Wake Forest, North Carolina
Wake Forest is a town of 52,844 people in Franklin County, North Carolina, founded in 1880.
Why visit Wake Forest
Townapedia lists 24 museums and landmarks, 38 parks and trails, 140 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Marquee Cinemas, Capehart House, Downtown Wake Forest Historic District and TPC Wakefield Plantation.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Wake Forest
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Wake Forest
Wake Forest is a town in Wake and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it lies just north of the state capital, Raleigh. At the 2020 census, the population was 47,601, up from 30,117 in 2010. It is part of the Raleigh metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Wake Forest, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Aquarium Outfitters Carolina
Zoo and aquarium · 0.5 mi
823 South Main Street, Wake Forest
Museums and landmarks24
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Capehart House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Downtown Wake Forest Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
Dr. Calvin Jones House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic home located in Wake Forest, Wake County, North Carolina
Dr. Lawrence Branch Young House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Glen Royall Mill Village Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Wake Forest, NC, listed on the NRHP in North Carolina
Lea Laboratory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic laboratory building in Wake Forest, North Carolina, United States
Oakforest
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Powell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic plantation home located near Wake Forest, Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Purefoy-Chappell House and Outbuildings
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Wake Forest, North Carolina, listed on the NRHP in North Carolina
Purefoy-Dunn Plantation
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic farm in North Carolina, United States
Rogers-Whitaker-Haywood House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.6 mi
Building in North Carolina, United States
Royall Cotton Mill Commissary
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Building in North Carolina, United States of America
12 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds38
Triangle Metro Zoo
Park · 3.2 mi
Zoo in North Carolina, United States
Trentini Stadium (f.k.a. Groves Stadium)
Sports field and stadium · 1.6 mi
26 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes140
BIBIBOP Asian Grill
Restaurant · Asian · 1.1 mi
535 Dr. Calvin Jones Highway, Wake Forest
Mo-Sa 10:30-21:30; Su 11:00-20:00
Bedford Food & Drink
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 3.8 mi
3607 Falls River Avenue, Raleigh
Fr-Sa 08:00-23:00; Su,Mo,We,Th 08:00-22:00
Black & White Coffee Roasters
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.9 mi
314 Brooks Street, Wake Forest
Mo-Sa 07:00-18:00
Bodega Tapas, Wine, and Rum
Restaurant · Tapas, International · 1.1 mi
110 South White Street, Wake Forest
We-Sa 16:30-21:00
Buffalo Brothers Restaurant and Bar
Restaurant · Italian · 1.8 mi
11735 Retail Drive, Wake Forest
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Char Grill USA
Restaurant · Burger, Hot Dog · 2.4 mi
145 Crenshaw Corners Drive, Wake Forest
Mo-Sa 10:00-21:00, Su 11:00-21:00
Charlie's Kabob Grill
Restaurant · Lebanese, Mediterranean · 1.2 mi
929 Heritage Lake Road
Mo-Th 11:00-19:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-20:30
Hayashi Japanese Restaurant
Restaurant · Japanese · 3.2 mi
13200 Falls of Neuse Road
Mo-Fr 11:30-14:00, 17:00-21:30; Su 17:00-21:30; Sa 11:30-22:00
Marco's Pizzeria
Restaurant · Pizza · 2.2 mi
999 Durham Road, Wake Forest
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-20:00
Norse Brewing Company
Bar and pub · Burger · 1.0 mi
203 Brooks Street, Wake Forest
Mo 11:00-20:00; Tu-We 11:00-21:00; Th-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 10:00-20:00
128 more on the map.
History
In 1832, Dr. Calvin Jones, originally from Massachusetts, bought 615 acres (2.49 km2) of forested land in Wake County, North Carolina. He built his plantation here. The sparsely populated area became known as the Forest of Wake, or Wake Forest. Jones sold his farm to the North Carolina Baptist Convention for $2,000, who opened the Wake Forest Manual Labor Institute, later Wake Forest College, on the site. The Raleigh & Gaston Railroad, completed in 1840, established a depot in nearby Forestville that stimulated the school and surrounding village. College leaders convinced the railroad to move the depot even closer to the college in 1874, leading to more economic development. This community was incorporated as the "Town of Wake Forest College" in 1880. In 1909, the word "College" was removed from the name of the town. The college moved to the much larger city of Winston-Salem in 1956. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary began offering classes on the original campus of Wake Forest University in 1950, and occupied the entire campus when the university completed its move.
In 2007, the town was listed by Forbes magazine as the 20th fastest growing suburb in America, with a 73.2 percent increase in population between 2000 and 2006.
From the History section of Wake Forest, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Hampton Inn Raleigh/Town Of Wake Forest
Motel and hotel · 2.1 mi
12318 Wake Union Church Road, Wake Forest
Candlewood Suites Wake Forest Raleigh Area
Motel and hotel · 1.9 mi
12050 Retail Drive, Wake Forest
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Raleigh North - Wake Forest
Motel and hotel · 1.8 mi
11400 Common Oaks Drive, Raleigh
Churches and places of worship22
Forestville Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.0 mi
520 West Holding Avenue, Wake Forest
Saint John's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 1.8 mi
830 Durham Road, Wake Forest
Shopping23
Gas and EV charging16
Harris Teeter Fuel Center
Gas station · 3.0 mi
13640 Capital Boulevard, Wake Forest
Schools, colleges and libraries47
St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School
School · Roman Catholic · 1.0 mi
520 West Holding Avenue, Wake Forest
Wakefield High School
School · 3.5 mi
2200 Wakefield Pines Drive, Raleigh
Healthcare7
The Hemp Store Wake Forest
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.2 mi
1002 Durham Road, Wake Forest
Map of Wake Forest
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 28°F | 3.5 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 30°F | 2.9 in |
| Mar | 62°F | 36°F | 4.2 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 45°F | 3.7 in |
| May | 77°F | 55°F | 3.5 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 64°F | 4.1 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 68°F | 4.8 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 67°F | 4.7 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 61°F | 5.3 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 48°F | 3.3 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 37°F | 3.6 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 32°F | 3.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Falls Lake (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Franklin County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Triangle North Executive Airport (LFN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Rolesville 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Raleigh 12 mi southwest, about 19 min by car
- Knightdale 12 mi south, about 19 min by car
- Garner 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Morrisville 20 mi southwest, about 33 min by car
- Clayton 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
- Durham 22 mi west, about 35 min by car
- Cary 22 mi southwest, about 35 min by car
- Apex 26 mi southwest, about 42 min by car
- Henderson 26 mi north, about 41 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Wake forest nc downtown, Rysnap1024, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Purefoy-Chappell House - front - Wake Forest, ResearcherQ, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Purefoy-Chappell House - side - Wake Forest, ResearcherQ, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wake Forest College Birthplace (8634530805), Government & Heritage Library, State Library of NC from Raleigh, NC, United States, Public domain
- Capehart-House-20080321, Jmturner, Public domain
- Cherry blue switch, Jesus Rodriguez, CC BY 2.0
- Forestville Baptist Church - back - North Carolina, ResearcherQ, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Forestville Baptist Church - front - North Carolina, ResearcherQ, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MMMMM… Pastels (8599037004), Wendy from Wake Forest, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Benches-2 - Flickr - Michael A. Richardson, Michael A. Richardson from Raleigh,NC, USA, CC BY 2.0
- StCatherineofSienaWakeForest, Willthacheerleader18, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2009-02-21 Jacumin-Simpson Missions Center, Ildar Sagdejev ( Specious ), CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2009-02-21 Binkley Chapel 1, Ildar Sagdejev ( Specious ), CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2009-02-21 Binkley Chapel 2, Ildar Sagdejev ( Specious ), CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2009-02-21 SEBTS campus, Ildar Sagdejev ( Specious ), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Binkley Chapel, Sebts1950, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 23. The Calvin Jones House, Jenbilly, CC BY-SA 4.0
- History Neglect (1593321670), Wendy, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Camel Trophy Land Rover Defender 110, Thinkpins, CC BY-SA 4.0
- NAS Land Rover Defender 90, Thinkpins, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dante's Italiano, Johnson524, CC0
- Two Roosters Ice Cream cups, Johnson524, CC0
- Shawnti state-record Wakefield banner, Johnson524, CC0
- UNICEF club announcement board, Johnson524, CC0
- Wakefield Tavern, Johnson524, CC0
- 2011-08-03 Shaw Sanitation, Ildar Sagdejev ( Specious ), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front view of WHS, Johnson524, CC0
- Christmas street, Raleigh, NC - Flickr - Sergiy Galyonkin, Sergiy Galyonkin from Raleigh, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Trick-or-treaters - Flickr - Sergiy Galyonkin, Sergiy Galyonkin from Raleigh, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Taylor Swift Halloween decorations, Sergiy Galyonkin, CC BY-SA 4.0
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