Residential delivery area · North Carolina
ZIP Code 27518: Cary, NC
ZIP code 27518 is in Cary, North Carolina, entirely in Wake County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 20,000 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024), the least populous of Cary's 4 residential ZIP codes. Median household income is $123,488 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 91% of its land lies in Cary; 9% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Cary · 4 residential ZIPs
- County
- Wake County
- Census places
- Cary
- Neighborhoods
- Summerwinds, Waverly Place, Wellington Park GeoNames
- Metro area
- Raleigh-Cary, NC
- House districts
- NC-4 (58%), NC-2 (42%) 119th Congress, by share of land
- State
- North Carolina
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Land area
- 9.9 sq mi · 1,994 people per sq mi
- PO Box ZIPs
- 27512 also use the name Cary
Where is ZIP code 27518?
27518 centers on 35.731°, -78.773° and covers 9.9 square miles of land plus 0.2 of water. It borders 3 ZIP codes: 27511, 27606, 27539.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 27518, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0); neighborhoods from the GeoNames gazetteer (CC BY 4.0), placed in this ZIP code by PlainZIP.
How does 27518 compare with the rest of Cary?
| Measure | 27518 | In Cary | In Wake County | In NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 19,735 | 4th of 4 | 30th of 38 | 206th of 853 |
| Median household income | $124k | 2nd of 4 | 11th of 34 | 23rd of 528 |
| Median home value | $632k | 2nd of 4 | 5th of 35 | 14th of 572 |
Its median household income is higher than in 91% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 85% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 27518?
The 2020 Census counted 21,807 people in 27518; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 19,735. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew 11.1% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 19,735
- 2020 Census count
- 21,807+11.1% since 2010 (19,630)
- Households
- 8,567
- Median age
- 46.9
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 27518?
Of the 19,735 people the ACS estimates in 27518, 18.0% are under 18 and 23.4% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (74.9%).
- Under 1818.0%
- 18 to 6458.6%
- 65 and older23.4%
- White, not Hispanic74.9%
- Asian, not Hispanic9.9%
- Black, not Hispanic6.6%
- Other or two or more4.4%
- Hispanic or Latino4.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 27518 earn?
Median household income is $123,488 (ACS 2020-2024), the 11th highest of the 34 ranked ZIP codes in Wake County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($130,946 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $123,488
- Income per person
- $69,623
- Below the poverty line
- 5.5%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 3.1%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 71.8%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $174,11410,810 returns; wages 59% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 27518?
FHFA's house price index for 27518, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 87% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 59% from 2020 to 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $632,200
- Median gross rent
- $1,681
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 66.1%
- Housing units
- 9,489
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 27518?
1,068 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 151 more than in 2018; the most are in health care and social assistance (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Health care and social assistance221
- Professional, scientific, and technical services206
- Accommodation and food services111
- Retail trade97
- Other services (except public administration)77
- Finance and insurance65
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 27518?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27511 | Cary | 33,221 | $108k | 2.4 mi |
| 27606 | Raleigh | 45,444 | $78k | 3.3 mi |
| 27539 | Apex | 25,878 | $146k | 4.4 mi |
| 27513 | Cary | 46,979 | $122k | 5.2 mi (near) |
| 27695 | Raleigh | 1,993 | – | 6.5 mi (near) |
| 27607 | Raleigh | 28,438 | $97k | 6.5 mi (near) |
| 27502 | Apex | 48,530 | $144k | 7.6 mi (near) |
| 27605 | Raleigh | 6,286 | $71k | 7.8 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.