Surrounding Communities (Metropolitan Area)
| Apex | 20212 (27509) | Named for the highest point on the railroad. Small town quickly growing into affluent suburb. |
| Cary | 94536 (101265) | "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees." National Geographic called "Suburbia Unlimited." Has now grown to a city, but with little vertical development. |
| Chapel Hill | 48715 (49368) | Known for alternative culture and college atmosphere. Home to the University of North Carolina. |
| Durham | 187035 (201726) | More blue collar sister city to Raleigh. Known for black history. |
| Fuquay-Varina | 7898 (11110) | Still some of the best country living inside Wake county. |
| Garner | 17757 (21772) | Former railroad town. Somewhat blue collar suburb but growing more upscale. |
| Holly Springs | 9192 (13740) | Formerly a sleepy country town. Now a quickly growing commuter suburb. |
| Knightdale | 5958 (6137) | Suburb for blue collar and professionals getting established. Known for shopping. |
| Morrisville | 5208 (11595) | Still a small community nestled ideally in between Raleigh and Durham. Explosive growth likely to continue, both commercial and residential. |
| Rolesville | 907 (1035) | Still a quiet town out in the sticks. |
| Wake Forest | 12588 (17390) | Traditionally a suburb with its own culture. With new Wakefield development line between Raleigh and Wake Forest blurred. Original home of the university with the same name. |
| Wendell | 4247 (4388) | Small country suburb. First taste of down east North Carolina. |
| Zebulon | 4046 (4135) | Farthest flung Wake County suburb. Home of the Carolina Mudcats minor league baseball team. |
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