Census tract · Wake County
Census Tract 542.21, Wake County, North Carolina
Census Tract 542.21, GEOID 37183054221, in Wake County, North Carolina, partly within Wake Forest and Rolesville. 8,475 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±891); the 2020 Census counted 7,537.
Residents, 2020-2024
8,475
±891 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 7,537
Median household income
$158,722
±$16,270 (90% margin)
Wake County: $105,768
Median home value
$493,100
±$45,267 (90% margin)
Wake County: $461,300
Median gross rent
$2,646
±$1,098 (90% margin)
Wake County: $1,623
Where is Census Tract 542.21?
Census Tract 542.21 is one of 230 census tracts in Wake County, North Carolina. It covers 10.47 square miles of land, 720 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 37183054221, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Wake Forest | 34% |
| Rolesville | 15% |
8 census tracts border Census Tract 542.21: Tract 605.02 in Franklin County ($95,612), Tract 606.01 in Franklin County ($96,667), Tract 606.02 in Franklin County ($74,569), Tract 542.14 ($98,058), Tract 542.19 ($136,219), Tract 542.22 ($158,787), Tract 542.23 ($92,813) and Tract 542.24 ($68,986). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 542.21?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 542.21's population at 8,475 (±891) in 2,543 households; the 2020 Census counted 7,537 residents and 2,560 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 542.21 | Wake County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,475 ±891 | 1,178,653 |
| Households | 2,543 ±187 | 460,175 |
| Average household size | 3.33 ±0.26 | 2.51 |
| Housing units | 2,588 ±171 | 496,047 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 542.21?
The median resident of Census Tract 542.21 is 39.2 years old; 29.5% are under 18 and 11.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 68.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 21.6%. 13.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 542.21 | Wake County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 ±2.0 | 37.3 |
| Under 18 years | 29.5% ±4.1 pts | 23.0% |
| 65 years and over | 11.5% ±2.2 pts | 12.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.3% ±2.2 pts | 11.6% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 68.1% ±7.3 pts | 56.2% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 21.6% ±7.3 pts | 18.5% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.5 pts | 8.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.4 pts | 4.4% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±2.3 pts | 0.7% |
| Born outside the United States | 13.2% ±7.8 pts | 15.3% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.9% ±6.1 pts | 19.4% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.2% ±6.4 pts | 5.6% |
| With a disability | 12.7% ±2.4 pts | 9.1% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.6% ±1.9 pts | 7.5% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.3% ±2.4 pts | 94.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 58.0% ±6.5 pts | 57.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 29.4% ±6.2 pts | 23.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.0% ±4.7 pts | 85.0% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 542.21 earn?
Half of the 2,543 households in Census Tract 542.21 earn less than $158,722 a year (±$16,270), against $105,768 across Wake County: 35th highest of the county's 228 tracts with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Tract 542.21 | Wake County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $158,722 ±$16,270 | $105,768 |
| Mean household income | $176,718 ±$27,524 | $139,586 |
| Per capita income | $54,515 ±$8,458 | $55,448 |
| People below the poverty line | 6.8% ±6.2 pts | 8.1% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.5% ±5.5 pts | 9.6% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.8% ±2.6 pts | 6.2% |
| Households with a computer | 97.3% ±3.4 pts | 98.1% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.3% ±3.6 pts | 95.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 542.21?
Owners occupy 92.1% of Census Tract 542.21's occupied homes and renters 7.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $493,100 by its owner (±$45,267). The median renter pays $2,646 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 542.21 | Wake County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $493,100 ±$45,267 | $461,300 |
| Median gross rent | $2,646 ±$1,098 | $1,623 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 6.9% ±11.7 pts | 38.1% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,662 ±$196 | $2,113 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 92.1% ±4.7 pts | 64.1% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 7.9% ±4.7 pts | 35.9% |
| Housing units | 2,588 ±171 | 496,047 |
| Single-family detached homes | 92.5% ±4.0 pts | 58.3% |
| Mobile homes | 6.3% ±3.9 pts | 2.7% |
| Built 2020 or later | 23.0% ±9.0 pts | 4.8% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 36.0% ±8.7 pts | 21.6% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.8% ±2.5 pts | 1.8% |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 4.4% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 542.21 get to work?
67.5% of Census Tract 542.21's workers drive alone and 26.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 31.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 542.21 | Wake County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.9% ±5.6 pts | 69.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.0% ±2.0 pts | 4.1% |
| Drove alone to work | 67.5% ±6.8 pts | 61.4% |
| Carpooled | 5.1% ±3.7 pts | 5.9% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.7% |
| Walked | 0.9% ±1.2 pts | 1.2% |
| Worked from home | 26.2% ±7.3 pts | 29.1% |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.8 min ±3.1 | 25.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 542.21 compare with the other tracts in Wake County?
Among Wake County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 542.21 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Wake County |
|---|---|
| Population | 20th of 228 |
| Residents per square mile | 196th of 230 |
| Median household income | 35th of 228 |
| Per capita income | 119th of 228 |
| Median home value | 93rd of 226 |
| Median gross rent | 6th of 211 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 127th of 228 |
| Median age | 100th of 228 |
| Owner-occupied share | 28th of 222 |
The tracts next to it on Wake County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 518 | 32nd | $159,460±$63,301 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 542.22 | 33rd | $158,787±$22,505 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 532.02 | 34th | $158,750±$62,922 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 542.21 | 35th | $158,722±$16,270 |
| Tract 517 | 36th | $158,205±$28,958 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 538.07 | 37th | $157,969±$44,368 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 537.12 | 38th | $157,500±$47,315 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 542.21?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 542.21 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections