Wendell, North Carolina
Wendell is a town of 13,064 people in Wake County, North Carolina.
Why visit Wendell
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 29 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Dr. Thomas H. Avera House, Hood-Anderson Farm and Wendell Country Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 31°F.
Weather in Wendell
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Wendell
Wendell is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. It is a satellite town of Raleigh, the state capital. The population was 9,793 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 19,687 in 2025.
From the Wikipedia article Wendell, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks10
Dr. Thomas H. Avera House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Hood-Anderson Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Building in North Carolina, United States
Oaky Grove
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Building in North Carolina, United States
Sunnyside
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic home in Wendell, North Carolina, United States
Walnut Hill Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
Wendell Boulevard Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
National historic district located at Wendell, North Carolina, a town in eastern Wake County
Wendell Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
Walnut Hill Cotton Gin
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Lake Myra Christmas Light Show
Monument and historic site · 1.0 mi
10 South Cypress Street
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
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Restaurants and cafes29
Farmers & Merchants
Bar and pub · 1.0 mi
1 N Main St, Wendell
Mo 11:00-14:00; Tu 11:00-21:00; We,Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 10:00-23:00;...
Boulevard Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.9 mi
2925 Wendell Boulevard, Wendell
Mario Deli & Grill
Restaurant · 2.1 mi
2317 Eagle Rock Road, Wendell
Mo-Su 07:00-22:00
Carolina Brewing Co/Wendell Taproom
Brewery and winery · 1.1 mi
5 North Main Street, Wendell
Tu-We 15:00-21:00; Th 15:00-22:00; Fr 15:00-00:00; Sa 12:00-00:00;...
Twisted Cow Bar & Burgers
Bar and pub · 1.1 mi
1 North Main Street, Wendell
Tu-We 16:00-21:00; Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
41 North Coffee Co
Restaurant · 1.0 mi
41 North Main Street, Wendell
Agave Mexican Bar & Grill
Restaurant · 1.0 mi
18 West 3rd Street, Wendell
Aubreys and Peedies Grill
Cafe · 1.1 mi
38 North Main Street, Wendell
17 more on the map.
Where to stay1
Sunset Inn
Motel and hotel · 0.9 mi
116 North Buffalo Street, Wendell
History
Incorporated on March 6, 1903, Wendell was settled in the 1850s, when farmers in Granville County were victims of a blight that came to be known as the Granville County Wilt. Their tobacco crops failed, and they chose to move to a new location with more fertile land for their crops.
As settlement increased, a small village took form. The villagers asked the local schoolteacher, M.A. Griffin, to choose a name. Griffin suggested they call it Wendell, in honor of his favorite poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes. However, the townspeople pronounce each syllable with equal emphasis, not as the poet's middle name is said. The Town seal was adopted on April 4, 1963.
The first post office was built in 1891, and has been restored by the Wendell Historical Society. The oldest institution in Wendell is Hephzibah Baptist Church, founded in 1809. The first newspaper was the Wendell Clarion, founded in 1911, which was succeeded by the Gold Leaf Farmer and currently the Eastern Wake News.
Wendell has four buildings and two districts that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Dr. Thomas H. Avera House, Harmony Plantation, Riley Hill School, Sunnyside, Wendell Boulevard Historic District, and the Wendell Commercial Historic District.
From the History section of Wendell, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship5
St Eugene's Catholic Church
Place of worship · 1.8 mi
608 Lions Club Road, Wendell
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries28
Healthcare2
Map of Wendell
92 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 31°F | 3.7 in |
| Feb | 56°F | 31°F | 3.1 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 38°F | 4.1 in |
| Apr | 72°F | 47°F | 3.4 in |
| May | 80°F | 56°F | 3.8 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 65°F | 4.1 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 70°F | 5.9 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 68°F | 4.4 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 63°F | 6.4 in |
| Oct | 72°F | 50°F | 3.8 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 38°F | 3.4 in |
| Dec | 56°F | 34°F | 3.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Clayton 3E (10 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
Wake County has had 16 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
Bagwell Airport (NC99) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- Knightdale 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Clayton 9 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Rolesville 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Raleigh 14 mi west, about 23 min by car
- Wake Forest 14 mi northwest, about 23 min by car
- Garner 14 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
- Smithfield 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Cary 24 mi west, about 39 min by car
- Fuquay-Varina 25 mi southwest, about 40 min by car
- Morrisville 25 mi west, 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
- Bank of Wendell, Nicholas Oren Rawlings, CC BY-SA 3.0
- East Wendell Boulevard, Nicholas Oren Rawlings, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sunnyside (Wendell, North Carolina), Nicholas Oren Rawlings, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oaky Grove Plantation House, Nicholas Oren Rawlings, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oaky Grove Methodist Episcopal Church NE, Nicholas Oren Rawlings, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Walnut Hill Cotton Gin, Nicholas Oren Rawlings, CC BY-SA 3.0
- R.B. Whitley Tobacco Auction House, Nicholas Oren Rawlings, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bearded Bee 3, Johnson524, CC0
- Bearded Bee 2, Johnson524, CC0
- Bearded Bee, Johnson524, CC0
- W.C. Campen Livery Stable, Nicholas Oren Rawlings, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS065-E-235846 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-22822 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-185482 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-22821 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-22818 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-22823 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-22820 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS040-E-124968 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-22819 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS040-E-124969 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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