County profile · North Carolina
Wake County, NC market data
How Wake County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 1,257,235
- +11.2% since 2020
- Households
- 460,175
- Median household income
- $105,768
- +31.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $461,300
- Jobs located here
- 687,531
- Highest market score
- 90
- Convenience stores, #34 of 2,261 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Wake County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Wake County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Wake County has an estimated 1,257,235 people and 460,175 households. Population estimates show Wake County grew 11.2% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Wake County is $105,768, 31% above the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 31.2%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Wake County runs highest on lawn care, cleaning and other household services (an index of 126, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (99).
Of the business types scored in Wake County, convenience stores (90), laundromats (84) and gas stations (83) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For convenience stores, that ranks #34 of 2,261 scored counties.
Wake County is part of the Raleigh-Cary metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for mortgage brokers and lenders (67% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for laundromats (50% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Wake County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Wake County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convenience stores | 90 | #34 of 2,261 | 277 | 6.0 | $11.3M | 143 | 79 |
| Laundromats | 84 | #34 of 785 | 35 | 0.8 | $30.4M | 243 | 32 |
| Gas stations | 83 | #94 of 2,358 | 381 | 8.3 | $3.5M | 146 | 297 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 82 | #145 of 2,402 | 703 | 15.3 | $4.4M | 131 | 309 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 76 | #103 of 1,707 | 311 | 6.8 | $5.2M | 109 | 395 |
| Electricians | 75 | #97 of 1,160 | 131 | 2.8 | $12.3M | 102 | 301 |
| Pet stores | 74 | #115 of 974 | 105 | 2.3 | $5M | 110 | 45 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 73 | #160 of 1,461 | 181 | 3.9 | $2.9M | 113 | 126 |
| Funeral homes | 73 | #180 of 1,472 | 49 | 1.1 | $1M | 154 | 30 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 73 | #186 of 1,493 | 284 | 6.2 | $2.9M | 99 | 464 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 72 | #177 of 1,327 | 107 | 2.3 | $4.1M | 132 | 109 |
| Pizza | 72 | #253 of 2,090 | 367 | 8.0 | $5.8M | 115 | 984 |
| Pet businesses | 71 | #253 of 2,200 | 565 | 12.3 | $921K | 105 | 335 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 71 | #335 of 2,222 | 593 | 12.9 | $3.6M | 119 | 984 |
| Grocery stores | 70 | #412 of 2,070 | 305 | 6.6 | $10.3M | 110 | 230 |
| Pest control | 67 | #131 of 699 | 91 | 2.0 | $9M | 88 | 75 |
| Home repair trades | 67 | #311 of 2,057 | 696 | 15.1 | $2.3M | 95 | 814 |
| Veterinarians | 67 | #347 of 1,485 | 213 | 4.6 | $2.4M | 90 | 164 |
| Auto repair and car care | 67 | #465 of 2,401 | 1,363 | 29.6 | $320K | 119 | 656 |
| Auto repair shops | 67 | #467 of 2,378 | 809 | 17.6 | $540K | 121 | 442 |
| Tire shops | 66 | #381 of 1,530 | 165 | 3.6 | $2.6M | 106 | 74 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 65 | #446 of 2,063 | 523 | 11.4 | $4.1M | 111 | 303 |
| Child care and preschools | 64 | #434 of 1,611 | 334 | 7.3 | $914K | 91 | 322 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 64 | #553 of 2,087 | 732 | 15.9 | $1.5M | 114 | 358 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 64 | #613 of 2,405 | 5,070 | 110.2 | $423K | 114 | 2,317 |
| Car washes and detailing | 63 | #392 of 1,451 | 162 | 3.5 | $2.7M | 107 | 81 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 63 | #457 of 1,889 | 480 | 10.4 | $4.5M | 108 | 353 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 63 | #631 of 2,405 | 2,792 | 60.7 | $768K | 116 | 1,021 |
| Nail salons | 62 | #356 of 1,328 | 357 | 7.8 | $1.4M | 84 | 76 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 62 | #438 of 1,771 | 529 | 11.5 | $1.5M | 92 | 916 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 61 | #691 of 2,210 | 1,030 | 22.4 | $1M | 117 | 449 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 60 | #152 of 479 | 27 | 0.6 | $16.2M | 118 | 46 |
| Insurance agencies | 60 | #789 of 2,272 | 754 | 16.4 | $1.5M | 119 | 485 |
| Home inspectors | 59 | #129 of 415 | 34 | 0.7 | Index only | 91 | 44 |
| Roofing and gutters | 59 | #394 of 1,177 | 254 | 5.5 | $6.3M | 75 | 118 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 57 | #498 of 1,302 | 214 | 4.7 | $2.9M | 92 | 102 |
| Barbershops | 57 | #529 of 1,356 | 274 | 6.0 | $1.8M | 97 | 45 |
| Gyms | 57 | #656 of 1,792 | 415 | 9.0 | $1.2M | 90 | 251 |
| House cleaning | 56 | #307 of 847 | 154 | 3.3 | $5.3M | 83 | 377 |
| Chiropractors | 56 | #582 of 1,490 | 305 | 6.6 | $2M | 84 | 169 |
| Dry cleaners | 55 | #220 of 507 | 80 | 1.7 | $13.3M | 85 | 59 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 55 | #699 of 1,656 | 409 | 8.9 | $1.5M | 84 | 705 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 51 | #156 of 325 | 36 | 0.8 | $17.1M | 70 | 47 |
| Physical therapy | 49 | #751 of 1,422 | 339 | 7.4 | $1.8M | 76 | 221 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 48 | #742 of 1,334 | 311 | 6.8 | $1.6M | 78 | 237 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 48 | #1,182 of 2,088 | 886 | 19.3 | $551K | 83 | 488 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 46 | #468 of 777 | 160 | 3.5 | $3M | 75 | 251 |
| Property management | 46 | #528 of 910 | 209 | 4.5 | Index only | 70 | 393 |
| Hair salons | 46 | #1,398 of 2,339 | 1,473 | 32.0 | $339K | 79 | 422 |
| Spas and skin care | 43 | #1,162 of 1,769 | 740 | 16.1 | $675K | 77 | 184 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 43 | #1,555 of 2,394 | 4,720 | 102.6 | $130K | 85 | 1,806 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 43 | #1,601 of 2,385 | 2,925 | 63.6 | $171K | 80 | 744 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 41 | #610 of 887 | 330 | 7.2 | Index only | 63 | 150 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 40 | #1,308 of 1,886 | 760 | 16.5 | $810K | 82 | 562 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 40 | #1,621 of 2,176 | 2,237 | 48.6 | Index only | 67 | 1,117 |
| Real estate | 40 | #1,647 of 2,229 | 2,810 | 61.1 | Index only | 67 | 1,844 |
Household spending in Wake County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $436.8M | $949 | 99 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $1.3B | $2,888 | 111 |
| Food away from home | $2.1B | $4,659 | 114 |
| Groceries | $3.1B | $6,797 | 108 |
| Personal care products and services | $499.6M | $1,086 | 108 |
| Child care and other personal services | $305.1M | $663 | 114 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $488M | $1,060 | 108 |
| Medical and dental services | $615.2M | $1,337 | 104 |
| Pets | $520.3M | $1,131 | 124 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $1.1B | $2,309 | 112 |
| Vehicle insurance | $1.1B | $2,445 | 125 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $1.6B | $3,498 | 116 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $819.8M | $1,781 | 126 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $8.1B | $17,675 | 106 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Wake County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 1,257,235+11.2% since 2020
- Households
- 460,175
- Median age
- 38.2
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 64%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 835 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 1,412
- Median household income
- $105,768+31.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $139,587
- Median home value
- $461,300
- Jobs located here
- 687,531
- Daytime population
- 1,293,967Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Wake County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Wake County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in North Carolina 8
- Durham County, NC332,353 people
- Johnston County, NC234,263 people
- Franklin County, NC74,386 people
- Orange County, NC149,678 people
- Granville County, NC60,877 people
- Chatham County, NC80,151 people
- Harnett County, NC139,150 people
- Lee County, NC65,816 people
Questions
How fast is Wake County, NC growing?
Population estimates put Wake County at 1,257,235 people in 2025, up 11.2% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 460,175 households. Median household income rose 31.2% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Wake County, NC spend?
Households in Wake County spend about $8.1B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $3.1B on groceries and $2.1B on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Wake County spend the most on lawn care, cleaning and other household services (an index of 126, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on vehicle maintenance and repairs (99).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Wake County, NC?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Wake County are for convenience stores (90), laundromats (84) and gas stations (83). Wake County ranks #34 of 2,261 scored counties for convenience stores.
How does Wake County, NC compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Wake County is $105,768 a year, 31% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 11.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $461,300, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Wake County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for mortgage brokers and lenders (67% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for laundromats (50% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in Wake County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Wake County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Wake County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Wake County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.