27587 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
27587
27613
Opportunity
91 · Top 1%
vs88 · Top 2%
Growth
79 · Top 4%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs72 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs87 · Top 39%
Schools
79 · Top 14%
vs80 · Top 13%
Access
94 · Top 47%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
81 · Top 9%
vs81 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 27587 | 27613 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 82,886 | 45,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $133,743 | $123,966 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,229 | $68,977 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 788/sq mi | 1,774/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $497,800 | $520,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,544 | $1,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.0% | 69.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.7% | 69.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.0% | 4.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 911 | 5,124 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 17.2 | 10.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.9% | -0.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.0 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.97 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 58.2% | 61.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 67.5% | 64.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.2% | 26.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 27587 — Wake Forest, NC · 27613 — Raleigh, NC · How this is calculated: methodology