Raleigh, NC

Raleigh’s median household income was $78,631 in the 2018-2022 ACS, and the city’s per capita income was $47,257, while Wake County’s median household income was $101,763 and per capita income was $52,949 (Census QuickFacts^[1]; Census QuickFacts^[2]). For a retiree-target single-family home around $550K to $700K, Raleigh’s market is usually in that range or somewhat above depending on location and condition, but the exact median home price is not confirmed from an agency source here. North Carolina’s state sales tax and income-tax structure are not given here, and Raleigh metro CPI and current tax rates are not provided.

Raleigh is the Wake County seat and a large regional center, but drive times, trauma levels, and Medicare Advantage plan details are not given here. Raleigh residents typically rely on the local Triangle hospital network for everyday and specialty care, but the nearest system, level, and plan options are not given here. Quantified healthcare access details for Raleigh are not given here.

NOAA-derived climate summaries for Raleigh/Durham show annual precipitation of 41.32 inches in 2025, average summer maximum temperature of 91.1°F, average summer minimum of 70.3°F, and a mean summer temperature of 80.7°F (NWS annual climate summary^[3]; NWS summer climate summary^[4]). The annual summary also recorded 92 fair days and described 2025 as the 7th warmest year on record at Raleigh (NWS annual climate summary^[3]). A clean annual sunny-days total and a precise winter-low average for Raleigh are not given here.

A confirmed FBI Crime Data Explorer page for Raleigh city, Wake County, or North Carolina with current violent and property crime rates and the 3-year trend is not given here. FBI’s UCR/NIBRS reporting is voluntary and incomplete after 2021, so a crime-score website should not be used as a substitute. Crime should be checked directly on FBI CDE for Raleigh city and, if unavailable, for Wake County or North Carolina before making a relocation decision.

Raleigh’s median listing price is about $449,900, and that is down 4.84% year over year on the city market page (Realtor.com Raleigh market^[5]). Homes are moving at a median of 61 days on market in the city, while Wake County’s countywide median is 58 days, which suggests a market that is still active but not especially fast for sellers (Realtor.com Raleigh market^[5], Realtor.com Wake County market^[6]). FHFA’s metro series shows Raleigh-Cary house prices were up 1.10% year over year in 2026Q2, so the broader metro has remained resilient even as asking prices and market time have cooled (FHFA HPI datasets^[7]). Raleigh also has at least one active-adult option in the city, including Overture Crabtree 55+ Active Adult Apartment Homes in Raleigh, and After55’s North Carolina active-adult directory confirms such communities are present in the state and includes that Raleigh property (After55 North Carolina active adult communities^[8]).

Raleigh-Durham International Airport is the local commercial airport, and the airport itself says it now offers more than 90 nonstop destinations on 19 airlines (RDU^[9]; RDU nonstop destinations^[10]). The route map includes key East Coast and Midwest hubs such as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago-O’Hare, Chicago-Midway, Detroit, Minneapolis, Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Newark, and New York airports (RDU nonstop destinations^[10]). A clean drive-time figure from Raleigh neighborhoods to the terminal is not given here.

Raleigh has a robust regional airport and active metropolitan growth, but the number of public courses within 30 minutes and their typical greens fees are not given here. For recreation more broadly, Raleigh’s year-round outdoor appeal is supported by mild winters, ample rainfall, and a large metro population, which is why golf, greenways, and nearby parks are part of the area’s draw. Because golf has no government source, any course-specific ranking should be treated as indicative only unless verified directly on official club sites.

Raleigh’s 2023 population estimate was 482,295, and the city’s 2020 Census population was 482,425, with a median age of 34.9 years in the city profile and 11.4 percent of residents age 65 and older in QuickFacts (Census QuickFacts^[1]; Raleigh city profile^[11]). Wake County’s median age was 37.3 years in Census Reporter’s ACS-based profile, and county population was 1,232,444, reinforcing that this is a large, still-growing metro rather than an older retirement enclave (Census Reporter, Wake County^[12]). For a retiree, that usually means strong amenities, active dining and cultural options, and a more urban-suburban feel than a classic age-restricted market.

FEMA’s National Risk Index is the right county-level source to use, but Wake County’s composite score and hazard ranking are not given here. Raleigh’s NOAA pages do not cover AQI or smoke-season severity, and a confirmed EPA AirNow page for annual good-air-day counts is not given here. The prudent takeaway is that Raleigh should be evaluated as an inland, humid Southeast market with stormwater and heavy-rain considerations, but the exact county risk score and AQI metrics still need a separate source pull.