Should I Move To
Wake Forest, North Carolina is home to about 48,047 people. On cost of living, it lands in the moderate band — essentially matching the national average. The median renter pays around $1,354 a month against a typical household income of $115,159. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 61 out of 100 (grade C+), putting it at #109 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Wake Forest's composite cost-of-living index lands at 100 (100 = US average), which puts it in the moderate band. At $1,354/mo against $115,159 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 14% of income on housing — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Median home value sits around $397,300.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 89°F, winter averages around 33°F. Precipitation totals about 46 inches a year. Car-dependent for most errands, with small walkable pockets downtown or in older neighborhoods. Air quality reads good (AQI 43).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Wake Forest reads as a moderate fit for families. It earns 68/100 (grade B-) on the families profile. Strongest on education (88/100); weakest on walkability (26/100).
Wake Forest reads as a moderate fit for retirees. It earns 58/100 (grade C) on the retirees profile. Strongest on education (88/100); weakest on walkability (26/100).
Wake Forest reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns 59/100 (grade C) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on education (88/100); weakest on walkability (26/100).
Wake Forest reads as a moderate fit for young professionals. It earns 63/100 (grade C+) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on education (88/100); weakest on walkability (26/100).
Wake Forest, North Carolina pulls a 61/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade C+), currently ranked #109 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Wake Forest's cost-of-living index is 100 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the moderate band — essentially matching the national average. Median rent runs about $1,354/mo.
Four-season — summer averages around 89°F, winter averages around 33°F, with about 46 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 26/100. Car-dependent for most errands, with small walkable pockets downtown or in older neighborhoods.
Wake Forest has about 48,047 residents, 58% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 39.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Wake Forest head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Wake Forest stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Wake Forest with other North Carolina cities scored on UrbRank.
Take the 2-minute UrbRank quiz to get a personalized ranking of US cities based on your priorities — cost, climate, commute, jobs, and more.