Wake County, NC Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Wake County, North Carolina is about $495,000 (the 2026 median across 30 ZIP codes, at ~$230/sq ft) — 72% more expensive than the North Carolina median and 71% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Wake County compares
Wake County is relatively expensive for housing nationally: its typical home costs $495,000 against $287,000 for North Carolina and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $309,000 to $1,036,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Wake County | $495,000 | $230 |
| North Carolina | $287,000 | $203 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cities in Wake County
Cities with their own home-value page, largest first:
Wake County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in Wake County (of 30 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27608 Raleigh | $1,036,000 | $461 | +109% |
| 27518 Cary | $727,000 | $250 | +47% |
| 27607 Raleigh | $708,000 | $431 | +43% |
| 27519 Cary | $690,000 | $249 | +39% |
| 27614 Raleigh | $671,000 | $231 | +36% |
| 27539 Apex | $594,000 | $224 | +20% |
| 27613 Raleigh | $580,000 | $247 | +17% |
| 27540 Holly Springs | $575,000 | $233 | +16% |
| 27612 Raleigh | $564,000 | $255 | +14% |
| 27502 Apex | $560,000 | $237 | +13% |
| 27513 Cary | $552,000 | $248 | +12% |
| 27609 Raleigh | $546,000 | $339 | +10% |
| 27615 Raleigh | $533,000 | $240 | +8% |
| 27587 Wake Forest | $505,000 | $209 | +2% |
| 27571 Rolesville | $496,000 | $193 | +0% |
Home value appreciation in Wake County
Home prices in Wake County have risen about 107% over the last 10 years (≈7.5% a year) and +143.0% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +1.0% — still rising. A home worth $495,000 today was worth roughly $239,246 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, North Carolina is +106.6% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Wake County
Run the numbers for Wake County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Wake County
To buy the typical $495,000 home in Wake County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $135,000 a year (about $3,140 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $160,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $24,800 | $3,910/mo | $167,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $49,500 | $3,730/mo | $160,000/yr |
| 20% | $99,000 | $3,140/mo | $135,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Wake County
At about $230 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Wake County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $250k | 1090 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $300k | 1300 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $400k | 1740 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $500k | 2170 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $600k | 2610 sq ft | around the typical home here |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to North Carolina.
Estimate a specific home in Wake County
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Wake County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all North Carolina cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.