Wake Forest is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, home to about 52,844 people across 18 square miles. Its ZIP code is 27587.
Homes sold for a median of $203 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Wake Forest; also Rolesville
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Wake Forest. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Wake Forest’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Wake Forest well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)16 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Raleigh, NC12 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA334 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Wake Forest; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Wake Forest had 47,601 residents in the 2020 census, up 278% since 2000.
It’s the 21st largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Wake County grew from 54,626 residents in 1900 to 1,129,410 in 2020.
Wake County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 87°F in summer, and winter lows average 28°F. About 47.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Falls Lake, NC weather station (6 miles away).
556,250 jobs at 33,873 businesses in Wake County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
779 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Wake Forest.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 69 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 29 |
| Dentists | 62 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 153 |
| Mental health providers | 290 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 131 |
| Optometrists | 20 |
| Chiropractors | 25 |
| Pharmacies | 26 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (14 nearby)
Grocery stores (10 nearby)
Pharmacies (4 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1880.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Casa Esperanza Montessori, Wake County Schools, Endeavor Charter and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casa Esperanza Montessori Charter SchoolWake Forest | Pre-K–8 | 752 | Charter | 3.5 mi |
| Heritage ElementaryWake Forest | Pre-K–5 | 634 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Jones Dairy ElementaryWake Forest | Pre-K–5 | 627 | Public | 4.3 mi |
| Richland Creek ElementaryWake Forest | Pre-K–5 | 558 | Public | 2.1 mi |
| Wake Forest ElementaryWake Forest | Pre-K–5 | 444 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Endeavor Charter SchoolWake Forest | K–8 | 799 | Charter | 4.3 mi |
| Envision Science AcademyWake Forest | K–8 | 759 | Charter | 3.1 mi |
| Franklin AcademyWake Forest | K–12 | 1,660 | Charter | 3.4 mi |
| Wake Forest Charter AcademyWake Forest | K–8 | 650 | Charter | 2.7 mi |
| Wake Preparatory AcademyWake Forest | K–12 | 2,617 | Charter | 3.0 mi |
| Heritage MiddleWake Forest | 6–8 | 947 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Wake Forest Middle SchoolWake Forest | 6–8 | 878 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Heritage HighWake Forest | 9–12 | 1,778 | Public | 3.2 mi |
| North Wake College and Career AcademyWake Forest | 9–13 | 346 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Wake Forest High SchoolWake Forest | 9–12 | 2,043 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Catherine of Siena Catholic SchoolWake Forest | Pre-K–8 | 237 | Roman Catholic | 1.0 mi |
| Thales AcademyWake Forest | K–5 | 656 | Nonsectarian | 2.3 mi |
| True Light Shines AcademyWake Forest | 5–12 | 17 | Assembly of God | 5.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Wake Forest? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Rolesville.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.