Wake County, officially the County of Wake, is a
county
A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
located in the U.S. state of
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
. As of the
2020 census, its population was 1,129,410,
making it North Carolina's
most populous county. From July 2005 to July 2006, Wake County was the 9th-fastest growing county in the United States, with
Cary and
Raleigh
Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
being the 8th- and 15th-fastest growing communities, respectively.
Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
is
Raleigh
Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
,
which is also the
state capital
Below is an index of pages containing lists of capital city, capital cities.
National capitals
*List of national capitals
*List of national capitals by latitude
*List of national capitals by population
*List of national capitals by area
*List of ...
. Eleven other municipalities are in Wake County, the largest of which is the town of
Cary, the third-most populous city of the
Research Triangle
The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Anchored by the cities of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh an ...
region and the seventh-most populous municipality in North Carolina.
It is governed by the
Wake County Board of Commissioners
The Wake County Board of Commissioners is the governing board for Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County, which includes the City of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh.
As of the 2020 census, the population of Wake County was 1,115,000 making it N ...
, coterminous with the
Wake County Public School System
The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is a State school, public school district located in Wake County, North Carolina. With 159,995 students in average daily membership and 198 schools as of the 2023–24 school year, it is the large ...
, with law enforcement provided by the Wake County Sheriff's Department. It is also part of the wider
Triangle J Council of Governments
The Central Pines Regional Council (formerly Triangle J Council of Governments) is one of the 17 regional North Carolina Councils of Governments (Region J) established by the North Carolina General Assembly for the purpose of regional planning and ...
, which governs regional planning.
History
Early history
Prior to English colonization, present-day Wake County was part of the
Tuscarora Tuscarora may refer to the following:
First nations and Native American people and culture
* Tuscarora people
**'' Federal Power Commission v. Tuscarora Indian Nation'' (1960)
* Tuscarora language, an Iroquoian language of the Tuscarora people
* ...
nation.
18th century

Wake County was formed in 1770 from parts of
Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to:
Australia
* Cumberland County, New South Wales
* the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia
Canada
*Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
United Kingdom
* Cumberland, historic county
*Cumberl ...
,
Johnston County, and
Orange County. The first courthouse was built at a village originally called Wake Courthouse, now known as Bloomsbury. In 1771, the first elections and court were held, and the first militia units were organized.
Wake County lost some of its territory through the formation of other counties. Parts were included in
Franklin County in 1787, and in
Durham County in both 1881 and 1911.
During the
colonial period of North Carolina, the state capital was
New Bern
New Bern, formerly Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 31,291 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is located at the confluence of the Neuse River, Neuse a ...
. For several years during and after the
Revolutionary War, there was no capital, and the
General Assembly
A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company.
Specific examples of general assembly include:
Churches
* General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...
met in various locations.
Fayetteville Fayetteville may refer to:
*Fayetteville, Alabama
*Fayetteville, Arkansas
** The Fayetteville Formation
*Fayetteville, Georgia
*Fayetteville, Illinois
*Fayetteville, Indiana
*Fayetteville, Washington County, Indiana
*Fayetteville, Missouri
*Fayette ...
was the state capital in 1786, 1789, 1790, and 1793, when Raleigh became the permanent state capital in 1794.
In 1792, a commission was appointed to select a site to build a permanent state capital. The commission members favored land owned by Colonel John Hinton across the
Neuse River
The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in N ...
, but the night before the final vote, the committee adjourned to the
home of Joel Lane for an evening of food and spirits. The next day, the vote went in Lane's favor.
Lane named Wake County in honor of
Margaret Wake Tryon, wife of colonial Governor
William Tryon
Lieutenant-General William Tryon (8 June 172927 January 1788) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as governor of North Carolina from 1764 to 1771 and the governor of New York from 1771 to 1777. He also served durin ...
. Raleigh was named after
Sir Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebellio ...
, and established in 1792 on purchased from Lane. Raleigh had never set foot in North Carolina, but he had sponsored the establishment of the
first English colony in North America on North Carolina's
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island () is an island in Dare County, bordered by the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It was named after the historical Roanoke, a Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English colonizat ...
in 1585. The city of Raleigh became both the state capital and the new seat of Wake County.
19th century
The Battle at Morrisville Station was fought April 13–15, 1865, in Morrisville, North Carolina, during the Carolinas Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the last official battle of the Civil War between the armies of Major General William T. Sherman and General Joseph E. Johnston. General Judson Kilpatrick, commanding officer of the Union cavalry advance, compelled Confederate forces under the command of Generals Wade Hampton III and Joseph Wheeler to withdraw in haste. They had been frantically trying to transport their remaining supplies and wounded by rail westward toward the final Confederate encampment in Greensboro. Kilpatrick used artillery on the heights overlooking Morrisville Station and cavalry charges to push the Confederates out of the small village, leaving many needed supplies behind. However, the trains were able to withdraw with wounded from the Battle of Bentonville and the Battle of Averasboro. Later, General Johnston sent a courier to the federal encampments at Morrisville with a message for Major General Sherman requesting a conference to discuss an armistice. Several days later, the two generals met at Bennett Place near Durham on April 17, 1865, to begin discussing the terms of what would become the largest surrender of the war.
20th century
In the 20th century, the average per capita income for the county was of
$54,988, and the median income for a family was of $67,149. In the same period, the per capita income decreased from $44,472 to $31,579, especially for women. About 7.80% of the population was below the federal poverty line.
A county courthouse was built in 1915. Space for county government in the building grew increasingly inadequate in the 1960s, and another courthouse was built in 1970.
21st century
In August 2014, the county population surpassed 1,000,000 people.
In November 2017, the commissioners of Wake and
Harnett counties discussed the possibility of redrawing the line between the counties using the latest technology. This boundary change would affect about 130 properties, with 27 having houses on them, meaning they would end up in a different county or divided between two. An agreement was reached regarding the adjustment of the Wake,
Chatham, and Harnett county lines in May 2018.
Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.62%) is water.
Wake County is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina, where the
North American Piedmont and
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
regions meet. This area is known as the "
fall line
A fall line (or fall zone) is the area where an upland region and a coastal plain meet and is noticeable especially the place rivers cross it, with resulting rapids or waterfalls. The uplands are relatively hard crystalline basement rock, and the ...
" because it marks the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. As a result, most of Wake County features gently rolling hills that slope eastward toward the state's flat coastal plain. Its central Piedmont location situates the county about three hours west of
Atlantic Beach Atlantic Beach is the name of some places in the United States:
*Atlantic Beach, Florida, a city
*Atlantic Beach, New York, a village
*Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, a town
*Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, a town
See also
* Atlantic (disambiguat ...
by car and four hours east of the
Great Smoky Mountains
The Great Smoky Mountains (, ''Equa Dutsusdu Dodalv'') are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains and form part of the Blue Ridg ...
.
Bodies of water that are located in Wake County include
Crabtree Creek,
Walnut Creek, the
Neuse River
The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in N ...
,
Lake Crabtree
Lake Crabtree is a reservoir in Cary, North Carolina. In order to alleviate the possibility of flooding, it was constructed in 1989 by the Natural Resources Conservation Service via damming the Crabtree Creek. It is currently within the Lake ...
, Lake Johnson, Lake Raleigh, Lake Wheeler, Lake Benson,
Harris Lake and portions of
Falls Lake
Falls Lake is a 12,410 acre (50 km2) reservoir located in Durham, Wake, and Granville counties in North Carolina, United States. It extends up the Neuse River to its source at the confluence of the Eno, Little, and Flat rivers, and ...
and
Jordan Lake
B. Everett Jordan Lake is a reservoir in New Hope Valley, west of Cary, North Carolina, Cary and south of Durham, North Carolina, Durham in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the United States; the northernmost end of the lake extends into sout ...
.
Climate
Wake County enjoys a moderate
subtropical climate
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones immediately to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 3 ...
, with moderate temperatures in the spring, fall, and winter. Summers are typically hot with high
humidity
Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation (meteorology), precipitation, dew, or fog t ...
. Winter highs generally range in the low 50s °F (10 to 13 °C) with lows in the low to-mid 30s °F (−2 to 2 °C), although an occasional or warmer winter day is not uncommon. Spring and fall days usually reach the low to mid-70s °F (low 20s °C), with lows at night in the lower 50s °F (10 to 14 °C). Summer daytime highs often reach the upper 80s to low 90s °F (29 to 35 °C). The rainiest months are July and August.
The county, at the National Weather Service in Raleigh, receives on average of snow in the winter.
Freezing rain
Freezing rain is rain maintained at temperatures below melting point, freezing by the ambient air mass that causes freezing on contact with surfaces. Unlike rain and snow mixed, a mixture of rain and snow or ice pellets, freezing rain is made en ...
and
sleet occur most winters, and occasionally the area experiences a major damaging
ice storm
An ice storm, also known as a glaze event or a silver storm, is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain. The National Weather Service, U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulatio ...
.
State and local protected areas/sites
* Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park
* Blue Jay Point County Park
* Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land (part)
* Carl Alwin Schenck Memorial Forest
* Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Park
*
Clemmons Educational State Forest (part)
* Falls Lake State Recreation Area (part)
* Forest Ridge Park
* Harris Lake County Park
* Harris Game Land (part)
*
Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
* Hilltop Needmore Town Park & Preserve
*
JC Raulston Arboretum
The JC Raulston Arboretum is a arboretum and botanical garden administered by North Carolina State University, and located in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is open daily to the public without charge.
History
The Arboretum was established i ...
* Jordan Game Land (part)
*
Lake Crabtree County Park
Lake Crabtree County Park is a park in Wake County, North Carolina. It is a forested area between Cary, North Carolina, Cary, Morrisville, North Carolina, Morrisville, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport, bounded by the northeastern shore of ...
*
Mitchell Mill State Natural Area
*
North Carolina Executive Mansion
The North Carolina Executive Mansion (also referred to as the North Carolina Governor's Mansion) is the official residence of the governor of North Carolina and their family. The First Lady of North Carolina is the mansion's official hostess. B ...
, historic site
*
North Carolina Museum of History
The North Carolina Museum of History is a history museum located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. It is an affiliate through the Smithsonian Affiliations program. The museum is a part of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archi ...
*
North Carolina State Capitol
The North Carolina State Capitol is the former seat of the legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina which housed all of the state's government until 1888. The Supreme Court and State Library moved into a separate building in 1888, and th ...
, historic site
*
Prairie Ridge Ecostation
* Robertson Millpond Preserve
* Sandy Pines Preserve
* Turnipseed Nature Preserve
*
William B. Umstead State Park
William B. Umstead State Park is a List of North Carolina state parks, North Carolina state park in Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County, North Carolina in the United States. It covers nestled between the expanding cities of Raleigh, North ...
Major water bodies
*
B. Everett Jordan Lake
B. Everett Jordan Lake is a reservoir in New Hope Valley, west of Cary, North Carolina, Cary and south of Durham, North Carolina, Durham in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the United States; the northernmost end of the lake extends into sout ...
* Beaver Dam Lake
*
Brier Creek Reservoir
*
Crabtree Creek
*
House Creek
* Lake Benson
* Lake Betz
*
Lake Crabtree
Lake Crabtree is a reservoir in Cary, North Carolina. In order to alleviate the possibility of flooding, it was constructed in 1989 by the Natural Resources Conservation Service via damming the Crabtree Creek. It is currently within the Lake ...
* Lake Johnson
* Lake Wheeler
*
Little River
Little River may refer to several places:
Australia Streams New South Wales
*Little River (Dubbo), source in the Dubbo region, a tributary of the Macquarie River
* Little River (Oberon), source in the Oberon Shire, a tributary of Coxs River (Haw ...
*
Neuse River
The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in N ...
* Shearon Harris Reservoir
*
Stirrup Iron Creek
Stirrup Iron Creek is a tributary to Crabtree Creek (Neuse River tributary), Crabtree Creek that rises near Brassfield, North Carolina and then flows south-southeast into Lake Crabtree. The watershed is about 31% forested.
See also
*List of ri ...
Adjacent counties
*
Granville County
Granville County is a county located on the northern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,992. Its county seat is Oxford. The county has access to Kerr Lake and Falls Lake and is part of the ...
– north
*
Franklin County – northeast
*
Nash County
Nash County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 94,970. Its county seat is Nashville.
Nash County is part of the Rocky Mount, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The area ...
– east
*
Johnston County – southeast
*
Harnett County – southwest
*
Chatham County – west
*
Durham County – northwest
Parks and recreation
State parks
Wake County is home to three state parks:
Falls Lake State Recreation Area
Falls Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park in Durham and Wake counties, North Carolina in the United States. Near Wake Forest, North Carolina, it covers along the shores of Falls Lake.
History
Prior to 1978, flooding o ...
,
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is a List of North Carolina state parks, North Carolina state park spanning Chatham County, North Carolina, Chatham County, and Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County, North Carolina. It comprises of woodlands ...
, and
William B. Umstead State Park
William B. Umstead State Park is a List of North Carolina state parks, North Carolina state park in Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County, North Carolina in the United States. It covers nestled between the expanding cities of Raleigh, North ...
. Falls Lake Park is located in northern Wake County and contains the
Falls Lake
Falls Lake is a 12,410 acre (50 km2) reservoir located in Durham, Wake, and Granville counties in North Carolina, United States. It extends up the Neuse River to its source at the confluence of the Eno, Little, and Flat rivers, and ...
and of woodlands. Umstead Park is situated between Raleigh and Cary near RDU. Located right off I-40, it is divided into two sections,
Crabtree Creek and Reedy Creek, and contains of woodlands. Jordan Lake Park, which is partially located in Wake County near Apex, contains Jordan Lake and of woodlands. This park is known for being home to
bald eagle
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche ...
s.
County parks and recreation centers
There are 152 county parks, city parks, public swimming and public tennis facilities in Wake County. In addition, there are 53
community centers
A community centre, community center, or community hall is a public location where members of a community gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may be open for the whole community or for a sp ...
. Notable parks include
Pullen Park
Pullen Park is a park, public park immediately west of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina. It is located on Ashe Avenue and is adjacent to the Main and Centennial campuses of North Carolina State University, covering an are ...
and
Yates Mill Park. The
American Tobacco Trail
The American Tobacco Trail (ATT) is a long Rails-to-Trails project located in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, running along an abandoned railroad bed originally built for the American Tobacco Company in the 1970s. The route cr ...
is a
rail trail
A rail trail or railway walk is a shared-use path on a Right of way#Rail right of way, railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed but may also share the rail corr ...
project that is located in the
Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the largest research park in the United States; it occupies in North Carolina and hosts more than 300 companies and 65,000 workers. It is owned and managed by the Research Triangle Foundation, a private non-profi ...
region. Fifteen miles of the trail is located in Wake County and is open to pedestrians, cyclists,
equestrians
Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding ( Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...
(in non-urban sections), and other non-motorized users. The
Capital Area Greenway system has over of paved walking and biking trails and connects to other systems operated by municipalities and neighboring counties.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 census, 1,129,410 people, 419,361 households, and 279,243 families were residing in the county.
2018 census estimate
At the 2018
census estimate
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given population, usually displayed in the form of statistics. This term is used ...
,
1,092,776 people, 421,265 households, and 276,363 families resided in the county. The population density was . The 458,953 housing units had an average density of . The
racial makeup of the county was 59.40% White, 14.29% African American, 9.24% Hispanics or Latinos of any race, 12.84% Asian, 4.04% from other races, 3.13% from two or more races, 0.16% Native American, and 0.03% Pacific Islander.
Of the 242,040 households, 34.0% had children under 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were not families. About 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.51, and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county, the age distribution was 25.1% under 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 36.5% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 96.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $54,988, and for a family was $67,149. Males had a median income of $44,472 versus $31,579 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,004. About 4.90% of families and 7.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.60% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.
In Wake County, 29% of the population is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, 22% are affiliated with the Catholic Church, 17% are affiliated with the United Methodist Church, 6% are affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), and 27% are religiously affiliated with other denominations or religions, or are not religiously affiliated.
Law and government
The county is governed by the
Wake County Board of Commissioners
The Wake County Board of Commissioners is the governing board for Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County, which includes the City of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh.
As of the 2020 census, the population of Wake County was 1,115,000 making it N ...
, a seven-member board of
county commission
A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States. A county usually has three to fiv ...
ers, elected at large to serve four-year terms.
Despite being selected by the whole county, each commissioner represents a district in which they live.
Terms are staggered so that every two years, three or four commissioners are up for election. The commissioners enact policies such as the establishment of the
property tax
A property tax (whose rate is expressed as a percentage or per mille, also called ''millage'') is an ad valorem tax on the value of a property.In the OECD classification scheme, tax on property includes "taxes on immovable property or Wealth t ...
rate, regulation of land use and
zoning
In urban planning, zoning is a method in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into land-use "zones", each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for ...
outside municipal jurisdictions, and adoption of the annual budget. Commissioners meet on the first and third Mondays of each month.
County voters also elect a
register of deeds
Recorder of deeds or deeds registry is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights ove ...
, who is responsible for maintaining legal records including property deeds, birth certificates, and marriage licenses.
[
The first professional county manager was hired in 1965. Wake County is a member of the regional ]Triangle J Council of Governments
The Central Pines Regional Council (formerly Triangle J Council of Governments) is one of the 17 regional North Carolina Councils of Governments (Region J) established by the North Carolina General Assembly for the purpose of regional planning and ...
.
Politics
For much of the 20th century, Wake County was politically dominated by conservative Democrat
In American politics, a conservative Democrat is a member of the Democratic Party with more conservative views than most Democrats. Traditionally, conservative Democrats have been elected to office from the Southern states, rural areas, and t ...
s, many of them wealthy Raleighites. By the 1980s, enough socially-liberal Democrat and Republican professionals from the North had relocated to the county to break down this system of affairs. In 1994, Republicans won their first majority on the county commission in over 100 years. In 2009, Republicans won a majority on the Wake County Board of Education. Their majority lasted only two years due to several controversies including a student reassignment plan, and Democrats retook control of the board in 2011.
In 2008, the county swung hard to Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
, who defeated John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...
56 to 43 percent. Obama became the first Democrat since Lyndon Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after assassination of John F. Kennedy, the assassination of John F. Ken ...
to win a majority of the county's vote. In 2012, Obama won Wake County again over Mitt Romney with 54 percent of the vote to Romney's 44 percent – the first time in almost half a century that a Democrat carried the county in consecutive elections. Obama's performance in Wake mirrored his strong showing along Interstate 85
Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, ...
. In 2016, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the county 57 percent to Donald Trump's 37 percent, and in 2020 Joe Biden won the county with 62 percent of the vote to Donald Trump's 36 percent, reflecting the nationwide shift towards Democrats in urban and suburban areas. Biden's margin was the largest for a Democrat in the county since 1948. Trump was the first Republican in over 60 years to fail to receive at least 40 percent of the county's vote.
Democrats fared well in Wake County during the 2008 election. In the 1998 Senate race, John Edwards
Johnny Reid Edwards (born June 10, 1953) is an American lawyer and former politician who represented North Carolina in the United States Senate from 1999 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the vice presidential nominee under ...
won in Wake County, which helped him defeat incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth
Duncan McLauchlin "Lauch" Faircloth (January 14, 1928 – September 14, 2023) was an American politician from North Carolina who served as a Republican member of the United States Senate for one term from 1993 to 1999. He was a member of the De ...
. In 2000 Mike Easley
Michael Francis Easley (born March 23, 1950) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the List of Governors of North Carolina, 72nd governor of North Carolina from 2001 to 2009. He is the first
governor of North Carolina to have been ...
won the governor's race here with 55% of the vote. In 2004, Easley won again, winning with 59 percent to 40 percent for opponent Patrick Ballantine
Patrick J. Ballantine (born March 17, 1965) is an American attorney and politician who was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly, rising to become the Senate Minority Leader and the Republican Party's nominee for governor i ...
. Democrat Beverly Perdue
Beverly Marlene Eaves Perdue (née Moore; January 14, 1947) is an American businesswoman, politician, and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 73rd governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013. She was the first female governor o ...
won Wake County in the 2008 Governor's election by a 51 to 45 percent margin. In 2002, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Elizabeth Dole
Mary Elizabeth Alexander Dole (née Hanford; born July 29, 1936)Mary Ella Cathey Hanford, "Asbury and Hanford Families: Newly Discovered Genealogical Information" ''The Historical Trail'' 33 (1996), pp. 44–45, 49. is an American attorney, auth ...
defeated Democrat Erskine Bowles
Erskine Boyce Bowles ( ; born August 8, 1945) is an American businessman and political figure from North Carolina. He served as the 19th White House Chief of Staff from January 1997 to October 1998, under President Bill Clinton, and as the p ...
with 55% of the vote in Wake County, and won by a large margin statewide. However, in 2004, Bowles won the county with 52 percent, despite losing statewide to Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr (born November 30, 1955) is an American businessman and politician who served as a United States senator from North Carolina from 2005 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Burr was previously a member of the United Stat ...
by the same margin. In 2008 Kay Hagan
Janet Kay Hagan (née Ruthven; May 26, 1953 – October 28, 2019) was an American lawyer, banking executive, and politician who served as a United States Senate, United States Senator from North Carolina from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democr ...
defeated Dole 56 to 40 percent.
Democratic strength is concentrated primarily in Raleigh
Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
. Republican strength is concentrated in the rural and exurban areas in the northern and western parts of the county. The outskirts of Raleigh, and the towns of Cary and Apex
The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to:
Arts and media Fictional entities
* Apex (comics)
A-Bomb
Abomination
Absorbing Man
Abraxas
Abyss
Abyss is the name of two characters appearing in Ameri ...
, are mostly home to swing voters.
Economy
Wake County's economy is heavily influenced by the Research Triangle Park (RTP), located between Durham and Raleigh. RTP is the country's largest industrial park
An industrial park, also known as industrial estate or trading estate, is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more heavyweight version of a business park or office par ...
and a primary center in the United States for high-tech
High technology (high tech or high-tech), also known as advanced technology (advanced tech) or exotechnology, is technology that is at the cutting edge: the highest form of technology available. It can be defined as either the most complex or ...
and biotech
Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists in the field are kn ...
research, as well as textile development. The park is home to more than 160 companies employing over 50,000 people. The largest employers in the Park include IBM
International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...
(11,000 employees), GlaxoSmithKline
GSK plc (an acronym from its former name GlaxoSmithKline plc) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with headquarters in London. It was established in 2000 by a Mergers an ...
(6,400 employees), and Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (using the trademark Cisco) is an American multinational corporation, multinational digital communications technology conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California. Cisco develops, m ...
(3,400 employees).
Wake County's industrial base includes electrical, medical, electronic and telecommunications equipment; clothing and apparel; food processing; paper products; and pharmaceuticals. The agriculture industry is visible in rural areas of the county, with tobacco, cotton, wheat, soybeans, and corn being the most common products grown.
SAS Institute
SAS Institute (or SAS, pronounced "sass") is an American multinational developer of analytics and artificial intelligence software based in Cary, North Carolina. SAS develops and markets a suite of analytics software ( also called SAS), which ...
, one of the largest privately held software companies in the world, is located in Cary, and Raleigh is home to the headquarters of Fortune 500
The ''Fortune'' 500 is an annual list compiled and published by ''Fortune (magazine), Fortune'' magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States Joint-stock company#Closely held corporations and publicly traded corporations, corporations by ...
retailer Advance Auto Parts
Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is an American automotive aftermarket parts provider. Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, it serves professional installer and do it yourself (DIY) customers.
Company History
In April 1932, Arthur Taubman purch ...
. Other major companies based in Wake County include A10 Networks
A10 Networks, Inc. is an American public company specializing in the manufacturing of application delivery controllers (software and hardware). Founded in 2004 by Lee Chen, co-founder of Foundry Networks, A10 originally serviced just the identi ...
, Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...
, 3Dsolve
The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North Bethesda, Mary ...
, Carquest
Carquest Corporation is an American automotive parts distribution network that is currently owned and operated by Advance Auto Parts via independent retailers associated with the network as "Carquest Auto Parts". As of October 4, 2014 Advance o ...
, Butterball
Butterball is a brand of turkey and other poultry products produced by Butterball LLC. The company manufactures food products in the United States and internationally—specializing in turkey, cured deli meats, raw roasts and specialty prod ...
, Cotton Incorporated
Cotton Incorporated is a not-for-profit organization funded by cotton growers in the United States through per-bale assessments on producers and importers levied by the Cotton Board, which reports to the United States Department of Agriculture ...
, Epic Games
Epic Games, Inc. is an American Video game developer, video game and software development, software developer and video game publisher, publisher based in Cary, North Carolina. The company was founded by Tim Sweeney (game developer), Tim Sween ...
, Lord Corporation
LORD Corporation is a diversified technology and manufacturing company that develops adhesives, coatings, motion management devices, and sensing technologies for industries such as aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, and industrial. With world ...
, Lenovo Group
Lenovo Group Limited, Trade name, trading as Lenovo ( , zh, c=联想, p=Liánxiǎng), is a Chinese Multinational corporation, multinational technology company specializing in designing, manufacturing, and marketing consumer electronics, person ...
(U.S. headquarters), Tekelec
Tekelec, Inc. was a Morrisville, North Carolina–based telecommunications company. It developed hardware and software for networks that are fixed, wireless, or packet-based. It provided IP services to help mobile carriers with network signalin ...
, Red Hat
Red Hat, Inc. (formerly Red Hat Software, Inc.) is an American software company that provides open source software products to enterprises and is a subsidiary of IBM. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North ...
, Golden Corral
Golden Corral is an American all-you-can-eat buffet and grill chain. It is a privately held company headquartered in the U.S. city of Raleigh, North Carolina, with locations in 43 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.
History
In 1971, James Maynard ...
and Martin Marietta Materials
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. is an American company and a supplier of aggregates and heavy building materials, with operations spanning 26 states, Canada and the Caribbean. In particular, Martin Marietta Materials supplies resources for the ...
.
In 2007, ''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' magazine listed Raleigh and Cary among the best cities to find jobs in the United States, as well as being the area ranked as the best place for business and careers. Also in 2007, CNN
Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
ranked the region as the third best area for job growth, the top region for technology workers, and Bizjournals.com ranked it as the fourth best place for young adult job seekers.
On April 26, 2021, Apple Inc.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, in Silicon Valley. It is best known for its consumer electronics, software, and services. Founded in 1976 as Apple Comput ...
announced that they would build a $1 billion hub in the Wake County portion of the Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the largest research park in the United States; it occupies in North Carolina and hosts more than 300 companies and 65,000 workers. It is owned and managed by the Research Triangle Foundation, a private non-profi ...
. It is expected to house a 1,000,000 square foot facility and hire more than 3,000 people with a minimum average salary of $185,000 per year.
Transportation
Major highways
* is the only major Interstate Highway that runs through the county. It offers direct access to Raleigh-Durham International Airport
The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Anchored by the cities of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh an ...
, Cary, Garner, Morrisville, and Raleigh. It has two auxiliary routes in Wake County.
*
* will eventually connect I-40 to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
. Its Wake County section is concurrent with U.S. 64. The highway is currently signed as I-87 only where it already meets Interstate standards: along the Raleigh Beltline (where its southern terminus is at I-440's Exit 16 and I-40's Exit 301) and along the Knightdale Bypass, which runs from I-440 to the Business 64 exit between Knightdale and Wendell Wendell may refer to:
Places in the United States
*Wendell, Idaho
*Wendell, Massachusetts
*Wendell, Minnesota
*Wendell, North Carolina
People and fictional characters
*Wendell (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
. East of this point, the road is a controlled-access freeway but does not meet interstate standards, so it is marked with "Future" I-87 signs. The "future" designation will be removed as the road is eventually upgraded by improving the road's shoulders
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone) as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons.
The articulations between the bones of the shoulder m ...
, which are currently too narrow to qualify for an Interstate Highway designation. There is no timetable for these improvements. Interstate 87 will run along the same routing, and will eventually will be extended along US 64, US 17, and other roads (some yet to be built) to Norfolk.
* is the northern, western, and eastern portion of the "Beltline" that encircles most of central Raleigh. The southern portion of the Beltline is I-40.
* is a partially completed loop that currently connects the satellite town
A satellite city or satellite town is a smaller municipality or settlement that is part of (or on the edge of) a larger metropolitan area and serves as a regional population and employment center. It differs from mere suburbs, subdivisions a ...
s of Knightdale, Cary, Morrisville, Apex, and Holly Springs. The completed portion in northern Wake County is called the Northern Wake Expressway (I-540). It continues as a non-Interstate route, NC 540, in western Wake County, almost all of which is a toll road. The remaining segments to be constructed will also be designated as NC 540 and will be tolled, with an approximate cost of $2.2 billion.
*
* (originally NC 147 Toll)
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Bicycles routes
The "Mountain to Sea" North Carolina Bicycle Route 2
The following is a List of bicycle routes in North Carolina. These routes are designated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Division.
State U.S. Bicycle Route 1
The North Carolina po ...
travels through Wake County, as does the Maine
Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
-to-Florida U.S. Bicycle Route 1. North Carolina Bicycle Route 5
The following is a List of bicycle routes in North Carolina. These routes are designated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Division.
State U.S. Bicycle Route 1
The North Carolina po ...
, the "Cape Fear Run", connects Apex to the coastal city of Wilmington.
Major infrastructure
* Cary Station
* GoTriangle
GoTriangle is the operator of regional public transit bus services in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina. GoTriangle is a member of the region-wide GoTransit system, operating limited-stop and express bus services in Wake, Durham, ...
, operates buses that serve the region and connect to municipal bus systems in Raleigh
Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
, Durham Durham most commonly refers to:
*Durham, England, a cathedral city in north east England
**County Durham, a ceremonial county which includes Durham
*Durham, North Carolina, a city in North Carolina, United States
Durham may also refer to:
Places
...
, Cary and Chapel Hill.
* New Hope Valley Railway
The New Hope Valley Railway , also known as the Triangle's Train, is a heritage railroad in Bonsal, North Carolina operated by the North Carolina Railway Museum, Inc., an all-volunteer, nonprofit, and tax exempt educational and historical organ ...
* North Carolina State Fair Station, seasonal Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
station that serves the North Carolina State Fair
The North Carolina State Fair is an American state fair and agricultural Trade fair, exposition held annually in Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1853, the fair is organized by the North Carolina Department of Agricu ...
in October
* Raleigh-Durham International Airport
The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Anchored by the cities of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh an ...
, located in northwestern Wake County off Interstate 40. The airport offers service to more than 35 domestic and international destinations. The airport currently serves more than 14 million passengers a year.
* Raleigh Union Station
Raleigh Union Station is an Intermodal passenger transport, intermodal transit station in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Train service began the morning of July 10, 2018. Its main building serves as an Amtrak train station, while a fut ...
* Triple W Airport
Education
Higher education
Wake County is home to eight institutions of higher learning. They include Meredith College
Meredith College is a private women's liberal arts college and coeducational graduate school
Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qu ...
, North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...
, Campbell University's Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law
The Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law (also known as Campbell Law School or Campbell University School of Law) is a private law school in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1976, the law school is one of six graduate programs o ...
, Peace College
William Peace University is a private college in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, it offers undergraduate degrees in more than 30 majors and its School of Professional Studies (SPS) offers accelera ...
, Saint Augustine's College, Shaw University
Shaw University is a private historically black university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded on December 1, 1865, Shaw University is the oldest HBCU to begin offering courses in the Southern United States. The school had its origin in the fo ...
, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) is a Baptist seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It was created in 1950 to meet a need in the SBC's East Coast region.William H. Bra ...
and Wake Technical Community College
Wake Technical Community College (Wake Tech) is a public community college in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its first location, now the Southern Wake Campus, opened in 1963. Wake Tech now operates multiple campuses throughout Wake County. The large ...
.
The State Library of North Carolina
The State Library of North Carolina is an institution which serves North Carolina libraries, state government employees, genealogists, and the citizens of North Carolina. The library is the main depository for North Carolina state publications a ...
is an institution which serves North Carolina libraries, state government employees, genealogists
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...
, and the citizens of North Carolina. There are two locations in Raleigh.
Primary and secondary education
Public education
A state school, public school, or government school is a primary school, primary or secondary school that educates all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in part by taxation and operated by the government of the state. State-f ...
in Wake County is administered by the Wake County Public School System
The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is a State school, public school district located in Wake County, North Carolina. With 159,995 students in average daily membership and 198 schools as of the 2023–24 school year, it is the large ...
, the 15th largest public school district in the country with over 155,000 students. There are 27 high schools, 33 middle schools, 104 elementary schools, and eight specialized schools. In addition, nine charter schools
A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...
and 31 private schools are located in the county.
Libraries
The Wake County Public Library system operates 22 branches throughout the county. There are 11 facilities in Raleigh. Cary and Apex each have two facilities. Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Wake Forest, Zebulon, Knightdale and Wendell each have one library facility. The Wake County library system keeps books, periodicals, and audio books and has recently expanded the selection to include downloadable e-books.
Healthcare
Wake County is served by three healthcare systems: WakeMed Health & Hospitals, UNC Rex Healthcare
UNC Rex Hospital is a general hospital located in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is the capital city's oldest hospital, founded by a bequest from John T. Rex (1771–1839), a local tanner and planter. Originally located on what is now Dorothea D ...
, and Duke Raleigh Hospital.
In addition to WakeMed's Raleigh main campus, the system operates two community hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, a mental health hospital and four outpatient "healthplexes" with full-service ERs in the county.
Culture
Museums
* North Carolina Museum of Art
The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) is an art museum in Raleigh, North Carolina. It opened in 1956 as the first major museum collection in the country to be formed by state legislation and funding. Since the initial 1947 appropriation that ...
* North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) is a natural history museum in Raleigh, North Carolina. The museum is the oldest in the state, and the largest natural history museum in the Southeastern United States.
The museum is made up o ...
* North Carolina Museum of History
The North Carolina Museum of History is a history museum located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. It is an affiliate through the Smithsonian Affiliations program. The museum is a part of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archi ...
* City of Raleigh Museum
The City of Raleigh Museum is a local history museum associated with Raleigh, North Carolina. The museum is located in the historic Briggs Hardware Building on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh and has a number of exhibits and programs t ...
* Marbles Kids Museum
* J.C. Raulston Arboretum
* Joel Lane House
The Joel Lane House, also known as Wakefield, was built in 1769 and is now a restored historic home and museum in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is the oldest dwelling in Wake County and contains collections of 18th century artifacts and period fu ...
* Page-Walker Hotel
* Mordecai House
The Mordecai House (also called the Mordecai Plantation or Mordecai Mansion), built in 1785, is a registered historical landmark and museum in Raleigh, North Carolina that is the centerpiece of Mordecai Historic Park, adjacent to the Historic Oa ...
* North Carolina Railroad Museum
* Pope House Museum
The Pope House Museum, built in 1901, is a restored home once owned by Dr. Manassa Thomas Pope, a prominent African-American citizen of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Pope House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, It wa ...
* Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh
Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh (CAM Raleigh) is a multimedia contemporary art gallery in the Warehouse District of Raleigh, North Carolina. CAM Raleigh has no permanent collection but offers exhibitions of works by artists with regional, na ...
Performing arts
A number of outdoor concert venues regularly host major international touring acts. Among these are Coastal Credit Union Music Park, located in Southeast Raleigh, Red Hat Amphitheater
The Red Hat Amphitheater (formerly the Raleigh Amphitheater) is an amphitheatre in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is adjacent to the Raleigh Convention Center.
The Raleigh Amphitheater books acts through an agreement with Live Nation, and is owned ...
, located in downtown Raleigh, Koka Booth Amphitheatre
The Koka Booth Amphitheatre is a performing arts amphitheatre in Cary, North Carolina, United States. It is located in Regency Park, which is owned and operated by the Town of Cary. The venue is managed by SMG, formally known as Spectacor Manag ...
, located in Cary, and the North Carolina Museum of Art's Amphitheater, located in West Raleigh. Numerous smaller theaters and clubs also host concerts throughout the county. Occasionally the larger sporting venues such as PNC Arena and Carter-Finley Stadium do as well.
The Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts complex houses the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, the Fletcher Opera Theater, the Kennedy Theatre, and the Meymandi Concert Hall. Theater performances are also offered at the Raleigh Little Theatre
Raleigh Little Theatre (RLT) is a community theatre in Raleigh, North Carolina, that produces 10 to 11 full productions annually and conducts youth and adult theatre education programs.
About
Raleigh Little Theatre was established in 1936 to pro ...
, Theatre in the Park and Stewart Theater at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Applause! Cary Youth Theatre, Cary Players Community Theatre, Sertoma Amphitheater at Bond Park, are located in Cary. Other theaters and performing arts locations include The Halle Cultural Arts Center in Apex and Garner Historic Auditorium in Garner. Local colleges and universities add to the options available for viewing live performances.
Wake County is home to several professional arts organizations, including the North Carolina Symphony
The North Carolina Symphony (NCS) is an American orchestra based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with sixty-six full-time musicians. The orchestra performs in Meymandi Concert Hall and performs occasionally with the Carolina Ballet and the Opera Co ...
, the Opera Company of North Carolina, the North Carolina Theatre, and Carolina Ballet.
Visual arts
The North Carolina Museum of Art, occupying a large suburban campus on Blue Ridge Road near the State Fairgrounds, houses one of the premier public art collections between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
. In addition to collections of American art
Visual art of the United States or American art is visual art made in the United States or by U.S. artists. Before colonization, there were many flourishing traditions of Native American art, and where the Spanish colonized Spanish Colonial arc ...
, European art
The art of Europe, also known as Western art, encompasses the history of visual art in Europe. European prehistoric art started as mobile Upper Paleolithic rock and cave painting and petroglyph art and was characteristic of the period betw ...
, African art
African art encompasses modern and historical paintings, sculptures, installations, and other visual cultures originating from indigenous African diaspora, African communities across the African continent. The definition may also include the ar ...
, and ancient art
Ancient art refers to the many types of art produced by the Advanced culture, advanced cultures of History of society, ancient societies with different Writing system, forms of writing, such as those of Ancient China, China, Ancient India, India ...
, the museum recently has hosted major exhibitions featuring Auguste Rodin
François Auguste René Rodin (; ; 12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a u ...
(in 2000) and Claude Monet
Oscar-Claude Monet (, ; ; 14 November 1840 – 5 December 1926) was a French painter and founder of Impressionism painting who is seen as a key precursor to modernism, especially in his attempts to paint nature as he perceived it. During his ...
(in 2006–07), each attracting more than 200,000 visitors. The museum is currently hosting a special exhibition of contemporary installation art called ''You Are Here: Light, Color, and Sound Experiences''. Unlike most public museums, the North Carolina Museum of Art acquired a large number of the works in its permanent collection through purchases with public funds. The museum's outdoor park is one of the largest such art parks in the country.
Located in downtown Raleigh, the Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh
Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh (CAM Raleigh) is a multimedia contemporary art gallery in the Warehouse District of Raleigh, North Carolina. CAM Raleigh has no permanent collection but offers exhibitions of works by artists with regional, na ...
offers a continuously rotating and updated exhibitions of modern and contemporary art and multimedia.
Sports
Professional
The National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
's Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
franchise moved to Raleigh in 1999 from their temporary home of Greensboro
Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina, af ...
, after having departed Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
, in 1997. Their home arena, the Levovo Center, also hosts concerts and other public events. The Hurricanes are the only major league (NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
, NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
, NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
, MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
) professional sports team in North Carolina to have won a championship, winning the Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
in 2006, over the Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
.
North Carolina FC
North Carolina FC is an American professional association football, soccer team in Cary, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh, and member of the USL Championship. Founded in 2006, the team previously was named the Caro ...
of the United Soccer League
The United Soccer League (USL) is an organizer of various professional and amateur soccer leagues in the United States league system. It currently organizes its Championship, League One, and League Two for men, its Super League and W Leag ...
and the affiliated women's team North Carolina Courage
The North Carolina Courage are an American professional Association football, soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It was founded on January 9, 2017, after Stephen Malik acqui ...
of the National Women's Soccer League
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional Association football, soccer league and the highest level of the United States soccer league system#Women's leagues, United States soccer league system (alongside the USL Supe ...
are located in Cary and play at the WakeMed Soccer Park
WakeMed Soccer Park is a Association football, soccer complex in Cary, North Carolina, United States. It consists of a purpose-built, Soccer-specific stadium, soccer-specific main stadium named "First Horizon Stadium", two lighted practice footba ...
. The Courage is the reigning NWSL Shield Winner and NWSL Champion, breaking the NWSL season record for most wins, points, and goals in the process.
The Carolina Mudcats
The Carolina Mudcats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Zebulon, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh, and play their home games ...
are a minor league baseball
Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...
team located in eastern Wake County. Their ballpark, Five County Stadium
Five County Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Zebulon, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh. It is the home of the Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League. The ballpark, which was opened in 1991 and extensively renovated in 1999, has a ca ...
, is located in Zebulon.
The Research Triangle region has hosted the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Nationwide Tour
The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either not yet reached the PGA Tour, or who have done so but then failed to win enough FedEx Cup points to stay at that level. ...
Rex Hospital Open
The UNC Health Championship (formerly Rex Hospital Open) is a regular golf tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour. It is played annually at the Raleigh Country Club in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Winners
Bolded golfers graduated to the PGA Tour via the ...
since 1994, with the current location of play at Raleigh's Wakefield Plantation. In 2024 The Rex Hospital Open was changed to the UNC Health Championship and is now played at Raleigh Country Club, located on just east of downtown Raleigh.
College
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...
, which is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...
(ACC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
(NCAA) Division I, plays their home basketball games at the PNC Arena and home football games at Carter–Finley Stadium
Wayne Day Family Field at Carter–Finley Stadium is a List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums, college football stadium located in Raleigh, North Carolina. It has been home to the NC State Wolfpack football, NC State Wolfpack football team ...
.
Other institutions of higher learning that compete in competitive sports include St. Augustine's College (NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (originally and through 1950 known as the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association — CIAA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NC ...
(CIAA)), Meredith College (NCAA Division III In sport, the Third Division, also called Division 3, Division Three, or Division III, is often the third-highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below.
Association football
*Belgian Third ...
and USA South Athletic Conference
The USA South Athletic Conference (formerly the Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference or the Dixie Conference) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member schools are located in North Carolin ...
), William Peace University (NCAA Division III
NCAA Division III (D-III) is the lowest division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that do not offer athletic scholarships to student- ...
, USA South Athletic Conference
The USA South Athletic Conference (formerly the Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference or the Dixie Conference) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member schools are located in North Carolin ...
), Shaw University Division II, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (originally and through 1950 known as the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association — CIAA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NC ...
(CIAA)), and Wake Technical Community College (NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing association of community college, State college (disambiguation), state college, and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 sepa ...
).
Amateur
The Raleigh Cú Chulainn, which includes a Hurling
Hurling (, ') is an outdoor Team sport, team game of ancient Gaelic culture, Gaelic Irish origin, played by men and women. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goa ...
team and a Gaelic football
Gaelic football (; short name '')'', commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA, or football, is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score ...
team, is based in Wake County. The football team won the 2014 Men's Junior Championship in North American Gaelic Athletic Association competition.
The North Carolina Tigers
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' is ...
, an Australian Rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...
club in the United States Australian Football League (USAFL) and competing in the Eastern Australian Football League (EAFL), are based in Raleigh.
Wake County is also home to the Carolina Rollergirls, an all-women flat-track roller derby team that is a competing member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). The Carolina Rollergirls compete at the North Carolina State Fairground's Dorton Arena
J. S. Dorton Arena is a 7,610-seat multi-purpose arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair. It opened in 1952.
Architect Maciej Nowicki of the North Carolina State University Department of Archite ...
.
Because of the area's many billiards rooms, Raleigh is home to one of the largest amateur league franchises for playing pool
Pool may refer to:
Bodies of water
* Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming
* Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings
* Tide pool, a roc ...
, the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill American Poolplayers Association
The American Poolplayers Association (APA) is a pool league for amateur pool (pocket billiards) competition in the United States. The APA conducts pool leagues and tournaments in the disciplines of eight-ball and nine-ball with a unified rulese ...
. There are leagues available in eight-ball
Eight-ball (also spelled 8-ball or eightball, and sometimes called solids and stripes, spots and stripes, bigs and smalls, big ones and little ones, or rarely highs and lows) is a discipline of Pool (cue sports), pool played on a billiard tabl ...
, nine-ball
Nine-ball (sometimes written 9-ball) is a discipline of the cue sport pool. The game's origins are traceable to the 1920s in the United States. It is played on a rectangular billiard table with at each of the four corners and in the middle o ...
, and Masters formats for players of any skill level.
The USA Baseball
The United States Baseball Federation, doing business as USA Baseball, is a 501(c)(3) organization, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that acts as the national Sports governing body, governing body for baseball in the United States. USA Baseball ...
National Training Complex is located in Cary.
Home of the Capital City Steelers three time national champions of Pop Warner Football.
Also featured in Raleigh/Durham is the Carolina Phoenix, Women's Professional Tackle Football team.
Communities
Cities
* Durham Durham most commonly refers to:
*Durham, England, a cathedral city in north east England
**County Durham, a ceremonial county which includes Durham
*Durham, North Carolina, a city in North Carolina, United States
Durham may also refer to:
Places
...
(small part; mostly in Durham County)
* Raleigh
Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
(state capital, county seat, and largest community in the county; small part in Durham County)
Towns
* Apex
The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to:
Arts and media Fictional entities
* Apex (comics)
A-Bomb
Abomination
Absorbing Man
Abraxas
Abyss
Abyss is the name of two characters appearing in Ameri ...
* Cary (small part in Chatham County)
* Fuquay-Varina
* Garner
* Holly Springs
* Knightdale
* Morrisville (small part in Durham County)
* Rolesville
* Wake Forest (small part in Franklin County)
* Wendell Wendell may refer to:
Places in the United States
*Wendell, Idaho
*Wendell, Massachusetts
*Wendell, Minnesota
*Wendell, North Carolina
People and fictional characters
*Wendell (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
* Zebulon (partly in Nash County)
Townships
* Bartons Creek
* Buckhorn
* Cary
* Cedar Fork
* Holly Springs
* House Creek
* Leesville
* Little River
Little River may refer to several places:
Australia Streams New South Wales
*Little River (Dubbo), source in the Dubbo region, a tributary of the Macquarie River
* Little River (Oberon), source in the Oberon Shire, a tributary of Coxs River (Haw ...
* Marks Creek
* Meredith
* Middle Creek
* Neuse
* New Light
New Light, new light, New Lights or new lights may refer to:
* New Light, North Carolina
* New Light, Richland Parish, Louisiana
* New Light (song), a song by John Mayer
* ''New Light'' (EP), an EP by the band Moving Mountains
* Old and New ...
* Panther Branch
* Raleigh
Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
* St. Mary's
* St. Matthew's
* Swift Creek
* Wake Forest
* White Oak
''Quercus'' subgenus ''Quercus'' is one of the two subgenera into which the genus ''Quercus'' was divided in a 2017 classification (the other being subgenus ''Cerris''). It contains about 190 species divided among five sections. It may be calle ...
Unincorporated communities
* Asbury
* Auburn
* Banks
* Barham
* Bayleaf
* Bonsal
* Carpenter
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenter ...
* Clegg
* Eagle Rock
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
* Falls
* Feltonville
* Five Points
* Forestville
* Fowlers Crossroads
* Friendship
Friendship is a Interpersonal relationship, relationship of mutual affection between people. It is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague.
Althoug ...
* Green Level
* Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...
* Hollemans Crossroads
* Hopkins
Hopkins is an English and Welsh patronymic surname derived from the personal name Hopkin and the genitive ending -''s''. Hopkin is itself a pet form of the name Hobb, a shortening of Robert (with alteration of the initial consonant). Notable peop ...
* Kennebec
* Lassiter
* Leesville
* Lizard Lick
* Macks Village
* McCullers
* McCullers Crossroads
* Medfield
* Mount Pleasant
* Neuse
* New Hill
* New Hope
* New Light
New Light, new light, New Lights or new lights may refer to:
* New Light, North Carolina
* New Light, Richland Parish, Louisiana
* New Light (song), a song by John Mayer
* ''New Light'' (EP), an EP by the band Moving Mountains
* Old and New ...
* Purnell
* Riley Hill
* Sandy Plain
* Shotwell
* Six Forks
* Stony Hill
* Wake Crossroads
* Walkers Crossroads
* Westover
* Wilbon
* Williams Crossroads
* Willow Spring
* Wyatt
See also
* List of counties in North Carolina
The U.S. state of North Carolina is divided into 100 County (United States), counties. North Carolina ranks 28th in size by area, but has the seventh-highest number of counties in the United States, country.
Following the Stuart Restoration, ...
*
References
Citations
Sources
*
*
*
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
*
Wake County Genealogical Society
Wake County Historical Society
*
{{Authority control
North Carolina counties
1771 establishments in North Carolina
Populated places established in 1771
Research Triangle