Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh
State capital city
Downtown Raleigh skyline North Carolina State Capitol NCSU Belltower PNC Arena Fayetteville Street The Warehouse District Raleigh Convention Center
Flag Seal Logo
Nickname(s): City of Oaks, Raleigh Wood, Oak City [1] [2]
Motto(s): Amore et Virtute( Latinfor "by Love and Virtue")
Interactive map of Raleigh
Raleigh Location within North Carolina Show map of North Carolina Raleigh Location within the United States Show map of the United States Raleigh Location within North America Show map of North America
Coordinates:35°51′15″N78°45′43″W / 35.85417°N 78.76194°W /35.85417; -78.76194
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Counties	Wake,Durham
Chartered	December 31, 1794
Named for	Sir Walter Raleigh
Government [3]
• Type	Council–manager
• Body	Raleigh City Council
•Mayor	Mary-Ann Baldwin(D)
•Council	Members Jonathan Melton at-large (D) Stormie Forteat-large (D) Mary Black-Branch (A) (D) Megan Patton (B) (D) Corey Branch (C) (D) Jane Harrison (D) (D) Christina Jones (E) (D)
Area [4]
• Total	149.60 sq mi (387.50 km2)
• Land	148.54 sq mi (384.73 km2)
• Water	1.07 sq mi (2.77 km2) 0.72%
Elevation [5]	331 ft (101 m)
Population ( 2020)
• Total	467,665
• Estimate (2023)	482,295
• Rank	41stin the United States 2ndin North Carolina
• Density	3,148.33/sq mi (1,215.57/km2)
•Urban	1,106,646 (US:43rd)
• Urban density	1,994.6/sq mi (770.1/km2)
•Metro [6]	1,509,231 (US:41st)
Demonym	Raleighite
Time zone	UTC−5(EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4(EDT)
ZIP Codes	276XX 27601, 27603, 27604, 27605, 27606, 27607, 27608, 27609, 27610, 27612, 27613, 27614, 27615, 27616, 27617
Area code(s)	919, 984
FIPS code	37-55000[7]
GNISfeature ID	2404590[5]
Website	raleighnc.gov

Raleigh(/ˈrɑːli/;RAH-lee)^[8]is thecapital cityof theU.S. stateofNorth Carolinaand theseatofWake County. It is thesecond-most populous city in North Carolina, afterCharlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city inthe Southeast,the 41st-most populous cityin the U.S., and the largest city of theResearch Trianglemetro area. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its manyoaktrees, which line the streets in the heart of the city.^[9]The city covers a land area of 148.54 square miles (384.7 km²).^[4]TheU.S. Census Bureaucounted the city's population as 467,665 at the2020 census.^[10]It is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.^[11][12]It is ranked as asufficiency-level world cityby theGlobalization and World Cities Research Network.^[13]The city of Raleigh is named after SirWalter Raleigh, who established the now-lostRoanoke Colonyin present-dayDare County.

Raleigh is home toNorth Carolina State University(NC State or NCSU) and is part of theResearch Triangletogether withDurham(home ofDuke UniversityandNorth Carolina Central University) andChapel Hill(home of theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). The name of the Research Triangle (often shortened to "The Triangle") originated after the 1959 creation ofResearch Triangle Park(RTP), located in Durham and Wake counties, among the three cities and universities. The Triangle encompasses the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NCCombined Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 2,368,947 in 2023. The Raleigh-Cary, NCMetropolitan Statistical Areahad an estimated population of 1,509,231 in 2023.^[6]

Most of Raleigh is located withinWake County, with a small portion extending intoDurham County.^[14]The towns ofApex,Cary,Clayton,Fuquay-Varina,Garner,Holly Springs,Knightdale,Morrisville,Rolesville,Wake Forest,Wendell, andZebulonare some of Raleigh's primary nearbysuburbsandsatellite towns.

Raleigh is an early example in the United States of aplanned city.^[15]Following theAmerican Revolutionary Warwhen the U.S. gained independence, the area was chosen as the site of the state capital in 1788 and incorporated in 1792 as such. The city was originally laid out in a grid pattern with theNorth Carolina State Capitolat the center, in Union Square. During theAmerican Civil War, the city was spared from any significant battle. It fell to the Union in the closing days of the war and struggled with the economic hardships in the postwar period, related to the reconstitution of labor markets, over-reliance on agriculture, and the social unrest of theReconstruction Era. The establishment of theResearch Triangle Park(RTP) in 1959 helped create tens of thousands of jobs in the fields of science and technology. By the early 21st century, Raleigh had become one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.

Bath, the oldest town in North Carolina, was the first nominal capital of the colony from 1705 until 1722, whenEdentontook over the role. The colony had no permanent institutions of government until the new capital,New Bern, was established in 1743.

In December 1770,Joel Lanesuccessfully petitioned theNorth Carolina General Assemblyto create a new county. On January 5, 1771, the bill creating Wake County was passed in the General Assembly.^[16]The county was formed from portions ofCumberland,Orange, andJohnstoncounties, and was named forMargaret Wake Tryon, the wife of GovernorWilliam Tryon. The first county seat wasBloomsbury.

New Bern, a port town on theNeuse River35 mi (56 km) from the Atlantic Ocean, was the largest city and the capital of North Carolina during theAmerican Revolution. When the British Army laid siege to the city, that site could no longer be used as the capital.^[17]From 1789 to 1794, when Raleigh was being built, the state capital wasFayetteville.

Raleigh was chosen as the site of the new capital in 1788, as its central location protected it from attacks from the coast. It was officially established in 1792 as both county seat and state capital.^[18]The city was incorporated on December 31, 1792, and a charter granted January 21, 1795.^[15]The city was named forSir Walter Raleigh, sponsor ofRoanoke, the "lost colony" on Roanoke Island.^[19]

No known city or town existed previously on the chosen city site. Raleigh is one of the few cities in the United States that was planned and built specifically to serve as astate capital. Its original boundaries were formed by the downtown streets of North, East, West and South.^[20]The plan, a grid with two main axes meeting at a central square and an additional square in each corner, was based onThomas Holme's 1682 plan forPhiladelphia.^[21]The city was developed on the land of variousplantationsincludingCrabtree,Mordecai,Oak View,Pine Hall,Pullen,Spring Hill, andWakefield.

TheNorth Carolina General Assemblyfirst met in Raleigh in December 1794, and granted the city acharter, with a board of seven appointedcommissionersand an "Intendantof Police" (which developed as the office ofMayor) to govern it. After 1803, city commissioners were elected. In 1799, theN.C. Minerva and Raleigh Advertiserwas the first newspaper published in Raleigh.^[22]John Haywoodwas the first Intendant of Police.^[23]

In 1808,Andrew Johnson, the United States' future 17th President, was born at Casso's Inn in Raleigh.^[24]The city's firstwater supply networkwas completed in 1818, although due to system failures, the project was abandoned. In 1819 Raleigh's first volunteerfire companywas founded, followed in 1821 by a full-time fire company.^[25]

In 1817, theEpiscopal Diocese of North Carolinawas established and headquartered in Raleigh.^[26]

In 1831, a fire destroyed theNorth Carolina State House. Two years later, reconstruction began with quarriedgneissbeing delivered by the first railroad in the state. Raleigh celebrated the completion of the newState Capitoland newRaleigh & Gaston Railroad Companyin 1840.

In 1853, the firstState Fairwas held near Raleigh. The first institution of higher learning in Raleigh,Peace College, was established in 1857. Raleigh'sHistoric Oakwoodcontains many houses from the 19th century that are still in good condition.^[27]

North Carolina seceded from the Union during theAmerican Civil Waron May 20, 1861. After the war began, GovernorZebulon Baird Vanceordered the construction ofbreastworksaround the city as protection fromUniontroops. Near the end of the Civil War, Governor Vance arranged his evacuation to avoid capture asUnion General William Sherman'sforces approachedthe city. Before leaving, Vance met with former governorsGrahamandSwainto draft a letter of surrender for Raleigh. Their intention was to protect Raleigh fromthe destruction inflicted on other citiesby Union troops. Graham and Swain departed to meet the advancing Federal forces on the morning of April 12, 1865, and were to return by that evening. The evening struck, but Graham and Swain had not returned due to train delays and their temporary capture by Sherman. Governor Vance left the evening after Graham and Sherman failed to return, leaving behind a letter giving Mayor William H. Harrison the authority to surrender. On the morning of April 13, Mayor Harrison among others went to the southern Wake County area to meet GeneralHugh Judson Kilpatrickand propose surrender. Kenneth Rayner, a long-time resident of Raleigh, delivered the proposal including a promise of no resistance. Kilpatrick agreed to accept the surrender and protect Raleigh from destruction. Kilpatrick'scavalryoccupied Raleigh and removed the flagpole from thestate capitol, replacing it with aUnited States Flagabove the dome. Sherman arrived shortly after and established his headquarters in thegovernor's mansion. The city was spared significant destruction during the war.^[28]AsConfederatecavalry retreated west, Union soldiers followed, leading to theBattle of Morrisvillenearby.^[29]

Due to the economic and social problems of the postwar period andReconstruction, with a state economy still heavily dependent on agriculture, the city grew little over the next several decades.^[30][31]

Shaw University, the South's first African American college, began classes in 1865 and was chartered in 1875.^[32]ItsEstey Hallwas the first building constructed for the higher education of Black women, andLeonard Medical Centerwas the first four-year medical school in the country for African Americans.^[33]

In 1867,Episcopalclergy foundedSt. Augustine's Collegefor the education offreedmen. The biracial Reconstruction legislature created new welfare institutions: in 1869, it approved the United States' first school for blind and deaf Black people, to be located in Raleigh.^[34]In 1874, the federal government constructed theFederal Buildingin Raleigh, the firstfederal governmentproject in the Southern U.S. following the Civil War.^[35]

In 1880, the newspapersNewsandObservercombined to formThe News & Observer.^[36]It continues to be Raleigh's primary daily newspaper. The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now known asNorth Carolina State University, was founded as aland-grant collegein 1887. The city'sRex Hospitalopened in 1889 and included the state's first nursing school. The Baptist Women's College, now known asMeredith College, opened in 1891, and in 1898, The Academy of Music, a private music conservatory, was established.^[37]

In the late nineteenth century, two Black Congressmen were elected fromNorth Carolina's 2nd district, the last in 1898.George Henry Whitesought to promote civil rights for Black citizens and to challenge efforts by White Democrats to reduce Black voting by new discriminatory laws. He and his allies were unsuccessful. Based on a White supremacy campaign that returned Democrats to dominance, in 1900 the state legislature passed a newconstitution, with a suffrage amendment that raised barriers to voter registration, resulting in thedisenfranchisementof most Black citizens and many poor White citizens. Loss of the ability to vote also disqualified Black men (and later women) from sitting on juries and serving in any office—local, state or federal. The rising Black middle-class in Raleigh and other areas was politically silenced and shut out of local governance, and theRepublican Partywas no longer competitive in the state.^[38][39][40]

It was not until after federalcivil rightslegislation was passed in the mid-1960s that the majority of Black citizens in North Carolina would again be able to vote, sit on juries and serve in local offices. By that time many African Americans had left the state in the Great Migration to northern industrial cities for more opportunities.^[41]No African American was elected to Congress from North Carolina until 1992.

In 1912, Bloomsbury Park opened, featuring a popular carousel ride. Relocated toPullen Park, thePullen Park Carouselis still operating.

From 1914 to 1917, aninfluenzaepidemic killed 288 Raleighites.^[42]

In 1922, WLAC signed on as the city's first radio station, but lasted only two years. WFBQ signed on in 1924 and became WPTF in 1927. It is now Raleigh's oldest continuous radio broadcaster.

In 1923, the Raleigh Fall Festival was formed. The Festival was reorganized as theNorth Carolina Debutante Ballin 1927.

Following immigration by Catholics, on December 12, 1924, theRoman Catholic Diocese of Raleighwas officially established byPope Pius XI.^[43]TheSacred Heart Cathedralbecame the official seat of the diocese withWilliam Joseph Hafeyas its bishop.

The city's first airport, Curtiss-Wright Flying Field, opened in 1929. That same year, thestock market crashresulted in six Raleigh banks closing.^[44]

During the difficult 1930s of theGreat Depression, government at all levels was integral to creating jobs. The city provided recreational and educational programs, and hired people for public works projects. In 1932,Raleigh Memorial Auditoriumwas dedicated. TheNorth Carolina Symphony, founded the same year, performed in its new home. From 1934 to 1937, the federalCivilian Conservation Corpsconstructed the area now known asWilliam B. Umstead State Park. In 1939, the State General Assembly chartered the Raleigh-Durham Aeronautical Authority to build a larger airport between Raleigh and Durham,^[45]with the first flight occurring in 1943.

In 1947, Raleigh citizens adopted acouncil–managerform of government, which is still the city's current form of government. Council members are elected fromsingle-member districts. They hire a city manager.

TheDorton Arena, a 7,610-seat multi-purpose arena designed byMatthew Nowicki, was opened in 1952 on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair.^[46]It was listed in theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1973.

Raleigh experienced significant damage fromHurricane Hazelin 1954.^[47]

In 1953,WNAO-TV, channel 28, became the city's first television station, though it folded in 1957.

With the opening of theResearch Triangle Parkin 1959, Raleigh began to experience a population increase, resulting in a total city population of 100,000 by 1960.^[48]In 1960, the Census Bureau reported Raleigh's population as 76.4% White and 23.4% Black.^[49]

Following the passage of the federalVoting Rights Act of 1965, one of the main achievements of theCivil Rights Movementand theLyndon B. Johnsonpresidency, political participation and voting by African Americans in Raleigh increased rapidly.

From the early-to-mid 20th centuryEast Hargett Streetwas known as Raleigh's "Black Main Street" and hosted numerous Black-owned businesses. The area declined after the city desegregated its establishments.^[50]

By the early 1970s people in Raleigh were growing increasingly concerned about growth andurban sprawl. Community organizations felt that municipal offices were being too heavily influenced by business interests when the city's population was rapidly growing and various development projects were being proposed. At their behest, the municipal elections were altered so that the mayor was to be directly elected, instead of being selected by the city council. Most city council seats were then made responsible to districts, instead of being held at-large. The 1973 elections were the first contests affected by the reforms. City CouncilmanClarence Lightnerdefeated Raleigh Merchants bureau Executive Director G. Wesley Williams to become Raleigh's first Black mayor, and thus the first Black mayor in a major White-majority city in the South.^[51]

In 1976, the Raleigh City and Wake County schools merged to become theWake County Public School System, now the largest school system in the state and 19th largest in the country.^[52]

During the 1970s and 1980s, theI-440beltline was constructed, in an attempt to ease traffic congestion and providing access to most major city roads.

The firstRaleigh Convention Center(replaced in 2008) and Fayetteville Street Mall were both opened in 1977. Fayetteville Street was turned into a pedestrian-only street in an effort to help the then-ailing downtown area, but the plan was flawed and business declined for years to come. Fayetteville Street was reopened in 2007 as the main thoroughfare of Raleigh's downtown.^[53]

During the1988 Raleigh tornado outbreakof November 28, 1988, the city was affected by the most destructive of the seven tornadoes reported inNortheastern North Carolinaand southeasternVirginiabetween 1:00 am and 5:45 am. The Raleigh tornado produced over $77 million in damage, along with four fatalities (two in the city of Raleigh, and two inNash County) and 154 injuries. The damage path from the storm was measured at 84 mi (135 km) long, and .5 mi (0.8 km) wide at times. The tornado was ratedF4.^[54]

In 1991, two large skyscrapers in Raleigh were completed,First Union Capitol CenterandTwo Hannover Square, along with the popularCoastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creekin Southeast Raleigh.

In 1996, theOlympic Flamepassed through Raleigh while on its way to the1996 Summer OlympicsinAtlanta. Also in 1996,Hurricane Franstruck the area, causing massive flooding and extensive structural damage. In addition,WRAL-TVbecame the first High-Definition broadcast station in the world.

In 1997, theNational Hockey League'sHartford Whalersannounced their intention to move to Raleigh as theCarolina Hurricanes, becoming the city's first major league professional sports franchise.

In 1999, the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena (later renamed the RBC Center and now calledPNC Arena), opened to provide a home for the Hurricanes and theNC State Wolfpack men's basketballteam, as well as an up-to-date major concert venue.^[55]

In the first decade of the 21st century, Raleigh was featured prominently in a number of "Top 10 Lists", including those byForbes,MSNBCandMoneymagazine, due to its quality of life and favorable business climate.^[56]

In 2001, the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium complex was expanded with the addition of theProgress EnergyCenter for the Performing Arts, Meymandi Concert Hall, Fletcher Opera Theater, Kennedy Theatre,Betty Ray McCainGallery and Lichtin Plaza.^[57]

Fayetteville Street reopened to vehicular traffic in 2006.^[58]A variety of downtown building projects began around this time including the 34-storyRBC Bank Tower, multiple condominium projects and several new restaurants. Additional skyscrapers are in the proposal/planning phase.^[59]

In 2006, the city's NHL franchise, theCarolina Hurricanes, won theStanley Cup, North Carolina's first and only professional sports championship.

With the opening of parts ofI-540from 2005 to 2007, a new 70 mi (110 km) loop around Wake County, traffic congestion eased somewhat in the North Raleigh area. Completion of the entire loop is expected to take another 15 years.^[60]

In 2008, the city'sFayetteville Street Historic Districtjoined theNational Register of Historic Places.

In September 2010, Raleigh hosted the inauguralHopscotch Music Festival.

In January 2011, Raleigh hosted theNational Hockey LeagueAll-Star Game.^[61]

In April 2011, a devastatingEF-3tornadohit Raleigh, and many other tornadoes touched down in the state (ultimately the largest, but not thestrongest outbreakto ever hit the state), killing 24 people. The tornado tracked northeast through parts of downtown, East Central Raleigh and Northeast Raleigh and produced $115 million in damages in Wake County.^[62]There were 4 fatalities in the city.^[63]

In September 2015,Holy Trinity Anglican Churchwas opened; the first church to be built in downtown Raleigh since 1958.^[64][65]

On July 26, 2017, the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh dedicated its new cathedral,Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, the fifth-largest in the United States.^[66][67][68]

On October 13, 2022,a spree shootingoccurred in Raleigh's Hedingham neighborhood. Five people were killed, and two others were injured.^[69]The suspect, a 15-year-old boy,^[70]was detained after being critically wounded and later remanded into the custody of the medical unit of a juvenile correctional facility.^[71][72][73]

According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 149.60 square miles (387.5 km²), of which 148.54 square miles (384.7 km²) is land and 1.07 square miles (2.8 km²) (0.72%) is water.^[4]TheNeuse Riverflows through the northeastern corner of the city.

Raleigh is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina, where thePiedmontandAtlantic coastal plainregions meet. This area is known as the "fall line" because it marks the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. As a result, most of Raleigh features gently rolling hills that slope eastward toward the state's flat coastal plain.

The city of Raleigh is located 24 mi (39 km) southeast ofDurham;^[74]63 mi (101 km) northeast ofFayetteville;^[75]131 mi (211 km) northwest ofWilmington;^[76]and 155 mi (249 km) southwest ofRichmond, Virginia;^[77]and 165 mi (266 km) northeast ofCharlotte.^[78]A small portion of Raleigh is located inDurham County, North Carolina.

Raleigh is divided into several major geographic areas, each of which use a Raleigh address and aZIP codethat begins with the digits 276.PNC Plaza, formerly known as RBC Plaza, is the largest and tallest skyscraper in the city of Raleigh. The tower rises to a height of 538 ft (164 m), with a floor count of 34.^[79][80]

One common division of Raleigh is to differentiate the central part of the city, which lies inside of thecircumferential highwayknown as the Raleigh Beltline (I-440andI-40) from areas outside of the Beltline. The area inside of the beltline includes the entirety of the central business district known as Downtown Raleigh, as well as several more residential areas surrounding it.^[81]

The downtown area is home to historic buildings such as theSir Walter Raleigh Hotelbuilt in the early 20th century, the restoredCity Market, theFayetteville Streetdowntown business district (which includes thePNC PlazaandWells Fargo Capitol Centerbuildings), as well as theNorth Carolina Museum of History,North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences,North Carolina State Capitol,William Peace University, theCity of Raleigh Museum,Raleigh Convention Center,Shaw University,Campbell University School of Law, andSt. Augustine's College.^[82]In the 2000s, an effort by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance was made to separate this area of the city into five smaller districts:Fayetteville Street,Moore Square,Glenwood South,Warehouse, andCapital District.^[83]The nearby North Blount Street Historic District includes many of the city's historicVictorian,Queen Anne, andSecond Empiremansions, includingNorris-Heartt House,Andrews-Duncan House,Heck-Andrews House,Capehart House, and theGarland Scott and Toler Moore Tucker House(the latter was later moved from its original location to Oakwood).

Some of the names have become commonplace among locals, such as the Warehouse District, Fayetteville Street, andGlenwood South.^[84][85]Other neighborhoods lying inside the Beltline includeForest Park,^[86]Boylan Heights,^[87]Country Club Hills, Coley Forest, Five Points, Budleigh,Glenwood-Brooklyn,Hayes Barton Historic District,Moore Square,Mordecai(home to the historicMordecai House), Rochester Heights,South Park, Rosengarten Park, Belvidere Park, Woodcrest, Oberlin Village, andHistoric Oakwood. These neighborhoods were typically built before World War II, and roughly correspond to the extent of the city of Raleigh before the population boom of the latter half of the 20th century led to growth of the city limits beyond the historic urban core.

Midtown Raleigh is arelatively new termused to describe the residential and commercial area lying on the northside of the I-440 Beltline and is part of North Raleigh. It is roughly framed by Glenwood/Six Forks Road to the West, Wake Forest Road to the East, and Millbrook Road to the North. It includes shopping centers such asNorth HillsandCrabtree Valley Mall. It also includes North Hills Park and part of the Raleigh Greenway System.^[88]The term was coined by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, developer John Kane and planning director Mitchell Silver.TheNews & Observernewspaper started using the term for marketing purposes only.^[89]The Midtown Raleigh Alliance was founded on July 25, 2011, as a way for community leaders to promote the area.^[90]The center of the area, especially around the North Hills development at the junction of Six Forks Road and the Beltline, is experiencing rapid urbanization as several high-rise buildings have been built since 2010.

East Raleigh is situated roughly fromCapital Boulevardand the eastern side ofI-440beltline to the Neuse River, and extending as far south as Poole Road. Most of East Raleigh's development is along primary corridors such asU.S. 1(Capital Boulevard), New Bern Avenue, Poole Road, Buffaloe Road, and New Hope Road. Neighborhoods in East Raleigh include Hedingham, Longview, Lockwood,Madonna Acres,^[91]New Hope, Thompson-Hunter and Wilder's Grove. The area is bordered to the east by the town ofKnightdale.^[92]

West Raleigh lies alongHillsborough Streetand Western Boulevard. The area is bordered to the west and south byCary. It is home toNorth Carolina State University,Meredith College,Pullen Park,Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, the Islamic Association of Raleigh,Village District, Lake Johnson, theNorth Carolina Museum of Artand historicSaint Mary's School. Primary thoroughfares serving West Raleigh, in addition to Hillsborough Street, are Avent Ferry Road, Blue Ridge Road, and Western Boulevard. ThePNC Arenais also located here adjacent to theNorth Carolina State Fairgrounds. These are located approximately 2 miles fromRex Hospital.^[93]

North Raleigh is an expansive, diverse, and fast-growing suburban area of the city that is home to established neighborhoods to the south along with many newly builtsubdivisionsand along its northern fringes. The area generally falls North of Millbrook Road. It is primarily suburban with large shopping areas. Primary neighborhoods and subdivisions in North Raleigh include Bartons Creek Bluffs, Bedford, Bent Tree, Black Horse Run, Brier Creek, Brookhaven, Coachman's Trail, Crossgate, Crosswinds, Dominion Park, Durant Trails, Ethan's Glenn, Falls River, Greystone Village, Harrington Grove, Hidden Valley, Lake Park, Long Lake, North Haven,North Ridge, Oakcroft, Shannon Woods, Six Forks Station, Springdale Estates, Stonebridge, Stone Creek, Stonehenge, Summerfield, The Sanctuary, Valley Estates, Wakefield, Weathersfield, Windsor Forest, and Wood Valley. The area is served by a number of primary transportation corridors including Glenwood AvenueU.S. Route 70,Interstate 540, Wake Forest Road, Millbrook Road, Lynn Road, Six Forks Road, Spring Forest Road,Creedmoor Road, Leesville Road, Norwood Road, Strickland Road, and North Hills Drive.^[94]

South Raleigh is located alongU.S. 401south towardFuquay-Varinaand alongUS 70into suburbanGarner. This area is the least developed and least dense area of Raleigh (much of the area lies within theSwift Creekwatersheddistrict, where development regulations limit housing densities and construction). The area is bordered to the west byCary, to the east byGarner, to the southwest byHolly Springsand the southeast by Fuquay-Varina. Neighborhoods in South Raleigh include Eagle Creek, Renaissance Park, Lake Wheeler, Swift Creek, Carolina Pines, Rhamkatte, Riverbrooke and Enchanted Oaks.^[95]

Southeast Raleigh is bounded by downtown on the west,Garneron the southwest, and ruralWake Countyto the southeast. The area includes areas along Rock Quarry Road, Poole Road, and New Bern Avenue. Primary neighborhoods include Abbington Ridge, Pearl Ridge, Chastain, Chavis Heights, Raleigh Country Club, Southgate, Kingwood Forest, Rochester Heights, Emerald Village, Worthdale and Biltmore Hills.Coastal Credit Union Music Park(formerly Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion, Alltel Pavilion and Walnut Creek Amphitheatre) is one of the region's major outdoor concert venues and is located on Rock Quarry Road.Shaw Universityis located in this part of the city. Starting in 2020, large tracts of formerly unoccupied land along Rock Quarry Road between New Hope Road and Barwell Road, and between Barwell Road and Battle Bridge Road, have been cleared for new developments.

Like much of the Southeastern United States, Raleigh has a four-seasonhumid subtropical climate(KöppenCfa). Winters are generally cool, with a normal January daily mean temperature of 41.9 °F (5.5 °C).^[96]On average, there are 69 nights per year that drop to or below freezing, and only 2.7 days that fail to rise above freezing.^[96]Raleigh receives an average annual rainfall of 46.07 in (117.0 cm).^[97]Annual and monthly temperature and precipitation data are in chart below, based on 1991–2020 climate data. February is the driest month, with an average of 2.78 in (70.6 mm) of precipitation. Precipitation is well distributed around the year, with a slight maximum between July and September, owing to generally frequent, sometimes heavy, showers and thunderstorms, and the threat of tropical weather systems (primarily from August to early October) bringing heavy rainfall. Summers are hot and humid, with a normal July daily mean temperature of 80.5 °F (26.9 °C).^[96]There are 48 days per year with highs at or above 90 °F (32 °C).^[96]Autumn is similar to spring overall but has fewer days of rainfall, but greater potential for extremely heavy rainfall in a one/two-day period, owing to occasional threat from tropical weather systems (hurricanes and tropical storms) packing torrential rainfall. In September 1999, Raleigh recorded its wettest month ever, with over 21 inches of rain, due to torrential rainfall from tropical weather systems, most notablyHurricane Floydon September 15–16. Raleigh's all-time record high temperature is 106 °F (41 °C) on July 5, 2024,^[98]while the all-time record low is −9 °F (−23 °C) onJanuary 21, 1985. Raleigh falls inUSDAhardiness zones7b (5 °F to 10 °F) and 8a (10 °F to 15 °F).^[99]

Raleigh receives an average of 5.2 in (13.2 cm) of snow in winter.Freezing rainandsleetalso occur most winters, and occasionally the area experiences a major damagingice storm. On January 24–25, 2000, Raleigh received its greatest snowfall from a single storm – 20.3 in (52 cm) – theWinter Storm of January 2000.^[100]Storms of this magnitude are generally the result ofcold air dammingthat affects the city due to its proximity to theAppalachian Mountains. Winter storms have caused traffic problems in the past as well.

The region also experiences occasional periods of drought, during which the city sometimes has restricted water use by residents. During the late summer and early fall, Raleigh can experiencehurricanes. In 1996,Hurricane Francaused severe damage in the Raleigh area, mostly from falling trees.^[101]HurricanesDennisand Floyd in September 1999 were primary contributors to that month's extreme rainfall of over 21 inches. The most recent hurricane to have a considerable effect on the area wasHurricane Florencein 2018. Tornadoes also have on occasion affected the city of Raleigh, most notably theNovember 28, 1988, tornadowhich occurred in the early morning hours and rated F4 on theFujita scaleand affected northwestern portions of the city.^[102]There also was theApril 16, 2011, EF3 tornado, which affected portions of downtown and northeast Raleigh and the suburb of Holly Springs.^[103]

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1800	669		—
1810	976		45.9%
1820	2,674		174.0%
1830	1,700		−36.4%
1840	2,244		32.0%
1850	4,518		101.3%
1860	4,780		5.8%
1870	7,790		63.0%
1880	9,265		18.9%
1890	12,678		36.8%
1900	13,643		7.6%
1910	19,218		40.9%
1920	24,418		27.1%
1930	37,379		53.1%
1940	46,879		25.4%
1950	65,679		40.1%
1960	93,931		43.0%
1970	122,830		30.8%
1980	150,255		22.3%
1990	212,092		41.2%
2000	276,093		30.2%
2010	403,892		46.3%
2020	467,665		15.8%
2023 (est.)	482,295	[10]	3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[107] 2010–2020[10]

As of the2020 census, there were 467,665 people, 188,412 households, and 104,848 families residing in the city. In theAmerican Community Surveyof 2019, the city of Raleigh's population was estimated at 474,708; an earlier estimate determined the population at 474,069.^[10]At the2000 census,^[7]there were 276,093 persons (July 2008 estimate was 380,173) and 61,371 families residing in Raleigh. The population density was 2,409.2 people per square mile (930.2 people/km²). There were 120,699 housing units at an average density of 1,053.2 per square mile (406.6/km²).

There were 112,608 households in the city in 2000, of which 26.5% included children below the age of 18, 39.5% were composed of married couples living together, 11.4% reported a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% classified themselves as nonfamily. Unmarried partners were present in 2.2% of households. In addition, 33.1% of all households were composed of individuals living alone, of which 6.2% was someone 65 years of age or older. The average household size in Raleigh was 2.30 persons, and the average family size was 2.97 persons. Raleigh's population in 2000 was evenly distributed with 20.9% below the age of 18, 15.9% aged 18 to 24, 36.6% from 25 to 44, and 18.4% from 45 to 64. An estimated 8.3% of the population was 65 years of age or older, and the median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males; for every 100 females aged 18 or older, there were 96.6 males aged 18 or older.

The medianhousehold incomein the city was $46,612 in 2000, and the medianfamily incomewas $60,003. Males earned a median income of $39,248, versus $30,656 for females. The median per capita income for the city was $25,113, and an estimated 11.5% of the population and 7.1% of families were living below thepoverty line. Of the total population, 18.8% of those below the age of 18, and 9.3% of those 65 and older, were living below the poverty line. In 2019, an estimated 10.9% of the local population were at or below the poverty line.^[108]The median household income from 2014 to 2018 was $63,891 and the per capita income was $36,875.^[10]There were 180,046 households with an average of 2.43 persons per household. The median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $236,700 in 2018 and the monthly cost with a mortgage was $1,480. The cost without a mortgage was $526. Raleigh had a median gross rent of $1,074.^[10]

Raleigh city, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the U.S. census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000[109]	Pop 2010[110]	Pop 2020[111]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
Whitealone (NH)	166,386	215,204	241,308	60.26%	53.28%	51.60%
Black or African Americanalone (NH)	75,931	115,976	120,480	27.50%	28.71%	25.76%
Native AmericanorAlaska Nativealone (NH)	795	1,019	1,094	0.29%	0.25%	0.23%
Asianalone (NH)	9,282	17,309	23,444	3.36%	4.29%	5.01%
Pacific Islanderalone (NH)	100	139	179	0.04%	0.03%	0.04%
Other racealone (NH)	377	828	2,647	0.14%	0.21%	0.57%
Mixed race or Multiracial(NH)	3,914	7,549	17,999	1.42%	1.87%	3.85%
Hispanic or Latino(any race)	19,308	45,868	60,514	6.99%	11.36%	12.94%
Total	276,093	403,892	467,665	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

The racial makeup of Raleigh in 2019 was 52.5% non-Hispanic White, 28.3% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4.0% Asian American, 0.1% from some other race, 2.1% two or more races, 12.5% Hispanic or Latin American of any race.^[112][113]According to the 2010 United States census, the racial composition of the city was: 57.5%White(53.3%non-Hispanic White), 29.3%Blackor African American, 4.3% Asian American (1.2%Indian, 0.8%Chinese, 0.7%Vietnamese, 0.5%Korean, 0.4%Filipino, 0.1%Japanese), 2.6%two or more races, 1.4%some other race, 0.5% Native American, and <0.1%Native Hawaiianorother Pacific Islander^[114]In addition, 11.4% of city residents wereHispanicorLatino Americans, of any race (5.9%Mexican, 1.1%Puerto Rican, 0.9%Salvadoran, 0.6%Dominican, 0.6%Honduran, 0.3%Colombian, 0.3%Cuban, 0.2%Guatemalan, 0.2%Spanish, 0.2%Peruvian, 0.1%Venezuelan, 0.1%Ecuadorian, 0.1%Argentine, and 0.1%Panamanian). In 2000, the racial composition of the city was: 63.31% White, 27.80% Black or African American, 7.01% Hispanic or Latino American, 3.38% Asian American, 0.36% Native American, 0.04% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 3.24% some other race, and 1.88% two or more races.

Raleigh is home to a wide variety of religious practitioners. The predominant religion in Raleigh is Christianity, with the largest numbers of adherents beingBaptist(14.1%),Methodist(5.6%), andRoman Catholic(4.2%). Others includePresbyterianism(2.8%),Pentecostalism(1.7%),Anglicanism/Episcopalianism (1.2%),Lutheranism(0.6%), theLatter-Day Saints(0.7%), and other Christian denominations (10.2%) including theEastern Orthodox,Oriental Orthodox,Jehovah's Witness,Christian Science,Christian Unitarianism, otherMainline Protestantgroups, andnon-denominationalChristians.^[115]TheRoman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh, theEpiscopal Diocese of North Carolina, theNorth Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the New Hope Presbytery of thePresbyterian Church (USA)are all headquartered in Raleigh.^{[116][117][118]}

Other religions, includingHinduism,Buddhism,Baháʼí,^[119]Druze,Taoism, andShintoism^[120]make up 1.31% of religious practitioners. Judaism (0.9%) andIslam(0.8%) are also practiced.^[115]

InWake County, 29% of the population are affiliated with theSouthern Baptist Convention, 22% are affiliated with theCatholic Church, 17% are affiliated with theUnited Methodist Church, 6% are affiliated with thePresbyterian Church (USA), and 27% are religiously affiliated with other denominations, religions, or are not religiously affiliated.^[121]

According to theFederal Bureau of Investigation'sUniform Crime Reports, in 2019 theRaleigh Police Departmentand other agencies in the city reported 1,222 incidents ofviolent crimeand 8,520 incidents ofproperty crime– far below both the national average and the North Carolina average. Of the violent crimes reported, 5 were murders, 164 were rape/sexual assaults and 322 wererobberies.Aggravated assaultaccounted for 731 of the total violent crimes. Property crimes includedburglarieswhich accounted for 1,200,larceniesfor 6,572 andMotor vehicle theftaccounted for 748 incidents out of the total.^{[122][123][124]}

Raleigh's industrial base includes financial services, electrical, medical, electronic and telecommunications equipment, clothing and apparel, food processing, paper products, and pharmaceuticals. Raleigh is part of North Carolina's Research Triangle, one of the country's largest and most successful research parks, and a major center in the United States forhigh-techandbiotechresearch, as well as advanced textile development.^[125]The city is a major retail shipping point for eastern North Carolina and a wholesale distributing point for the grocery industry.^[126]

The healthcare and pharmaceutical industry has experienced major growth in recent years with many companies based in Raleigh includingPRA Health Sciences, Chiesi USA (subsidiary ofChiesi Farmaceutici), formerlyMallinckrodtprior to tax inversion to Ireland,MAKO Surgical Corp., Metabolon, Inc.,TearScience, andAmerican Board of Anesthesiology.

Raleigh was number one on the 2015Forbeslist of the best place for businesses and careers.^[127]Companies based in Raleigh includeAdvance Auto Parts,Bandwidth,Building Materials Holding Corporation,Capitol Broadcasting Company,First Citizens BancShares,Golden Corral,Martin Marietta Materials,PRA Health Sciences,Red Hat,Vontier,Waste Industries, andLulu.^{[128][129][130][131]}

Social Blade, a website that tracks social media statistics and analytics, andTemple RundeveloperImangi Studiosare based in Raleigh.

TheNorth Carolina Air National Guard, a unit of theAir National Guard, is also headquartered in Raleigh.^[132]

In April 2014 Steven P. Rosenthal of Northland Investment Corp. referred to Raleigh as "a real concentration of brain power. You have a lot of smart people living in the same place. That will drive the economy."^[133]

According to Raleigh's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,^[134]the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	No. of employees
1	State of North Carolina	24,083
2	Wake County Public School System	17,000
3	WakeMedHealth and Hospitals	9,773
4	North Carolina State University	9,019
5	UNC Rex Healthcare	6,900
6	Wake County	4,389
7	City of Raleigh	4,304
8	Conduent Business Services	3,487
9	Duke Energy Progress	2,800
10	First Citizens Bank	2,400

• African American Cultural Complex^[135]
• Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh^[136]
• Gregg Museum of Art & Design atNorth Carolina State University
• Haywood Hall House & Gardens
• Marbles Kids Museum^[137]
• North Carolina Museum of Art^[138]
• North Carolina Museum of History^[139]
• North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences^[140]
• North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame^[141]
• City of Raleigh Museum^[142]
• J. C. Raulston Arboretum^[143]
• Joel Lane House^[144]
• Mordecai Plantation^[145]
• Pope House Museum^[146]

TheCoastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creekhosts major international touring acts. In 2011, the Downtown Raleigh Amphitheater opened (now sponsored as theRed Hat Amphitheater), which hosts numerous concerts primarily in the summer months. An additional amphitheater sits on the grounds of the North Carolina Museum of Art, which hosts a summer concert series and outdoor movies.^[147]Nearby Cary is home to theKoka Booth Amphitheatrewhich hosts additional summer concerts and outdoor movies, and serves as the venue for regularly scheduled outdoor concerts by the North Carolina Symphony based in Raleigh. During theNorth Carolina State Fair,Dorton Arenahosts headline acts. The private Lincoln Theatre is one of several clubs in downtown Raleigh that schedules many concerts throughout the year in multiple formats (rock, pop, country).

TheDuke Energy Center for the Performing Artscomplex houses the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, the Fletcher Opera Theater, the Kennedy Theatre, and the Meymandi Concert Hall.^[148]In 2008, a new theatre space, the Meymandi Theatre at the Murphey School, was opened in the restored auditorium of the historic Murphey School.^[149]Theater performances are also offered at theRaleigh Little Theatre,Long View Center,Ira David Wood III Pullen Park Theatre, and Stewart and Thompson Theaters at North Carolina State University.^[150]

Raleigh is home to several professional arts organizations, including theNorth Carolina Symphony,^[151]the Opera Company of North Carolina,^[152]Theatre in the Park,^[153]Burning Coal Theatre Company, theNorth Carolina Theatre,^[154]Broadway Series South and theCarolina Ballet. The numerous local colleges and universities significantly add to the options available for viewing live performances.

North Carolina Museum of Art, occupying a large suburban campus on Blue Ridge Road near theNorth Carolina State Fairgrounds, maintains one of the premier public art collections located between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. In addition to its extensive collections ofAmerican Art,European Artandancient art, the museum recently has hosted major exhibitions featuringAuguste Rodin(in 2000) andClaude Monet(in 2006–07), each attracting more than 200,000 visitors.^[155][156]Unlike most prominent 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 suchart parksin the country. The museum facility underwent a major expansion which greatly expanded the exhibit space that was completed in 2010. The 127,000 sf new expansion is designed by NYC architectThomas Phifer and Partners.

Raleigh's downtown is also home to many local art galleries such as Art Space inCity Market, Visual Art Exchange, and 311 Gallery, on Martin Street, and Bee Hive Studios on Hargett Street.CAM Raleighis a downtown contemporary art museum, also on Martin Street, that serves to promote new artists and does not house a permanent collection. CAM Raleigh was designed by the award-winning architectural firm Brooks+Scarpa of Los Angeles.^[157]

Professional sports teams

Team	League	Venue (capacity)	Since	Titles
Carolina Hurricanes	National Hockey League	PNC Arena(18,700)	1997	1
North Carolina FC	United Soccer League	WakeMed Soccer Park(10,000)	2006	1
North Carolina Courage	National Women's Soccer League	WakeMed Soccer Park(10,000)	2017	2
Carolina Mudcats	Single-A (baseball)	Five County Stadium(6,500)	1991	2

TheNational Hockey League'sCarolina Hurricanesfranchise moved to Raleigh in 1997 fromHartford, Connecticut(where it was known as theHartford Whalers).^[158]The team played its first two seasons more than 60 miles away atGreensboro Coliseumwhile its home arena, Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena (later RBC Center and nowPNC Arena), was under construction. The Hurricanes are the only major league (NFL,NHL,NBA,MLB) professional sports team in North Carolina to have won a championship, winning theStanley Cupin 2006, over theEdmonton Oilers.^[159]The city played host to the2011 NHL All-Star Game.

In addition to the Hurricanes, theNorth Carolina FCof theUnited Soccer League ChampionshipandNorth Carolina Couragewomen's professional soccer team play in suburban Cary to the west;^[160]theCarolina Mudcats, aSingle-A minor-league baseballteam, play in the city's eastern suburbs;^[161]the newly formedSingle-A minor-league baseballFayetteville Woodpeckers, who formerly played inBuies Creek, began play in the nearby out-of-county southern suburb ofFayettevillewhen theirnew ballparkopened in 2019;^[162]theCarolina Flyersof theAmerican Ultimate Disc Leagueplay primarily at Cardinal Gibbons High School near the PNC Arena; and theDurham Bulls, theAAA minor-league baseballteam made internationally famous by the movieBull Durham, play in the neighboring city of Durham.

Several other professional sports leagues have had former franchises (now defunct) in Raleigh, including theRaleigh IceCapsof theECHL(1991–1998);Carolina Cobrasof theArena Football League(2000–2004); theRaleigh–Durham Skyhawksof theWorld League of American Football(1991); theRaleigh Bullfrogsof theGlobal Basketball Association(1991–1992); theRaleigh Cougarsof theUnited States Basketball League(1997–1999); and most recently, theCarolina Courageof theWomen's United Soccer Association(2000–2001 in Chapel Hill, 2001–2003 in suburban Cary), which won that league's championship Founders Cup in 2002.

The Raleigh area has hosted theProfessional Golfers' Association (PGA)Nationwide TourRex Hospital Opensince 1994, with the current location of play at Raleigh'sCountry Club at Wakefield Plantation.^[163]NearbyPrestonwood Country Clubhosts the PGASAS Championshipevery fall.

North Carolina State University is located in southwest Raleigh where theWolfpackcompetes nationally in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports as a member of theAtlantic Coast Conference.^[164]The university's football team plays inCarter–Finley Stadium, the second largest football stadium in North Carolina, while the men's basketball team shares the PNC Arena with the Carolina Hurricanes hockey club. The Wolfpack women's basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics as well as men's wrestling events are held on campus atReynolds Coliseum. The men's baseball team plays atDoak Field.^[165]

TheNorth Carolina Tigerscompete as anAustralian rules footballclub in theUnited States Australian Football League, in theEastern Australian Football League.^[166]

The Raleigh Cú Chulainn Gaelic Athletic Association competes in men's and women'sGaelic Football,Hurling, andCamogie. It is a member in the Southeast Division of the United States Gaelic Athletic Association and theGaelic Athletic Associationbased in Ireland. The Raleigh GAA won the Junior B Men's Football national championship in 2014.^[167]The Raleigh GAA and theNorth Carolina TigersAustralian rules footballclubs compete in the annual Oak City Cup where both clubs compete under the compromise football rules adapted by Ireland and Australia for international competition.^[168][169]

Raleigh is also home to one of theCheer Extreme All Starsgyms. In 2009 and again in 2010, Cheer Extreme Raleigh's Small Senior Level 5 Team were silver medalists at theCheerleading WorldsCompetition inOrlando, Florida, and in 2012 they received the bronze medal.^[170]Raleigh is also home to one of the Southeast's premierHardcourt Bike Poloclubs.^[171]

Because of the area's many billiards rooms, Raleigh is home to one of the largest amateur league franchises for playingpool, the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel HillAmerican Poolplayers Association. There are leagues available in formats for players of any skill level.

Raleigh is the home of Raleigh Kubb, both a competitive and non-competitivekubbclub. Raleigh Kubb hosts kubb tournaments benefitting various charities in the Raleigh area.^[172]

The Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department offers a wide variety of leisure opportunities at more than 200 sites throughout the city, which include: 8,100 acres (33 km²) of park land, 78 mi (126 km) ofgreenway, 22community centers, aBMXchampionship-caliber race track, 112 tennis courts among 25 locations, 5 public lakes, and 8 public aquatic facilities. The park system includes the historicPullen Park, the oldest public park in North Carolina. TheJ. C. Raulston Arboretum, an 8-acre (32,000 m²)arboretumandbotanical gardenin west Raleigh administered byNorth Carolina State University, maintains a year-round collection that is open daily to the public without charge.^[173]

Historically, Raleigh voters have tended to electconservative Democratsin local, state, and national elections, a holdover from their one-party system of the late 19th century.^[174][175]

Raleigh operates under acouncil-manager government.Raleigh City Councilconsists of eight members; all seats, including theMayor's, are open for election every two years. Five of the council seats are district representatives and two seats are citywide representatives electedat-large.^[176]

• Mary-Ann Baldwin, Mayor
• Jonathan Melton, Council Member, At-large
• Stormie Forte, Council Member, At-large
• Mary Black, Council Member (District A, north-central Raleigh)
• Megan Patton, Council Member (District B, northeast Raleigh)
• Corey Branch, Council Member (District C, southeast Raleigh)
• Jane Harrison, Council Member (District D, southwest Raleigh)
• Christina Jones, Council Member (District E, west and northwest Raleigh)

As of 2011,Timeranked Raleigh as the third most educated city in the US based on the percentage of residents who held college degrees.^[177][178]This statistic can most likely be credited to the presence of universities in and around Raleigh, as well as the presence ofResearch Triangle Park(RTP) to the Northwest.

• North Carolina State University^[179]
• Wake Technical Community College^[180]

• Campbell UniversityNorman Adrian Wiggins School of Law(Baptist)^[181]
• Meredith College(Baptist)^[182]
• Montreat College'sSchool of Professional and Adult Studies(Presbyterian)
• William Peace University(Presbyterian)^[183]
• Shaw University(Baptist)^[184]
• Skema Business School, the first French Business School to open a campus in the US^[185]
• St. Augustine's University(Episcopal)^[186]

• ECPI College of Technology^[187]
• The Medical Arts School^[188]
• Strayer University^[189]

Public schools in Raleigh are operated by theWake County Public School System, the largest public school system of the Carolinas. Observers have praised the Wake County Public School System for its innovative efforts to maintain a socially, economically and racial balanced system by using income as a prime factor in assigning students to schools.^[190]Raleigh is home to severalmagnethigh schools and several schools offering theInternational Baccalaureateprogram. There are fourearly college high schoolsin Raleigh. Raleigh also has twoalternativehigh schools.

Wake County Public high schools in Raleigh include:

• Needham B. Broughton High School(International Baccalaureate)^[191]
• Leesville Road High School^[192]
• Jesse O. Sanderson High School^[193]
• Wakefield High School^[194]

• Athens Drive High School^[195]
• William G. Enloe GT/IB Center for the Humanities, Sciences, and the Arts(International Baccalaureate)
• Millbrook High School(International Baccalaureate)^[196]
• Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School^[197]

• Longview School^[198]
• Mary E. Phillips High School^[199]

• Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy^[200]
• Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy^[201]
• Wake STEM Early College High School^[202]
• Wake Early College of Health and Sciences^[203]

The State of North Carolina provides for a legislated number of charter schools. These schools are administered independently of the Wake County Public School System. Raleigh is currently home to 11 such charter schools:

• Casa EsperanzaMontessoriSchool (K-8)^[204]
• Endeavor Charter School(K-8)^[205]
• Exploris Middle School (1–8)^[206]
• Hope Elementary School (K-5)^[207]
• Longleaf School of the Arts(9–12)^[208]
• Magellan Charter School(3–8)
• PreEminent Charter School (K-8)
• Quest Academy (K-8)^[209]
• Raleigh Charter High School(9–12)^[210]
• Torchlight Academy (K-6)^[211]
• Woods Charter School (K-12)

• Governor Morehead School, school for the blind

There are several newspapers and periodicals serving Raleigh:

• Carolina Journal, a free monthly newspaper^[230]
• The Carolinian, North Carolina's oldest and largest African-American newspaper published twice weekly^[231]
• Independent Weekly, a free weekly tabloid covering Raleigh, Durham, and the surrounding area^[232]
• Midtown Magazinean upscale Raleigh lifestyle magazine^[233]
• The News & Observer, a large daily newspaper owned byThe McClatchy Company^[234]
• Raleigh Magazinea glossy print magazine covering exclusively Raleigh^[235]
• The Slammer, a paid bi-weekly newspaper featuring Raleigh crime news^[236]
• Technician, student publication of North Carolina State University^[237]
• TheTriangle Downtowner Magazine, a locally owned free monthly print magazine centered around high-density areas of the Triangle with features on dining, entertainment, wine, community, history and more^[238]
• Walter Magazinea magazine covering the art, culture and people of Raleigh^[239]

Raleigh is part of the Raleigh-Durham-FayettevilleDesignated Market Area, the 24th largest broadcast television market in the United States. The following stations are licensed to Raleigh and/or have significant operations and viewers in the city:

• WUNC-TV(4,PBS):licensedto Chapel Hill, owned by the University of North Carolina^[240]
• WRAL-TV(5,NBC): licensed to Raleigh, owned byCapitol Broadcasting Company^[241]
• WAUG-LD(8, Independent station) licensed to Raleigh, owned and operated by Saint Augustine's College
• WTVD(11,ABC): licensed to Durham; news bureau located in Raleigh. ABCO&Oowned byABC Owned Television Stations^[242]
• WNCN-TV(17,CBS): studios located in Raleigh, licensed to the city ofGoldsborosoutheast of Raleigh; owned byNexstar Media Group^[243]
• WLFL-TV(22,CW): licensed to Raleigh, owned bySinclair Broadcast Group^[244]
• WRDC(28,MyNet) licensed to Durham, owned bySinclair Broadcast Group^[245]
• WRAY-TV(30, TCT) licensed to Wilson. TCT O&O owned byTri-State Christian Television
• WUVC-DT(40,Univision) licensed to Fayetteville. UnivisionO&Oowned byTelevisaUnivision^[246]
• WRPX-TV(47,Ion) licensed to Rocky Mount, with studios in Raleigh. Ion O&O owned byIon Media^[247]
• WRAZ-TV(50,Fox): licensed to Raleigh, owned by Capitol Broadcasting Company
• WRTD-CD(54,Telemundo): licensed to Raleigh. TelemundoO&Oowned byNBCUniversal

• WKNC-FM– 88.1 FM (College rock), operated by students ofNorth Carolina State University
• WRKV– 88.9 FM (Contemporary Christian), operated byEducational Media Foundation
• WCPE-FM– 89.7 FM (Classical)
• WUNC-FM– 91.5 FM (National Public Radio,North Carolina Public Radio) operated by theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• WRLY-LP– 93.5 FM (Adult hits), operated by Triangle Access Broadcasting, Inc.
• WKRP-LP– 101.9 FM (Variety), operated by Oak City Media, Inc.

• WNCB-FM (93.9 B939 FM,Country)
• WQDR-FM(94.7QDR,Country)^[248]
• WDCG-HD2(ALT 95.3,Throwback Hits, analog broadcast on 95.3 FM W237BZ)^[249]
• WBBB-FM 96.1 (Radio 96.1,Adult hits)^[250]
• WPLW-FM(96.9 Pulse FM,Contemporary hits)
• WQOK-FM (K97.5,Hip hop)^[251]
• WRDU-FM (100.7,Classic rock)
• WRAL-FM (Mix 101.5,Adult contemporary)^[252]
• WKIX-FM(KIX 102.9,Classic hits)^[253]
• WNNL-FM (103.9 The Light,Urban contemporary gospel)
• WDCG-FM (G105,Contemporary hit radio)^[254]
• WTKK-FM (106.1 FM,News/Talk)
• WFXC-FM/WFXK-FM (Foxy 107/104,Urban adult contemporary)
• WQDR-AM (570, classic rock)
• WPTF-AM (NewsRadio 680,News/Talk)^[255]
• 750 WAUG(Hot 97.9,Mainstream urban
• WKIX(Just Right Radio 850 and 104.7 FM,Popular standards)
• WCLY-AM (That Station,Adult album alternative)

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (IATA:RDU,ICAO:KRDU,FAALID:RDU), the region's primary airport and thesecond largest in North Carolina, located northwest of downtown Raleigh via Interstate-40 between Raleigh andDurham, serves the city and greater Research Triangle metropolitan region, as well as much of eastern North Carolina. The airport offers service to more than 50 domestic and international destinations and serves approximately 10 million passengers a year. International destinations includeLondon,Montreal,Toronto,Cancún,Paris, and seasonal service toKeflavík.American Airlinesoperates the daily service toLondon Heathrow.Delta Air Linesannounced in November 2008 that service from RDU to Paris, France would begin in June 2009, but the route would not take flight until 2016.^[256]The airport also offers facilities forcargoandgeneral aviation. The airport authority tripled the size of its Terminal 2 (formerly Terminal C) in January 2011.^[257]

Privategeneral aviationairports in Raleigh includeTriple W Airport(ICAO:K5W5,FAALID:5W5).

• I-40traverses the southern part of the city, connecting Raleigh to Durham and Chapel Hill toward the west, and coastalWilmington, North Carolina, to the southeast.^[258]
• I-87designated September 5, 2017, follows the former route of Interstate 495. It begins at the I-40/I-440 interchange southeast of Raleigh and runs east, meeting I-540 and currently terminating at Rolesville Road. It is entirely concurrent with US 64. When the route is completed, it will link Raleigh to theNorfolk, Virginiaarea.^[259]
• I-440also known locally as the Raleigh Beltline, it forms part of the innerbeltwayaround central Raleigh, forming the eastern, northern, and western portions, with I-40 forming the southern portion.^[260]
• 
  I-540/ NC 540 Toll when complete, will be a full outer beltway around Raleigh. The northern and western quadrants are complete and open to traffic, while the remaining two quadrants are currently under construction.^[261]

• US 1enters the city from the southwest as the US 1/US 64 expressway from Cary, joining I-440 at the I-40 interchange, and leaves I-440 along with US 401 onCapital Boulevard, before leaving the city to the north.
• US 64is the main east–west route through Raleigh; all segments share routes with another highway. It enters the city from the southwest as the US 1/US 64 expressway from Cary, follows I-40 at the western I-440 interchange, briefly joins I-440 in Southeast Raleigh, and then joins I-87 and US 264 along the Knightdale Bypass east of the city. A former alignment, designated as Business US-64, follows New Bern Avenue from the I-440 Beltline to the eastern boundary of the city, where it continues into Knightdale.
• US 70enters the city from the south cosigned with US 401 and NC 50 along Wilmington Street, following South Saunders Street into Downtown Raleigh, through which it follows the paired one-way streets of McDowell and Dawson. North of Downtown it follows Capital Boulevard, Wade Avenue, and Glenwood Avenue before leaving the city to the Northwest heading towards Durham.
• US 264cosigned with US 64 through East Raleigh.
• US 401enters the city from the south cosigned with US 70 and NC 50 along Wilmington Street, following South Saunders Street into Downtown Raleigh, through which it follows the paired one-way streets of McDowell and Dawson. North of Downtown it follows Capital Boulevard and Louisburg Road, before leaving the city to the northeast towards Rolesville.

• NC 50enters the city from the south cosigned with US 70 and US 401 along Wilmington Street, following South Saunders Street into Downtown Raleigh, through which it follows the paired one-way streets of McDowell and Dawson. North of Downtown it follows Capital Boulevard, Wade Avenue, Glenwood Avenue, and Creedmoor Road, before heading north towards Creedmoor.
• NC 54follows Chapel Hill Road andHillsborough Streetin West Raleigh. The route ends at its interchange withI-440.
• NC 98known as Durham Road in North Raleigh, traverses the extreme northeastern part of the city, where it borders Wake Forest.

Raleigh Union Stationis one ofAmtrak's busiest stops in theSouthern U.S.^[262]The station is served by five passenger trains daily: theSilver Star, four dailyPiedmontservice, and theCarolinian.^[263]Daily service is offered between Raleigh and:

• Charlotte, with intermediate stops including Cary, Durham,BurlingtonandGreensboro, North Carolina.
• New York City, with intermediate stops includingRichmond, Virginia; Washington, D.C.;Baltimore; andPhiladelphia.
• Miami, with intermediate stops includingColumbia, South Carolina, andSavannah, Georgia; as well asJacksonville,OrlandoandTampa, Florida.

Public transportation in and around Raleigh is provided byGoRaleigh(formerly Capital Area Transit),^[264]which operates 33 fixed bus routes, including theR-Line^[265]and the Wake-Forest Loop. Although there are 33 routes, some routes are designed to cover multiple other routes at times when they are not served. Depending on the time of the day, and the day of the week, the number of routes operating is between 5 and 29.

Raleigh is also served byGoTriangle(formerly Triangle Transit Authority). GoTriangle offers scheduled, fixed-route regional and commuter bus service between Raleigh and the region's other principal cities of Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill, as well as to and from theRaleigh-Durham International Airport,Research Triangle Parkand several of the region's larger suburban communities. Triangle Transit also coordinates an extensivevanpoolandrideshareprogram that serves the region's larger employers and commute destinations.

North Carolina State Universityalso maintains its own transit system, theWolfline, that provideszero-farebus service to the general public along multiple routes serving the university's campuses in southwest Raleigh.^[266]

Government agencies throughout the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area have struggled with determining the best means of providing fixed-rail transit service for the region.

From 1995 the cornerstone of Triangle Transit's long-term plan was a 28-mile rail corridor from northeast Raleigh, through downtown Raleigh,Cary, andResearch Triangle Park, toDurhamusingDMUtechnology. There were proposals to extend this corridor 7 miles toChapel Hillwithlight railtechnology. However, in 2006 Triangle Transit deferred implementation indefinitely when theFederal Transit Administrationdeclined to fund the program due to low ridership projections.

The region's twometropolitan planning organizationsappointed a group of local citizens in 2007 to reexamine options for future transit development in light of Triangle Transit's problems. The Special Transit Advisory Commission (STAC) retained many of the provisions of Triangle Transit's original plan but recommended adding new bus services and raising additional revenues by adding a new local half-cent sales tax to fund the project.^[267]

Greyhound Linesprovides an inter-city bus service to Durham, Charlotte, Richmond, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and other cities.

• The Maine-to-FloridaU.S. Bicycle Route#1routes through suburban Raleigh, along withN.C. Bicycle Route #2, the "Mountains To Sea" route. As of September 2010, maps and signage for both US Bike Route No. 1 and NC Bike Route No. 2 are out-of-date for the Raleigh area.N.C. Bicycle Route #5is routed nearby, connecting Apex toWilmingtonand closely paralleling the NCBC Randonneurs 600-kilometer brevet route.^[268]
• Most public buses are equipped with bicycle racks, and some roads have dedicated bicycle-only lanes. Bicyclists and pedestrians also may use Raleigh's extensivegreenwaysystem, with paths and trails located throughout the city.
• In May 2011, Raleigh was designated a Bicycle Friendly Community by theLeague of American Bicyclistsat the Bronze level.^[269]
• A 2011 study byWalk Scoreranked Raleigh 36th most walkable of fifty largest U.S. cities.^[270]
• In 2002, the "Walk [Your City]" initiative was started in the city which provides atool kitfor neighborhood organizations to post signs giving a distance by bike or foot, with directions in scannableQR code. The movement has spread to more than 400 communities in 55 countries.^[271][272]

TheRaleigh Fire Departmentprovides fire protection throughout the city.^[273]TheNorth Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, the state's primary correctional facility housing female inmates, is based in Raleigh.^[274]

Raleigh has severalsister cities:^[275]

• Compiègne, Oise,Hauts-de-France, France
• Kingston upon Hull, England, United Kingdom
• Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
• Nairobi, Kenya^[276]
• Gibraltar, Gibraltar (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)^[277][278]

• List of capitals in the United States
• List of municipalities in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Wake County, North Carolina
• USSRaleigh, 4 ships

• Amis, Moses N. (1913).Historical Raleigh. With Sketches of Wake County (from 1771) and Its Important Towns; Descriptive, Biographical, Educational, Industrial, Religious(Enlarged and Revised ed.). Raleigh: Commercial Printing Co.
• Benjamin, Karen (March 2012)."Suburbanizing Jim Crow: The Impact of School Policy on Residential Segregation in Raleigh".Journal of Urban History,38(2), pp. 225–46.doi:10.1177/0096144211427114.
• By-Laws of Harry Burgwyn Camp, Number 166, United Sons of Confederate Veterans, Raleigh, N. C.(Report). Camp Publication, No. 1. Raleigh: Alford, Bynum & Christophers, Job Printers. 1900.
• Charter Members of Harry Burgwyn Camp, Number 166, United Sons of Confederate Veterans, Raleigh, N. C.: Including Records of Ancestors through Whom they derive Eligibility(Report). Camp Publication, No. 2. Raleigh: Alford, Bynum & Christophers, Job Printers. 1900.

• Geographic data related toRaleigh, North CarolinaatOpenStreetMap
• Official website
• Raleigh, North CarolinaatCurlie
• Raleigh Directory:1875,1883,1896,1903,1927
• Guide to the Ray Winstead Collection of Aerial Photographs of Raleigh, North Carolina Circa 1970