Population
1,595,720
2025
+12.6% since 2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. Resident population, July 1 estimate.
Raleigh-Cary, NC metro growth snapshot
The Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area had an estimated 1,595,720 residents in 2025, up 12.6% (178,338 more people) since 2020.
Data as of 2025 · updated
Headline numbers
Net domestic migration
+19,974
2025
12.5 per 1,000 residents
+99,774 in total, 2021–2025
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. People moving in from other U.S. counties minus people moving out.
Jobs
745,875
2025
+21.5% since 2020
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025. Average annual employment covered by unemployment insurance.
New homes permitted
17,543
2025
−19.0% since 2021
11.0 per 1,000 residents
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.
Private-sector employment
617,511
2023
+16.1% since 2018
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023. Paid employees of private employers in mid-March (County Business Patterns).
Metro figures add up the member counties: totals only, so medians, wages and rates are on each county's page.
What the numbers say
Net domestic migration added 19,974 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.
Employers counted 745,875 jobs in 2025, +21.5% since 2020.
Builders were authorized to start 17,543 new homes in 2025, or 11.0 per 1,000 residents.
Counties in this metro area
- Franklin County, NCpop +18.8% · jobs +21.5%
- Johnston County, NCpop +17.9% · jobs +28.7%
- Wake County, NCpop +11.2% · jobs +20.9%
Fastest-growing metro areas in North Carolina · Fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S.
Questions
Is the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area growing?
Yes. Its population grew 12.6% between 2020 and 2025, about 178,338 more people (Census Bureau population estimates).
Which county in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area is growing fastest?
Franklin County, NC. Its population grew 18.8% between 2020 and 2025, the fastest of the 3 member counties (Census Bureau population estimates).
How many people moved to the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area?
On net, about 19,974 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).
What is the population of the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area?
About 1,595,720 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.
How many jobs are in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area?
Employers there reported 745,875 jobs covered by unemployment insurance in 2025, +21.5% since 2020 (BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages).
See Raleigh-Cary, NC tract by tract
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Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.