Jobs, pay and daily life in Knightdale, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Knightdale is a city in North Carolina with 20,214 residents. The median household earns $103,220 a year and the median rent is $1,674 a month, which is 19.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 743,120 jobs.
How Knightdale compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Knightdale is #48 by population, #83 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #22 for household income (#1 = highest), #27 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Wake County, is #4 of 100 counties for average pay ($76,807).
Knightdale has 20,214 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 10 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,100 people per square mile. The median age is 33.6, 14% younger than the state median (33.6 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,674 a month (rent plus utilities), 36% above the state median ($1,674 against $1,228). Over a year that is 19.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $380,100, which is 3.7 times the median household income ($103,220); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 64.7% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (64.7% against 66.6%).
The Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan area has 743,120 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $51,990 a year, about the same as the national median ($51,990 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (79,180 jobs, median $47,310); sales and related (74,800 jobs, median $42,450); food preparation and serving related (66,380 jobs, median $30,480). The area is most specialised in computer and mathematical (1.7 times) and life, physical, and social science (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($132,650) and computer and mathematical ($107,760). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Wake County was 2.8%. 77.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Wake County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 69.6% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.0% walk, 19.0% work from home. 8.4% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 39% below the state average (8.4% against 13.9%).
48.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 37% above the state share (48.9% against 35.6%). 12.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 32% above the state share (12.0% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 5.3%, 59% below the state rate (5.3% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 38°F (3.4°C). About 1,187 mm (47 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (127 mm) and Jan the driest (72 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Wendell (8 miles, rent 13% lower); Raleigh (9 miles, rent 6% lower); Rolesville (9 miles, rent 35% lower); Clayton (10 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Knightdale; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideWake CountyNorth Carolina rankings
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There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 18,660 | 1.00 | $33,100 | $24,090 | $46,900 | -7% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 17,060 | 1.21 | $38,470 | $31,220 | $46,890 | -4% |
| Cashiers | 14,350 | 0.97 | $29,770 | $23,520 | $36,760 | -9% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 13,620 | 1.10 | $41,900 | $31,530 | $63,490 | -6% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 12,790 | 0.69 | $29,080 | $22,370 | $37,460 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 12,780 | 0.79 | $84,830 | $72,460 | $110,220 | -13% |
| Software Developers | 12,580 | 1.56 | $132,770 | $80,080 | $185,110 | -2% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 12,300 | 0.91 | $35,220 | $28,200 | $47,310 | -6% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 11,500 | 3.76 | $28,220 | $22,590 | $34,220 | -9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 11,350 | 0.96 | $44,460 | $29,050 | $60,910 | -1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,290 | 0.95 | $34,860 | $17,850 | $64,240 | -1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 9,520 | 0.57 | $114,940 | $56,020 | $268,030 | +9% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 9,190 | 1.33 | $81,950 | $57,120 | $134,220 | -2% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 8,970 | 1.49 | $68,560 | $39,720 | $154,720 | -2% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 8,820 | 1.70 | $80,390 | $48,320 | $128,110 | -3% |
| Project Management Specialists | 7,930 | 1.56 | $102,280 | $65,380 | $166,970 | -0% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 7,600 | 1.65 | $46,600 | $37,220 | $57,180 | +1% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 7,550 | 1.15 | $50,200 | $37,650 | $69,230 | -1% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 7,550 | 1.28 | $72,220 | $40,270 | $154,980 | +0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 7,310 | 0.69 | $34,980 | $24,090 | $44,820 | -5% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,190 | 0.73 | $354,130 | $173,530 | $361,270 | +33% |
| Dentists, General | 1,000 | 1.69 | $207,380 | $132,880 | $378,960 | +21% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 6,010 | 1.88 | $173,960 | $106,810 | $283,510 | -1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 1,640 | 3.17 | $173,510 | $103,090 | $300,550 | +4% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,850 | 1.76 | $169,780 | $127,890 | $256,090 | -1% |
| Marketing Managers | 2,390 | 1.27 | $167,640 | $102,970 | $277,320 | +1% |
| Sales Managers | 3,280 | 1.08 | $163,520 | $75,610 | $303,060 | +10% |
| Financial Managers | 3,690 | 0.92 | $163,130 | $100,920 | $309,290 | -2% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 510 | 1.11 | $162,800 | $92,840 | $172,300 | +25% |
| Managers, All Other | 4,320 | 1.45 | $147,370 | $79,940 | $244,990 | +4% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,080 | 1.03 | $144,190 | $93,220 | $264,980 | -3% |
| Information Security Analysts | 2,510 | 2.75 | $143,640 | $78,870 | $168,050 | +11% |
| Purchasing Managers | 500 | 1.23 | $139,050 | $97,590 | $225,170 | -6% |
| Pharmacists | 1,730 | 1.12 | $133,120 | $101,720 | $165,060 | -6% |
| Software Developers | 12,580 | 1.56 | $132,770 | $80,080 | $185,110 | -2% |
| Database Architects | 710 | 2.21 | $132,740 | $70,200 | $198,320 | -5% |
| Lawyers | 4,350 | 1.21 | $131,920 | $79,550 | $331,770 | -17% |
| Veterinarians | 520 | 1.31 | $130,350 | $79,830 | $213,960 | +0% |
| Electrical Engineers | 1,500 | 1.58 | $130,240 | $73,380 | $221,050 | +8% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 1,010 | 0.86 | $130,120 | $78,110 | $215,140 | +3% |
These figures are for the whole Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $51,990 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 14.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 10.4% |
| Retail trade | 8.2% |
| Public administration | 7.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.2% |
| Manufacturing | 6.6% |
| Construction | 4.6% |
| Other services | 3.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.1% |
| Information | 1.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Knightdale lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 1,178,653 | $128,428 million | $108,962 | 653,153 | 50,997 | $76,807 | +2.1% | 2.8% | 698,382 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 78,504 | 13.9% | $70,412 | 0.84 |
| Professional and technical services | 76,654 | 13.5% | $120,319 | 1.69 |
| Retail trade | 64,802 | 11.4% | $41,933 | 0.99 |
| Accommodation and food services | 58,175 | 10.3% | $26,407 | 0.98 |
| Administrative and waste services | 50,495 | 8.9% | $59,052 | 1.31 |
| Construction | 45,432 | 8.0% | $85,109 | 1.33 |
| Finance and insurance | 26,563 | 4.7% | $125,357 | 1.00 |
| Wholesale trade | 25,832 | 4.6% | $113,865 | 1.00 |
| Information | 24,763 | 4.4% | $149,317 | 2.02 |
| Manufacturing | 23,638 | 4.2% | $106,929 | 0.44 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 21,292 | 3.8% | $56,002 | 1.08 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 19,364 | 3.4% | $49,993 | 0.70 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 13,484 | 2.4% | $33,505 | 1.23 |
| Real estate and rental | 12,178 | 2.2% | $73,797 | 1.20 |
| Educational services | 11,890 | 2.1% | $49,266 | 0.88 |
| Management of companies | 9,906 | 1.7% | $142,259 | 0.90 |
| Utilities | 2,070 | 0.4% | $119,712 | 0.83 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 1,037 | 0.2% | $63,395 | 0.20 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 284 | 0.1% | $430,084 | 0.11 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 69.6% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.0% |
| Work from home | 19.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.4% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $103,220 |
| Income per person | $44,817 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,674 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.5% |
| Median home value | $380,100 |
| Homeowners | 64.7% |
| Poverty rate | 5.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 98.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $51,990 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 96.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 48.9% |
| Born abroad | 12.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 77.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.4 | 38 | 72 |
| Feb | 5.2 | 41 | 74 |
| Mar | 9.5 | 49 | 96 |
| Apr | 15.2 | 59 | 91 |
| May | 20.0 | 68 | 99 |
| Jun | 24.7 | 76 | 118 |
| Jul | 26.7 | 80 | 122 |
| Aug | 25.8 | 78 | 127 |
| Sep | 22.2 | 72 | 119 |
| Oct | 16.0 | 61 | 87 |
| Nov | 9.7 | 49 | 88 |
| Dec | 5.7 | 42 | 94 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wendell | NC | 8 mi | 13,064 | $95,787 | $1,457 |
| Raleigh | NC | 9 mi | 481,031 | $85,395 | $1,572 |
| Rolesville | NC | 9 mi | 10,766 | $149,565 | $1,085 |
| Clayton | NC | 10 mi | 29,320 | $78,822 | $1,661 |
| Garner | NC | 10 mi | 34,473 | $78,756 | $1,549 |
| Wake Forest | NC | 12 mi | 52,844 | $123,802 | $1,596 |
| Cary | NC | 18 mi | 179,306 | $134,905 | $1,738 |
| Morrisville | NC | 19 mi | 31,422 | $125,396 | $1,858 |
| Smithfield | NC | 20 mi | 12,116 | $43,270 | $658 |
| Fuquay-Varina | NC | 21 mi | 40,485 | $115,497 | $1,720 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
20,214 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,674 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.5% of the median household income.
$103,220 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.8% (BLS county, Wake County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.