morrisville, NC (54.6%).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Households that rent across Wake County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morrisville | 54.6% (±3.8 points) |
| 2 | Raleigh | 49.3% (±1.1 points) |
| 3 | Zebulon | 37.3% (±8.7 points) |
| 4 | Garner | 36.8% (±3.9 points) |
| 5 | Knightdale | 35.3% (±5.1 points) |
| 6 | Cary | 33.4% (±1.7 points) |
| 7 | Wake Forest | 26.0% (±3.7 points) |
| 8 | Fuquay-Varina | 25.8% (±3.6 points) |
Showing 8 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
One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.
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Questions about Raleigh
How many renters are there in Raleigh?
Raleigh has an estimated 100,202 (±2,447) renting households, 49.3% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is renting growing in Raleigh?
In Raleigh, the share of households that rent went from 48.5% in 2015–2019 to 49.3% in 2020–2024 (+0.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.
How big are renting households in Raleigh?
A renting household in Raleigh has 2.1 people on average, against 2.4 in an owned home.
How much do renters earn in Raleigh?
The median renting household in Raleigh, NC has an income of $59,538 (±$2,334) a year, against $123,576 for households that own their home.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 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), 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 Household Income (B19013), 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 DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M
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 .
Related
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- Housing across Wake County
- North Carolina places ranked by share of renters
- Housing data for every place in North Carolina