Raleigh, North Carolina Population 2024

488,854

Raleigh is a city located in Durham County and Wake County North Carolina. Raleigh has a 2024 population of 488,854. It is also the county seat of Wake County. Raleigh is currently growing at a rate of 1.27% annually and its population has increased by 5.28% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 464,320 in 2020.

The average household income in Raleigh is $112,110 with a poverty rate of 11.81%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Raleigh is 34.6 years, 33.5 years for males, and 35.8 years for females.

The Raleigh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) has a population estimated at 1.21 million, however. The larger Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Combined Statistical Area (CSA) is estimated at 2.03 million. Raleigh has a population density of 2,963 people per square mile (1,097/sq km).

Raleigh Population Growth

Raleigh is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States with a growth rate of about 3.4% per year. A Forbes study last year found the Raleigh metropolitan area was the fastest growing in the United States, increasing 47% from 2000 to 2012.

Between 2000 and 2009, the Raleigh-Durham-Cary metropolitan area grew 40%, leading the nation. It is predicted that Raleigh will remain the fastest-growing metro area through 2025.

Raleigh was chosen as the new capital of North Carolina in 1788. It is one of the few planned cities in the United States, and its site was chosen in a central location to protect it from coastal attacks. From 1810 to 1820, the population grew from just 876 to more than 2,600. During the Civil War, the city was protected against Union troops and, despite a nearby battle, Raleigh experienced little serious damage, but it failed to grow for decades due to an economy based on agriculture.

After the Civil War, many free blacks (freedmen) migrated from rural areas to Raleigh, which had a large free black community. The city became the site of Shaw University, the first African American college in the South with classes that began in 1865. Despite progress made during the 19th century for black people in the state, voter registration rules passed in 1900 reduced black voting to zero by 1908. It was not until federal civil rights legislation in the 1960s that most black people in North Carolina could vote again, sit on juries and serve in local offices.

Raleigh has since grown and changed dramatically. For the past ten years, it has frequently made Top 10 Lists, including those by Forbes and Money Magazine. Except for 1830, Raleigh has posted positive population growth at every census since 1800.

Raleigh Demographics

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

  • White: 55.45%
  • Black or African American: 28.14%
  • Two or more races: 6.86%
  • Other race: 4.65%
  • Asian: 4.54%
  • Native American: 0.33%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.03%
Land Area (mi²)
145.9 sq mi
Density (mi²)
3,350.90/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
5.28% (24,534)
The current population of Raleigh, North Carolina is 488,854 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 464,320.

Raleigh, North Carolina Population 2024

Population by Race

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Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White258,13655.45%
Black or African American131,01328.14%
Two or more races31,9456.86%
Other race21,6484.65%
Asian21,1144.54%
Native American1,5250.33%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander1360.03%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Raleigh Population by Race

Raleigh Population Pyramid 2024

Raleigh Median Age

34.6

Total

33.5

Male

35.8

Female

Raleigh Adults

There are 372,606 adults, (53,270 of whom are seniors) in Raleigh.

Raleigh Age Dependency

45.8

Age Dependency Ratio

16.7

Old Age Dependency Ratio

29.1

Child Dependency Ratio

Raleigh Sex Ratio

Female238,24251.18%
Male227,27548.82%

Raleigh Population by Age

Raleigh Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All189,8302.3551.148.9
Non Family87,9491.3736.663.4
Married72,2283.1175.324.7
Female22,7353.3932.867.2
Male6,9183.4342.657.4

3.12

Average Family Size

2.35

Average Household Size

51.1%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Raleigh Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Raleigh Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Raleigh Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 97.41%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 66.88%.

Raleigh Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$51,669

Average Earnings

$57,759

Average Male

$46,792

Average Female

Raleigh Earnings by Educational Attainment

Raleigh Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Raleigh Language

82.3% of Raleigh residents speak only English, while 17.7% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 9.29% of the population.

Raleigh Language

Raleigh Poverty by Race

rate

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Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Black126,54121,29416.83%
White232,89418,0507.75%
Hispanic52,7138,64016.39%
Multiple30,5524,92516.12%
Other20,9783,48016.59%
Asian20,3002,88614.22%
Native1,44117211.94%

11.81%

Overall Poverty Rate

11.41%

Male Poverty Rate

12.2%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Raleigh

The race most likely to be in poverty in Raleigh is Black, with 16.83% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Raleigh is White, with 7.75% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.22%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.27%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 20.67%.

Raleigh Poverty

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade24.44%
High School13.55%
Some College9.41%
Bachelors or Greater4.4%

Raleigh Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed31.81%
Female Unemployed29.65%
Female Employed7.4%
Male Employed5.98%

Raleigh Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Raleigh Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Raleigh Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

40.1%

Overall Marriage Rate

42.3%

Male Marriage Rate

38.0%

Female Marriage Rate

Raleigh Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Raleigh 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.

Raleigh Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Raleigh Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

18,254

Number of Veterans

15,508

Male Veterans

2,746

Female Veterans

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Raleigh Veterans by War

count

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Raleigh Veterans by Age

count

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Raleigh Veterans by Race

Raleigh Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

6.86%

Veteran Poverty Rate

21.37%

Veteran Disability Rate

Raleigh Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

69.8%

Labor Force Participation

66.6%

Employment Rate

4.5%

Unemployment Rate

Raleigh Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Raleigh Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Raleigh Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

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

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

46.29%

Born in Raleigh

87.04%

Native Born

12.96%

Foreign Born

7.52%

Non Citizen

5.44%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

87.04% of Raleigh residents were born in the United States, with 46.29% having been born in North Carolina. 7.52% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Raleigh Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

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Year
Population
Growth
Growth Rate
2029519,5216,1331.19%
2028513,3886,1341.21%
2027507,2546,1331.22%
2026501,1216,1341.24%
2025494,9876,1331.25%
2024488,8546,1341.27%
2023482,7206,1331.29%
2022476,5876,6951.42%
2021469,8925,5721.2%
2020464,320-9,935-2.09%
2019474,2554,4710.95%
2018469,7843,6070.77%
2017466,1776,3811.39%
2016459,7969,9442.21%
2015449,85210,0932.3%
2014439,7598,1721.89%
2013431,5878,1311.92%
2012423,4569,3852.27%
2011414,0717,6591.88%
2010406,41200%
2000276,09368,14232.77%
1990207,95157,69638.4%
1980150,25527,42522.33%
1970122,83028,89930.77%
196093,93128,25243.02%
195065,67918,78240.05%
194046,8979,51825.46%
193037,37912,96153.08%
192024,4185,20027.06%
191019,2185,57540.86%
190013,6439657.61%
189012,6783,41336.84%
18809,2651,47518.93%
18707,7903,01062.97%
18604,7802625.8%
18504,5182,318105.36%
18402,20050029.41%
18301,700-974-36.42%
18202,6741,974282%
1800700-518,821-99.87%
showing: 40 rows

Raleigh Population by Year