Wake Forest, North Carolina Population 2024

55,788
010K20K30K40K50K60K19501960197019801990200020102020YearPopulation

Wake Forest Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Wake Forest was:

  • White: 67.26%
  • Black or African American: 19.8%
  • Two or more races: 7.73%
  • Other race: 2.74%
  • Asian: 2.4%
  • Native American: 0.07%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.01%
Land Area (mi²)
19.6 sq mi
Density (mi²)
2,841.20/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
11.62% (5,806)
The current population of Wake Forest, North Carolina is 55,788 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates (released May 2024). The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 49,982.

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White34,43667.26%
Black or African American10,13819.8%
Two or more races3,9567.73%
Other race1,4012.74%
Asian1,2272.4%
Native American340.07%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander70.01%
67.26%19.8%7.73%Race

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Wake Forest Population by Race

Wake Forest Population Pyramid 2024

010203040506070802.6K2.4K2.2K2K1.8K1.6K1.4K1.2K1K800600400200002004006008001K1.2K1.4K1.6K1.8K2K2.2K2.4K2.6KMaleFemale

Wake Forest Median Age

38.8

Total

37.6

Male

40.1

Female

Wake Forest Adults

There are 37,334 adults, (6,867 of whom are seniors) in Wake Forest.

Wake Forest Age Dependency

68

Age Dependency Ratio

22.5

Old Age Dependency Ratio

45.5

Child Dependency Ratio

Wake Forest Sex Ratio

Female26,35851.48%
Male24,84148.52%

Wake Forest Population by Age

Wake Forest Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All17,8632.8274.725.3
Married10,9053.3386.913.1
Non Family4,0911.2551.148.9
Female2,2753.1659.440.6
Male5922.9571.828.2

3.23

Average Family Size

2.82

Average Household Size

74.7%

Rate of Home Ownership

61.05%12.74%22.9%Households by Type

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

MarriedAllMaleFemaleNon Family00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91

owner

renter

Wake Forest Households and Families

Less Than 9th Grade9th to 12th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeAssociates DegreeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree01K2K3K4K5K6K

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade9862.9%
Associates Degree3,1719.32%
Bachelors Degree12,00635.29%
Graduate Degree7,67622.56%
High School Graduate4,48513.18%
Less Than 9th Grade4491.32%
Some College5,25015.43%
13.18%15.43%9.32%35.29%22.56%Over 25 Education

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Wake Forest Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Wake Forest Educational Attainment by Race

IslanderNative American2+ RacesWhiteBlackAsianHispanicOther Race0%20%40%60%80%100%

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White23,24922,62214,463
Black6,9236,6083,386
Hispanic1,9701,546664
2+ Races1,6121,572768
Asian957898662
Other Race744383121
Native American343424
Islander777

The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

Wake Forest Educational Attainment by Race

OverallLess Than 9th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000$100,000

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$79,506$108,081$61,875
Graduate Degree$79,690$95,781$70,028
High School Graduate$31,575$0$31,700
Less Than 9th Grade$24,755$35,833$23,553
Overall$63,430$75,125$54,242
Some College$48,572$59,914$40,525

$63,430

Average Earnings

$75,125

Average Male

$54,242

Average Female

Wake Forest Earnings by Educational Attainment

Wake Forest Language by Age

90.96%Languages

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Wake Forest Language

90.96% of Wake Forest residents speak only English, while 9.04% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.71% of the population.

Wake Forest Language

Wake Forest Poverty by Race

AsianOtherHispanicBlackWhiteMultiple0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%10%11%12%

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White32,8358042.45%
Black10,0152632.63%
Hispanic3,9402065.23%
Asian1,22213711.21%
Other1,390906.47%
Multiple3,892822.11%

2.95%

Overall Poverty Rate

2.86%

Male Poverty Rate

3.03%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Wake Forest

The race most likely to be in poverty in Wake Forest is Asian, with 11.21% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Wake Forest is Multiple, with 2.11% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 0.44%. Among those working part-time, it was 5.96%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 5.96%.

Wake Forest Poverty

Less Than 9th GradeHigh SchoolSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%10%11%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade10.19%
High School8.11%
Some College2.65%
Bachelors or Greater1.4%

Wake Forest Poverty Rate by Education

Male EmployedMale UnemployedFemale EmployedFemale Unemployed0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%18%20%22%24%26%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed25.16%
Male Unemployed9.13%
Male Employed1.84%
Female Employed1.6%

Wake Forest Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Wake Forest Income by Household Type

Under10k10kTo15k15kTo25k25kTo35k35kTo50k50kTo75k75kTo100k100kTo150k150kTo200kOver200k051015202530

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$135,641$151,498
Households$120,777$139,518
Married Families$150,057$-999,999,999
Non Families$61,289$90,820
HouseholdsFamiliesMarried FamiliesNon Families050,000100,000150,000

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Wake Forest Marital Status

OverallMalesFemales0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

57.4%

Overall Marriage Rate

60.4%

Male Marriage Rate

54.6%

Female Marriage Rate

Wake Forest Married by Age and Sex

35-4445-5455-64Over 6520-34020406080

male

female

Wake Forest Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Wake Forest Marital Status by Race

HawaiianWhiteWhiteNonHispanicHispanicIndianAsianTwoOrMoreRacesOtherRaceBlack0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Wake Forest Marital Status

31.21%36.61%30.31%Veterans by War

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

3,049

Number of Veterans

2,494

Male Veterans

555

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
First Gulf War1,098
Second Gulf War936
Vietnam909
Korea56
World War II0

Wake Forest Veterans by War

18 to 3435 to 5455 to 6465 to 7475+01002003004005006007008009001,0001,1001,2001,3001,400

count

Age Group
Veterans
35 to 541,347
75+573
65 to 74556
55 to 64448
18 to 34125

Wake Forest Veterans by Age

WhiteBlackAsianHispanic2+ RacesOther RaceNative American02004006008001,0001,2001,4001,6001,800

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White1,7596.84%
Black1,06613.6%
Asian16417.67%
Hispanic592.91%
2+ Races341.76%
Other Race151.91%
Native American1132.35%

Wake Forest Veterans by Race

Wake Forest Veterans by Education

11.38%24.43%63.79%Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

1.33%

Veteran Poverty Rate

25.73%

Veteran Disability Rate

Wake Forest Veterans by Education

16 - 1920 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 4445 - 5455 - 5960 - 6465 - 7475+0102030405060708090

LaborForceParticipation

68.7%

Labor Force Participation

65.3%

Employment Rate

4.5%

Unemployment Rate

Wake Forest Employment by Age

IslanderNative American2+ RacesBlackAsianWhiteWhite Non-HispanicHispanicOther Race0102030405060708090100

LaborForceParticipation

Wake Forest Employment by Race

Less Than High SchoolHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0102030405060708090100

LaborForceParticipation

Wake Forest Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

13.23%29.87%17.13%23.14%16.63%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

23.86%24.93%10.54%32.09%8.58%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

37.86%

Born in Wake Forest

92.16%

Native Born

7.84%

Foreign Born

2.76%

Non Citizen

5.08%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

92.16% of Wake Forest residents were born in the United States, with 37.86% having been born in North Carolina. 2.76% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Wake Forest Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202963,0461,4512.36%
202861,5951,4522.41%
202760,1431,4522.47%
202658,6911,4512.53%
202557,2401,4522.6%
202455,7881,4512.67%
202354,3371,8523.53%
202252,4851,3182.58%
202151,1671,1852.37%
202049,9824,2819.37%
201945,7011,6363.71%
201844,0651,8654.42%
201742,2002,0004.98%
201640,2002,0265.31%
201538,1741,5064.11%
201436,6681,8935.44%
201334,7751,7515.3%
201233,0241,3284.19%
201131,6961,3064.3%
201030,39000%
200012,5886,819118.2%
19905,7691,98952.62%
19803,78063220.08%
19703,14848418.17%
19602,664-1,040-28.08%
19503,704-59,342-94.12%

Wake Forest Population by Year