City · NC · #39 nationally
Raleigh, North Carolina: 499,825 residents as of July 1, 2024 (Census Vintage 2024). Ranked #39 nationally, #2 in North Carolina.
2024 population
499,825
Census Vintage 2024, July 1, 2024
2020 base
467,911
April 1, 2020 census base
4-yr change
+31,914
2020 base → 2024; within V2024
4-yr change %
+6.8%
Within V2024 only
1-yr change
+8,747
2023 → 2024 estimate
1-yr change %
+1.8%
Within V2024 only
Density
3,283
people per sq mi, land only
Land area
152.3
sq mi (2025 Gazetteer)
National rank
#39
of 19,479 cities
State rank
#2
of 549 in North Carolina
Population is shown in two parts because Vintage 2024 and Vintage 2019 use different methodologies and reference populations. The 2010 → 2024 span cannot be expressed as a single growth number — see methodology §6.
Vintage 2024 · annual estimates
| Year | Population | Reference date |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 base | 467,911 | April 1, 2020 |
| 2020 | 465,861 | July 1, 2020 |
| 2021 | 471,377 | July 1, 2021 |
| 2022 | 475,200 | July 1, 2022 |
| 2023 | 491,078 | July 1, 2023 |
| 2024 | 499,825 | July 1, 2024 |
These two tables use different Census vintages. They are not directly comparable across the 2019/2020 line. See the methodology for the seam.
Vintage 2019 · annual estimates · separate vintage
| Year | Population | Reference date |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 base | 404,068 | April 1, 2010 |
| 2010 | 406,353 | July 1, 2010 |
| 2011 | 413,958 | July 1, 2011 |
| 2012 | 423,304 | July 1, 2012 |
| 2013 | 431,391 | July 1, 2013 |
| 2014 | 439,503 | July 1, 2014 |
| 2015 | 449,546 | July 1, 2015 |
| 2016 | 459,469 | July 1, 2016 |
| 2017 | 465,776 | July 1, 2017 |
| 2018 | 469,314 | July 1, 2018 |
| 2019 | 474,069 | July 1, 2019 |
Place type · incorporated_place
Raleigh is an incorporated municipality reported by the U.S. Census Bureau under the Population Estimates Program. Annual population estimates reflect July 1 of each year, with the April 2020 census base re-baselined under Vintage 2024. See the methodology for inclusion rules and the V2019↔V2024 seam.
Raleigh sits at state rank #2 among 549 cities in North Carolina. Nearby in the state ranking:
| State rank | City | 2024 population |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Charlotte | 943,476 |
| #3 | Greensboro | 307,381 |
| #4 | Durham | 301,870 |
| #5 | Winston-Salem | 255,769 |
See the full ranking: every city in North Carolina →
Raleigh is ranked #39 of 19,479 U.S. cities by 2024 population.
Just above in the profiled set: Kansas City, MO · #38 · 516,032 residents.
Just below in the profiled set: Colorado Springs, CO · #40 · 493,554 residents.
Sources · provenance
Population figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024 (reference date July 1, 2024). Land area, water area, and representative coordinates come from the 2025 U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer. The GEOID for Raleigh is 3755000.
Full source detail: /sources/. Inclusion rules and the V2019 ↔ V2024 seam: /methodology/.
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