At a glance
For the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area (CBSA 39580), BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity is 98.2 (U.S. = 100). Census ACS 2020–2024 estimates median gross rent at $1,573 per month and a 45+ minute commute share of 16.0% among workers who commute. These are metro estimates, not current asking rents, neighborhood figures or an individual commute forecast.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate
How Raleigh compares with the other 74 metros
Each measure below is ranked across the 75 curated metros, where 1st means the highest value. A high or low rank describes the number, not whether the metro is a better or worse place to live.
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| Measure | Raleigh | Middle value of 75 metros | Rank (1st = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEA 2024 all-items price parity (U.S. = 100) | 98.2 | 98.4 | 39th of 75 |
| ACS median gross rent per month | $1,573 | $1,430 | 27th of 75 |
| ACS median household income | $100,103 | $83,460 | 11th of 75 |
| ACS share of commuters with 45+ minute trips | 16.0% | 13.2% | 27th of 75 |
The metros with the closest BEA price parity are Austin (98.1), Virginia Beach (97.9), Boise City (98.4). Similar price levels do not imply similar wages, rents or job markets; compare them with the city comparison pages or the interactive tool.
Where pay ranks highest and lowest in Raleigh
For each occupation reported in at least 50 metros, we ranked Raleigh’s price-adjusted median against the other metros reporting the same occupation. These ranks compare published medians for one occupation at a time; they are not measures of openings or of how an employer will pay.
Highest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $146,337 | 2nd of 72 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $165,857 | 3rd of 74 |
| Electrical Engineers | $132,685 | 8th of 73 |
| Marketing Managers | $170,788 | 9th of 74 |
| Sales Managers | $166,590 | 11th of 75 |
Lowest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $69,491 | 73rd of 75 |
| Occupational Therapists | $85,659 | 72nd of 75 |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $58,406 | 71st of 75 |
| Light Truck Drivers | $40,588 | 71st of 75 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,088 | 70th of 75 |
Occupation wages in the Raleigh metro area
Research Triangle area with education, healthcare and technology exposure. The BLS geographic unit is Raleigh-Cary, NC (CBSA 39580), rather than the limits of Raleigh city. Salary medians cannot be directly compared to a specific employer or neighborhood.
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| Occupation | Annual median wage | Adjusted median* | Employment estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $33,100 | $33,721 | 18,660 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $38,470 | $39,192 | 17,060 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $41,900 | $42,687 | 13,620 |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $86,423 | 12,780 |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $135,263 | 12,580 |
| Office Clerks, General | $44,460 | $45,295 | 11,350 |
| General and Operations Managers | $114,940 | $117,098 | 9,520 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $83,489 | 9,190 |
| Project Management Specialists | $102,280 | $104,200 | 7,930 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $50,200 | $51,143 | 7,550 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,220 | $73,576 | 7,550 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $52,110 | $53,088 | 7,210 |
Show all 79 occupations, alphabetically
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The table lists the 12 occupations with the highest BLS estimated employment in this metro, not an attractiveness ranking; the full list is expandable and its columns can be sorted. The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.
Occupational wage distribution examples
These occupations are selected by the highest BLS estimated employment within our curated career set for this metro—not by pay or predicted demand. Annual wage percentiles are descriptive estimates and can be suppressed independently.
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| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $24,090 | $28,700 | $33,100 | $37,200 | $46,900 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $31,220 | $36,420 | $38,470 | $45,300 | $46,890 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $31,530 | $36,110 | $41,900 | $50,360 | $63,490 |
| Registered Nurses | $72,460 | $78,430 | $84,830 | $104,040 | $110,220 |
| Software Developers | $80,080 | $103,480 | $132,770 | $166,650 | $185,110 |
| Office Clerks, General | $29,050 | $35,250 | $44,460 | $50,540 | $60,910 |
The employment estimate indicates modeled occupational employment, not current job openings. Missing percentiles remain Unavailable. Each job classification has a different population and wage distribution.
Understanding the local context
BEA reports a 2024 all-items regional price parity of 98.157. It reflects the general price level of goods and services in this metro compared with 100 nationwide. The Census ACS reports median gross rent of $1,573 (MOE ±$16) and median household income of $100,103 (MOE ±$1,230) over 2020–2024.
ACS gross rent includes estimated utilities and is not an asking-rent median. Household income covers all household earnings, so it is not comparable to one worker’s wage. The 45+ minute commute share is 16.0% of workers who travel to work, excluding people who work from home.
Neither the rent nor household-income median exceeds our 30% relative-MOE quality-warning threshold; estimates still have uncertainty.
Using Raleigh figures in a real moving budget
The BEA index places the broad metropolitan price level approximately 1.8% below the U.S. reference. At the published ACS median gross rent of $1,573 per month, twelve months of that survey benchmark would total $18,876. This is simple annualization of a survey median, not a current listing price or a budget recommendation.
The 16.0% long-commute share does not tell you how long a trip from a specific neighborhood to a specific employer will take. Gather a real offer and recent rental quotes first, then enter the unadjusted gross offer in the worksheet.
Compare with another metro
Explore two-area price, housing and wage comparisons. These source-backed pages are not rankings of which city is best for you.