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Neighborhood report

Wake Forest, NC

Founded 1880Wake CountyElev. 118 m
Population
51,199
Median home
$435,000
Disaster risk
Relatively High
Public schools
15
Sex offenders
2

Overview

About Wake Forest

With about 51,199 residents, Wake Forest is one of North Carolina's notable places. Wake Forest was founded in 1880 and sits in Wake County. The median age is 38.8 and the median household income is $120,777. Homes carry a median value of $435,000, and about 75% of residents own where they live. White residents make up the largest share of the population (65.6%). Around 58% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the typical commute runs about 31 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

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Who lives here

Demographics

Population
51,199
Median age
38.8
Median household income
$120,777
Per-capita income
$49,241
Poverty rate
2.9%
High-school grad or higher
95.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher
57.8%
Unemployment
4.5%
Avg. commute
30.9 min
Work from home
25.1%
Residents by race & ethnicity
White65.6%
Hispanic or Latino7.8%
Black19.7%
Asian2.4%
Workforce by occupation
Management, business, science & arts62.2%
Sales & office19.4%
Service8.9%
Production, transportation & material moving6.8%
Natural resources, construction & maintenance2.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

Housing

Property report

Median home value
$435,000
Median gross rent
$1,458/mo
Owner-occupied
74.7%
Median year built
2007
Households
17,863
Avg. household size
2.82

Area-level figures. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (5-year). Parcel-level records coming next.

Education

Schools

Schools: Average

Wake Forest has 15 public schools — 8 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high.

Student proficiency · grade 8, 7 schools
Reading66%
Math55%

% of students at or above proficient on state assessments.

Heritage HighHighGrades 9–12
North Wake College and Career AcademyHighGrades 9–13
Wake Forest High SchoolHighGrades 9–12
Heritage MiddleMiddleGrades 6–8
Wake Forest Middle SchoolMiddleGrades 6–8
Casa Esperanza Montessori Charter SchoolElementaryGrades -1–8charter
Endeavor Charter SchoolElementarycharter
Envision Science AcademyElementarycharter
Heritage ElementaryElementaryGrades -1–5
Jones Dairy ElementaryElementaryGrades -1–5
Richland Creek ElementaryElementaryGrades -1–5
Wake Forest Charter AcademyElementarycharter
Wake Forest ElementaryElementaryGrades -1–5
Franklin AcademyOthercharter

Public schools + grade-8 proficiency. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES directory + EDFacts assessments), via Urban Institute.

Safety

Crime

violent crime59% below national
Wake Forest158
North Carolina404
United States386
↑ 182% higher than 2019
2019–2023
property crime18% below national
Wake Forest1,593
North Carolina2,114
United States1,952
↑ 82% higher than 2019
2019–2023

Rate per 100,000 residents/year, Wake Forest Police Department, 2023. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS (Crime Data Explorer).

Environment

Environmental hazards

Toxic-release sites and regulated facilities in and around Wake Forest.

Data source being added: U.S. EPA — Toxics Release Inventory (public). We show real, sourced figures only — never estimates.

Risk

Natural disaster risk

Relatively High
Top hazards · Wake County
HailRelatively High
Heat waveRelatively High
Ice stormRelatively High
LightningRelatively High
Riverine floodingRelatively High
TornadoRelatively High

County-level natural-hazard risk. Source: FEMA National Risk Index.

Context

Neighborhood info

Wake Forest is in Wake County — see county-wide risk, demographics, and registry.

Wake Forest was founded in 1880 and sits in Wake County. Elevation ~118 m.

Map of Wake Forest
Wake Forest, NC
Where Wake Forest is
CharlotteRaleighGreensboroDurhamWinston-SalemFayettevilleWake Forest
Historic places

13 on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lea LaboratoryPowell HouseWakefieldsRoyall Cotton Mill CommissaryDuBois, W. E. B., SchoolOakforestWakefield Dairy ComplexThompson House
Notable people from Wake Forest
Dexter LawrenceJustin HughesRay BillingsleyVernon MaloneCole FrameHubert McNeill PoteatDrake ThomasBea Gaddy
People searches in Wake Forest
Michael Smith (8)John Smith (7)James Smith (7)David Smith (7)Robert Smith (7)Michael Johnson (7)John Johnson (6)James Johnson (6)Michael Williams (5)William Smith (5)David Johnson (5)Robert Johnson (5)John Williams (5)Michael Brown (5)Michael Jones (5)James Williams (5)David Williams (4)John Brown (4)Robert Williams (4)John Jones (4)William Johnson (4)Mary Smith (4)James Brown (4)James Jones (4)
Nearby cities
Raleigh (12 mi)Garner (20 mi)Morrisville (20 mi)Cary (21 mi)Clayton (21 mi)Durham (22 mi)

Registered sex offenders in Wake Forest, NC (2)

Public sex-offender registry records for Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Daniel J Tellier, 80
Wake Forest · Wake County · 27587
Thomas Sinclair Harris, 32
Wake Forest · Wake County · 27587

Source: Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) and state registries. Public record. This information is provided for public awareness. Using it to harass, threaten, or discriminate against any registrant, or for any purpose prohibited by law, is illegal. Verify against the official registry record before relying on it.

Common questions

Wake Forest — frequently asked

What is the population of Wake Forest, North Carolina?
Wake Forest has a population of about 51,199, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year).
What is the average home value in Wake Forest?
The median home value in Wake Forest is $435,000, and the median gross rent is $1,458/month (U.S. Census ACS).
Is Wake Forest safe? What is the crime rate?
Wake Forest Police Department reported a violent-crime rate of about 158 per 100,000 residents in 2023 — lower than the U.S. rate of 386. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS.
What natural-disaster risks does Wake Forest face?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wake County as "Relatively High" overall, with top hazards including hail, heat wave, ice storm.
How many schools are in Wake Forest?
Wake Forest has 15 public schools (8 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES.
How many registered sex offenders are in Wake Forest?
Public registry data lists 2 registered sex offenders in or near Wake Forest. This is neighborhood-safety information from the public state registry.
Look up a person in Wake Forest →