Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh: The capital of North Carolina, Raleigh is a major center for business, government, and education.
About
Raleigh is a city located in the county of Wake in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Its population at the 2010 census was 403,892 and a population density of 1,067 people per km². After 10 years in 2020 city had an estimated population of 474,414 inhabitants.
The city was created 233 years ago in 1792.
Raleigh is the capital and second largest city in the state of North Carolina. As of July 29, 2023, Raleigh has an estimated population of 474,069 residents. Here are some key facts about Raleigh:
History
Raleigh was founded in 1792 and planned specifically to serve as North Carolina’s capital city. It is named after Sir Walter Raleigh, who sponsored early English settlements.
Geography
Raleigh sits within the Piedmont region of central North Carolina. The city sprawls along oak trees, rolling hills, and creeks. The climate is mild and humid.
Economy
Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University and several tech companies. Major industries include government, education, healthcare, and biotech research.
Culture & Entertainment
Popular sites include the North Carolina Museum of Art, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and historic Mordecai House. Performing arts venues draw big acts.
Population
The Raleigh metro area population exceeds 1.3 million. There are large young professional and millennial populations attracted by growing job prospects.
In summary, Raleigh is an emerging Southern hub for innovation, higher education, and culture with an attractive quality of life, affordable cost of living, and thriving job market.
Quick Facts about Raleigh
| Population | 474,414 (2020) |
| Country | United States of America |
| State | North Carolina (United States) |
| County | Wake County |
| Instagram username | raleighgov |
| Twitter username | RaleighGov |
| Postal code | 27601 |
| Phone Area Codes | 984, 919 |
| Area | 378.62 km2 |
| Latitude & Longitude | 35.7721,-78.6386 |
| Named for | Walter Raleigh |
| Altitude | 315 feet / 96 meters |
| Capital city | Raleigh is capital of North Carolina |
| Establishment | December 31, 1792 (233 years ago) |
| Time Zone | America/New_York |
| Local time | 15:08:29 (22nd April 2026) |
| Density | 1,253 Pop. per km² as of 2020 |
| Population growth | 14.87% (2010-2020) |
| Weather | 83℉ Sunny 7-days weather |
Geography
Raleigh is located at 35°46'20"N 78°38'19"W (35.7721000, -78.6386100).
Raleigh map
icon to open full mode. View satellite images
- Compiègne
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Demographics
The population of Raleigh increased by 14.87% in 10 years.
| Year | Population | % Change | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 403,892 | - | census |
| 2011 | 413,958 | 2.43% | estimation process |
| 2012 | 423,304 | 2.21% | estimation process |
| 2013 | 431,391 | 1.87% | estimation process |
| 2014 | 439,503 | 1.85% | estimation process |
| 2015 | 449,546 | 2.23% | estimation process |
| 2016 | 459,469 | 2.16% | estimation process |
| 2017 | 465,776 | 1.35% | estimation process |
| 2018 | 469,314 | 0.75% | estimation process |
| 2019 | 474,069 | 1% | estimation process |
| 2020 | 474,414 | 0.07% | estimation process |
Best Things to Do in Raleigh
1North Carolina Museum of Art
2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, United States View details
Phone: +19198396262 | Website available
2Pullen Park
520 Ashe Ave, Raleigh, NC 27606, United States View details
Phone: +19199966468 | Website available
3Frankie's of Raleigh
11190 Fun Park Dr, Raleigh, NC 27617, United States View details
Phone: +19194337888 | Website available
4Marbles Kids Museum
201 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States View details
Phone: +19198344040 | Website available
5Lake Johnson Park
4601 Avent Ferry Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606, United States View details
Phone: +19199963141 | Website available
Where to Eat in Raleigh
1Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Raleigh
2116-D New Bern Ave, Raleigh, NC 27610, United States View details
Phone: +19844446620 | Website available
2Bad Daddy's Burger Bar
111 Seaboard Ave, Raleigh, NC 27604, United States View details
Phone: +19197479163 | Website available
3Cook Out
3930 Western Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27606, United States View details
Phone: +18665470011 | Website available
4Tupelo Honey
425 Oberlin Rd, Raleigh, NC 27605, United States View details
Phone: +19197239353 | Website available
5Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
328 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States View details
Phone: +19198217401 | Website available
Where to Stay in Raleigh
1Raleigh Marriott City Center
500 Fayetteville St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States View details
Phone: +19198331120 | Website available
2Holiday Inn Raleigh Downtown
320 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27603, United States View details
Phone: +19198320501 | Website available
3DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Raleigh - Brownstone - University
1707 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27605, United States View details
Phone: +19198280811 | Website available
4Aloft Raleigh-Durham Airport Brier Creek
10020 Sellona St, Raleigh, NC 27617, United States View details
Phone: +19199578523 | Website available
5Red Roof PLUS+ Raleigh NCSU - Convention Center
1813 S Saunders St, Raleigh, NC 27603, United States View details
Phone: +19198336005 | Website available
Services and Civic Places in Raleigh
1North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
2 W Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States View details
Phone: +19197073000 | Website available
2City of Raleigh, NE Remote Operations Facility
7708 Burwell St, Raleigh, NC 27615 View details
Website available
3Avery C. Upchurch Municipal Complex
Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 W Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601 View details
Phone: +19199963000 | Website available
4Raleigh City Council
222 W Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601 View details
Phone: +19199963050 | Website available
5Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden
301 Pogue St, Raleigh, NC 27607, United States View details
Phone: +19198214579 | Website available
6City Of Raleigh Transportation Field Services
2550 Operations Way, Raleigh, NC 27604 View details
Phone: +19199966446 | Website available
7Raleigh, N.C., Visitor Information Center
500 Fayetteville St, Raleigh, NC 27601, United States View details
Phone: +19198345900 | Website available
8USDA-ARS Plant Science Research Building
3127 Ligon St, Raleigh, NC 27606, United States View details
9USDA APHIS
920 Main Campus Dr # 200, Raleigh, NC 27606, United States View details
Phone: +18448202234 | Website available
10City Hall
Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 W Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601 View details
Phone: +19199963000 | Website available
People born in Raleigh (197)
People born in Raleigh, including professional wrestler Dash Wilder, guitarist Brad Suggs, linguist Robert A. Hall, .
More notable people
- Michael C. Hall (American actor) he was born in 01/02/1971
- Evan Rachel Wood (American actress and singer) she was born in 07/09/1987
- Emily Procter (American actress) she was born in 08/10/1968
- Gracie Glam (American movie actress) she was born in 30/09/1990
- Andy Hunt (American computer programmer) he was born in 01/01/1964
- Liz Vassey (American actress) she was born in 09/08/1972
- Daniel McFadden (economist) he was born in 29/07/1937
- John Wall (American professional basketball player) he was born in 06/09/1990
- Clay Aiken (singer-songwriter, actor, record producer) he was born in 30/11/1978
- Doug Aldrich (American musician) he was born in 19/02/1964
- Armistead Maupin (American writer) he was born in 13/05/1944
- Anne Henning (speed skater) she was born in 06/09/1955
- Aubrey Dollar (American actress) she was born in 23/09/1980
- Robert Duncan McNeill (American actor and director) he was born in 09/11/1964
- Randy Jones (American disco and pop singer) he was born in 13/09/1952
- Louis Bacon (American hedge fund manager) he was born in 25/07/1956
- William Willard Ashe (U.S. forester and botanist (1872-1932)) he was born in 04/06/1872
- Chris Wilcox (American basketball player) he was born in 03/09/1982
Nearby Schools and Colleges
Schools and campuses linked to Raleigh, NC. Select a name to open its map and contact details.
| Code | Name | City | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 199643 | Shaw University | Raleigh (NC) | 27601 |
| 199272 | William Peace University | Raleigh (NC) | 27604-1194 |
| 199582 | Saint Augustine's University | Raleigh (NC) | 27610-2298 |
| 199193 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh (NC) | 27695-7001 |
| 198950 | Meredith College | Raleigh (NC) | 27607-5298 |
Nearby Transit Stations (15)
Rail and bus stations connected to Raleigh, NC. Select a station to open its map and address details.
| Code | Name | Address | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| RGH | Raleigh Union Station | 320 West Cabarrus Street | RAIL |
| NSF | North Carolina State Fair station | 1025 Blue Ridge Blvd. | RAIL |
| CYN | Cary | 211 North Academy Street | RAIL |
| DNC | Durham | 400 W. Chapel Hill Street | RAIL |
| SSM | Selma–Smithfield | 500 East Railroad Street | RAIL |
Closest post offices linked to Raleigh.
| Post Office Name | City | ZIP |
|---|---|---|
| Capitol Post Office | Raleigh (NC) | 27601 |
| Century Post Office | Raleigh (NC) | 27601 |
| Cameron Villag Post Office | Raleigh (NC) | 27605 |
| Five Poin Post Office | Raleigh (NC) | 27628 |
| North Hill Post Office | Raleigh (NC) | 27609 |
Other places with the same name (3)
- Raleigh, Mississippi town in Mississippi with a population of 1,390 people.
- Raleigh, Illinois village in Illinois, United States with a population of 328 people.
- Raleigh, North Dakota unincorporated community in North Dakota with a population of 36 people.
Other cities in Wake County
Cities, towns, neighborhoods & other populated places in Wake County , NC.
| City Name | Population | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Cary | 173,587 | Town in North Carolina, United States |
| Apex | 64,388 | The most populous city in Wake County, North Carolina. |
| Wake Forest | 47,314 | Town located in the U. |
| Garner | 32,180 | Town in North Carolina, United States |
| Fuquay-Varina | 32,145 | City in North Carolina |
| Holly Springs | 31,377 | City in and county seat of Marshall County, Mississippi, United States |
| Morrisville | 30,495 | Town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States |
| Knightdale | 18,122 | City in Wake County, North Carolina, United States of America |
| Wendell | 9,387 | Town in North Carolina, United States |
| Rolesville | 8,882 | City in Wake County, North Carolina, United States of America |
| Zebulon | 6,514 | City in Pike County, Georgia, United States |
| Green Level | 2,158 | City in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States of America |
Distance to Other Cities
Raleigh distances to largest North Carolina cities