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Population Review

Census ACS · #42 MSA

Raleigh Metro Area

The Raleigh-Cary, Nc Metropolitan Statistical Area has 1,449,594 residents. The median household income is $96,066 and the median home value is $381,000.

1,449,594

Population

684

People / sq mi

$96,066

Median Income

$381,000

Median Home Value

The Raleigh CBSA covers 2,118 sq mi of land at 684.3 people per square mile.

Race & Ethnicity

White60.7%
Black or African American19.1%
Asian0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)1.4%

Economy & Income

$96,066

Median Household Income

$49,462

Per Capita Income

5.5%

Poverty Rate

2.9%

Unemployment

Cost of Living

The Raleigh metro's price level is 98.2 on the BEA Regional Price Parity index (US average = 100), meaning prices are 1.8% lower the US average. The local median income of $96,066 has the buying power of $97,870 in average-priced US metros.

98.2

Price Level (US = 100)

$97,870

COL-Adjusted Median Income

$96,066

Nominal Median Income

Housing

$381,000

Median Home Value

$1,459

Median Rent

67.0%

Homeownership

Education

92.9%

High School+

50.2%

Bachelor's+

Commute

0.6%

Drive Alone

23.4%

Work From Home

26.9 min

Avg Commute

40.1%

Foreign Born

Raleigh spans this state

Nearby metros

Largest cities in North Carolina

Largest counties in North Carolina

Part of North Carolina

Other metros

Metro areas in North Carolina

Metro rankings

Frequently Asked Questions

The Raleigh-Cary, Nc Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of 1,449,594 according to Census ACS 5-Year estimates, making it the #42 largest CBSA in the US.

The median household income in the Raleigh metro area is $96,066, with a per capita income of $49,462.

The Raleigh-Cary, Nc CBSA spans the state of North Carolina.

Data for the Raleigh-Cary, Nc CBSA (39580) from the American Community Survey 5-Year estimates. Core-Based Statistical Areas combine cities, suburbs, and surrounding counties tied together by commuting patterns.

this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. population demographics dataset. The detail above comes directly from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs.

The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.

For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.