Residential comparison · 13 facts
Raleigh, NC vs Wake Forest, NC
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Raleigh needs about $84,000 in Wake Forest to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Wake Forest, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $86,000 in Raleigh.
A few differences
- Raleigh is lower on property tax rate (0.8% vs 0.82%).
- Wake Forest is lower on sales tax (7% vs 7.25%).
- Wake Forest is lower on groceries index (98 vs 99).
Raleigh vs Wake Forest · facet by facet
| Facet | Raleigh, NC | Wake Forest, NC |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $440,000 | $474,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,700/mo | $1,548/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.8% | 0.82% |
| State & local income tax | 3.15% | 3.15% |
| Sales tax | 7.25% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 98 | 106 |
| Groceries index | 99 | 98 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $78,000 | $123,802 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.8% |
| Crime index | 35/100 | 48/100 |
| School rating | 7.5/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 213 days | 213 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Raleigh, NC · Wake Forest, NC
Questions & answers
- Is Raleigh cheaper than Wake Forest?
- Raleigh has the lower day-to-day cost index (98 vs 106 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Wake Forest equals $85,000 in Raleigh?
- A household earning $85,000 in Raleigh needs about $84,000 in Wake Forest to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Wake Forest lifestyle costs about $86,000 in Raleigh.