Jobs, pay and daily life in Raleigh, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Raleigh is a city in North Carolina with 499,637 residents. The median household earns $85,060 a year and the median rent is $1,661 a month, which is 23.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 743,120 jobs.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (497) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guide
There are 497 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.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| 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 | 23.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 21.0% |
| Retail trade | 10.2% |
| Manufacturing | 8.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.4% |
| Construction | 5.7% |
| Other services | 5.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.1% |
| Public administration | 3.9% |
| Information | 2.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 66.3% |
| Public transit | 1.7% |
| Walk | 1.4% |
| Work from home | 21.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,060 |
| Income per person | $55,401 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,661 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.4% |
| Median home value | $450,300 |
| Homeowners | 49.6% |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% |
| 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 | 34.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 55.7% |
| Born abroad | 14.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 72.1% |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cary | NC | 11 mi | 179,306 | $134,905 | $1,738 |
| Durham | NC | 18 mi | 291,467 | $81,619 | $1,508 |
| Fayetteville | NC | 55 mi | 210,815 | $58,407 | $1,250 |
| Greensboro | NC | 69 mi | 301,198 | $61,515 | $1,172 |
| Winston-Salem | NC | 92 mi | 252,037 | $59,268 | $1,087 |
| Wilmington | NC | 120 mi | 120,805 | $66,738 | $1,395 |
| Charlotte | NC | 130 mi | 943,474 | $86,416 | $1,720 |
| Richmond | VA | 134 mi | 229,359 | $64,587 | $1,372 |
| Chesapeake | VA | 143 mi | 252,583 | $95,373 | $1,586 |
| Newport News | VA | 146 mi | 184,216 | $69,634 | $1,339 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
499,637 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,661 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.4% of the median household income.
$85,060 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.7% (BLS metro area 2026M09).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.