How many people live in the Raleigh, NC area?
Updated Mar. 4, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024 there were 1.56 million people in the Raleigh, NC area. That makes the Raleigh, NC metropolitan statistical area the 41st most populous metro area in the US. It is home to 0.46% of the nation's population.
1.56M
population of Raleigh, NC area (2024)
0.46%
Raleigh, NC area share of US population (2024)
Between 2010 and 2024, the population of the Raleigh, NC area increased from 1.14 million to 1.56 million—a 37.3% increase. During that same period, the US population grew 9.9%.
About 1.56 million people lived in the Raleigh, NC area in 2024.
Population estimates of the Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area, 2010–2024
What are the age demographics of the Raleigh, NC area?
About 14% of the Raleigh, NC area's population in 2024 was aged 65 years or older, lower than the 18% share in the nation overall. Children (under 18) account for 22.5% of the Raleigh, NC area population, above the 21.6% population share of children nationwide.
A lower share of the Raleigh, NC area population is 65 and older than the US overall.
Population share by age group in Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area and the US overall (2024)
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of the Raleigh, NC area?
Non-Hispanic Black or African American residents make up 19.2% of the Raleigh, NC area population, higher than the national share of 12.6%.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
A lower share of the Raleigh, NC area population is Hispanic than the US overall.
Population share by race and ethnicity in Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area and the US overall (2024)
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
