ZIP Code · NC

ZIP 27612

Part of Raleigh, NC

Pop. 41,952·Wake County·168th most expensive ZIP in North Carolina

Median rent (all units)

$1,478/mo

Year-over-Year

+2.1%

Month-over-Month

+1.4%

vs US Median

-$454

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 27612 · $1,478

More affordable than 75% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,167

1 BR

$1,226

2 BR

$1,343

3 BR

$1,682

4 BR+

$2,256

Research median

$1,343/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

December. Asking rents in ZIP 27612 usually run 1% below trend in December and 1.1% above it in July, about $31 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 27612 is 2.6% below its high of $1,517 in August 2022, at $1,478 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of North Carolina

Rent in ZIP 27612 changed +2.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 27612 rose 28.9% while median household income rose 20.2% ($79,883 to $95,988). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 27612 is 26.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($95,988) is $2,400 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,060); a 3-bedroom is $2,580.

Rank in Raleigh

4th cheapest of 15 ZIP codes in Raleigh.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 27612. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$17,736/yr

At $1,478/mo median

Location

CityRaleigh

StateNC

CountyWake County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (2.1% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+2.1% YoY, +1.4% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 27612 (Raleigh, NC) is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 65.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

41,952

Median income

$95,988

Median age

38.3

Renters

46.4%

Age distribution

17.6%

27.1%

28.2%

16.2%

Under 1817.6%

18–3427.1%

35–5428.2%

55–6410.9%

65+16.2%

Gender

49.5%

50.5%

Male49.5%

Female50.5%

Race & ethnicity

71.5%

13.7%

White71.5%

Black13.7%

Hispanic7.5%

Asian5.1%

Other2.2%

Education (25+)

21.5%

65.5%

No HS diploma3.3%

HS diploma9.7%

Some college21.5%

Bachelor's+65.5%

Housing tenure

53.6%

46.4%

Owner53.6%

Renter46.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 27612 in Raleigh, NC has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,237 → $1,478

up 19.5%

Income

$83,883 → $95,988

up 14.4%

Population

39,249 → 41,952

up 6.9%

Renter share

46.3% → 46.4%

+0.1 pts

Bachelor's+

65.7% → 65.5%

-0.2 pts

Median age

38.9 → 38.3

-0.6 yrs

Rent in ZIP 27612 in Raleigh, NC has increased 19.5% since 2021, going from about $1,237 per month to roughly $1,478 today. Median household income grew from $83,883 to $95,988 between 2021 and 2024, a 14.4% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 5.1 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 39,249 to 41,952 between 2021 and 2024, a 6.9% change. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 27612 in Raleigh, NC reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

Community

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About renting in ZIP 27612

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 27612 covers Raleigh, NC. The median rent here is $1,478/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,226/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,343/mo.

At 18% of local median household income ($95,988/yr), ZIP 27612 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.1% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 27612?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $59,000/year (about $28/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,478/mo in ZIP 27612. The local median household income is $95,988/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 27612?

Rent in ZIP 27612 has risen 2.1% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 2.6% below its high of $1,517 in August 2022.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 27612?

Asking rents in ZIP 27612 are usually lowest in December, about 1% below their yearly trend, and highest in July, about 1.1% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $31 a month. This pattern comes from 10 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 27612?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 27612 rose 28.9% while median household income rose 20.2%, from $79,883 to $95,988. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 27612 compare to other ZIPs in North Carolina?

ZIP 27612 is one of the more affordable among North Carolina ZIP codes for rent, ranking #168 of 230 at $1,478/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 27612 changed +2.1%, against a typical +2.6% across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks.