PlainZIP

Cary, NC · standard

ZIP Code 27518

Wake County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

19,630
788/sq mi
$123,488
Median income
$632,200
Median home value
71.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Cary pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 9%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 8%
home value, US ZIPs
788
people per sq mi
66%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27518 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 27518 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cary, Wake County, North Carolina, home to 19,630 residents across 24.9 square miles, a density of 788 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 27518 skews affluent, with a median household income of $123,488 (79% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $69,623. Poverty here runs at 5.5%, with unemployment measured at 3.0%. The typical home here is valued at $632,200 (144% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,681 monthly, and 66.1% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 71.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.9, and the average commute is 23 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 27518, plus 6 more within Wake County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 27518

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cary, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27518.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 27518, Cary, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

19,630

Population

24.9

Area (sq mi)

788

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 27518?

46.9

Median Age

47.1%

Male

52.9%

Female

17.1%

Foreign-Born

White 76.1%
African American 6.6%
Asian 9.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.2%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$123,488

Median Household Income

+79% vs state

$69,623

Per Capita Income

5.5%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

23.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 27518 ranks nationally

Cary, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$123,488 Top 9% higher than 91% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 79.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 71.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

9,489

Total Housing Units

8,567

Occupied Units

922

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.1%
Renter 33.9%

$632,200

Median Home Value

+144% vs state

$1,681

Median Rent

1998

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+15.3%

YoY Change (2023)

270

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+170%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 27518 have increased 15.3% over the past year (2023). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +170% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +0.9% 154
2020 +2.9% 159
2021 +13.5% 180
2022 +29.7% 234
2023 +15.3% 270

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2023. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,068 business establishments in ZIP 27518, employing approximately 19,913 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,989,641,000.

1,068

Businesses

19,913

Employees

$2.0B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 221 20.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 206 19.3%
Accommodation and food services 111 10.4%
Retail trade 97 9.1%
Other services (except public administration) 77 7.2%
Finance and insurance 65 6.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 64 6.0%
Construction 54 5.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 35 3.3%
Wholesale trade 32 3.0%
Information 29 2.7%
Educational services 27 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 19 1.8%
Transportation and warehousing 12 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 11 1.0%
Manufacturing 6 0.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 27518 vs 27511 →

ZIP 27518 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27518 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 27518 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 27518 ranks #3 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
27511 Cary, NC 32,029 2.4 mi
27606 Raleigh, NC 43,210 3.2 mi
27539 Apex, NC 18,692 4.3 mi
27513 Cary, NC 40,755 5.3 mi
27607 Raleigh, NC 25,188 6.4 mi
27502 Apex, NC 30,831 8.0 mi
27603 Raleigh, NC 47,033 7.8 mi
27605 Raleigh, NC 4,495 7.9 mi
27601 Raleigh, NC 9,450 8.4 mi
27560 Morrisville, NC 22,623 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Wake County

27610 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 65,648
27587 standard
Wake Forest, NC
Pop: 53,078
27603 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 47,033
27606 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 43,210
27613 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 42,690
27616 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 42,294

Related Areas

Wake County Cary, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 27518 in? ▼
ZIP code 27518 (Cary) is located in Wake County, North Carolina. Wake County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/wake-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27518? ▼
ZIP code 27518 in Cary, NC has a population of 19,630 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27518? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 27518 is $123,488, which is 62% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27518? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 27518 is $632,200, which is 127% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27518? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 27518 is White at 76.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27518? ▼
ZIP code 27518 has 1,068 business establishments employing approximately 19,913 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27518? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27518 are: Health care and social assistance (221), Professional, scientific, and technical services (206), Accommodation and food services (111). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27518? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27518 increased by 15.3% in 2023. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 170%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 27518? ▼
In ZIP code 27518, 79.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 71.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 27518? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27518 is 23.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27518? ▼
In ZIP code 27518, approximately 66.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27518? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27518 is 5.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.