AreaScoop
Wake Forest, NC

Photo: Wikipedia

Wake Forest, NC

Find The Best Places To Live
in Wake Forest

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.

Demographics

Majority WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 52
Population51,199
Foreign Born2.8%
Population Density2,566people per mi²
Median Age38.8 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
UnknownNot enough historical data to assess trajectory.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

137/100

37% above national average

B

The Real Cost of Living in Wake Forest, North Carolina

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $23k$44k
Comfortable $85k$124k
Luxury $161k+$250k+
Elite (Top 5%) $190k+$294k+
Affordability Ratio

97%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean89%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
24
Poor
5
Negative
1

Groceries

0 within 10 miles

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

0 within 20 miles

Airport

RDU — Raleigh–Durham International

17.1mi

Post Office

Critical Amenities

Golf0 
Camping6Nearest 15.7 mi
Marina0 
Winery0 
Ice Rink0 
Gun Range0 

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
B
Good

An upper-middle-class area. Household wealth, education levels, and homeownership run ahead of national benchmarks.

Median HHI
$121k+4.9%
61% above US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$981k
49% above US avg
College Educated
57.8%
65% above US avg
Homeownership
74.7%
14% above US avg
Median Home
$435k
54% above US avg
Avg HH Debt
$20k
9% above US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
A-
Very Safe

Lower crime rates than 75% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
11.0
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−16.7%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−40.7%
Homicide
0.03 / 1k Residents42% below state avg
Robbery
0.07 / 1k Residents82% below state avg
Aggravated Assault
0.68 / 1k Residents71% below state avg

Property Crime

5yr+7.2%
Burglary
0.85 / 1k Residents69% below state avg
Larceny-Theft
8.52 / 1k Residents28% below state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.67 / 1k Residents65% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+8Leans Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Wake Forest, North Carolina
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C+
Weak9.9% of income
Property Rights
C+
FairIJ Grade C+
Firearm Rights
A
GreatFPC Grade A
Homeschooling
D-
PoorHigh regulation

Energy independence: Importer (15% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
C+
LimitedHerd shares only
Gambling Laws
B
Broadly OpenTribal · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
A-
Broadly LegalMedical + Decrim.

Homesteading

Growing Season235 days327 frost-free
Annual Rainfall54.3"
Elevation397 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C-
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
D-
Poor16 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
D-
Poor2,566/sq mi
Fallout Danger
B+
Fair2 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding, Tornado, Heat Wave, Hail, Hurricane
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 483 mi · coast 123 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$299.1M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityRaleigh468k people are 16 mi away
Nearest Major AirportRDU17 mi away
Distance to State Capital16 miRaleigh, NC
Nearest Prison16 mi2 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-21T16:44:59.000Z

What your realtor won't tell you!

Find the best place to live

Go beyond the listing to get the inside scoop on any home in the US.

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.