27603 ZIP Code — Raleigh, NC
Wake County, North Carolina
ZIP code 27603 is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, within Wake County. It covers approximately 51.41 square miles and serves a population of 53,535 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 919.
About ZIP code 27603
The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $313,200. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 61%.
The gap between median ($84,569) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with professional and management as the leading industry. The average commute of 28 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is high — 48% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national average of 33%.
53,535
population
51.41
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
27603 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 27603
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 27603. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Raleigh | Acceptable |
| Raleigh | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
27606 Raleigh (4.9 mi)
27529 Garner (5.6 mi)
27635 Raleigh (6.3 mi)
27690 Raleigh (6.3 mi)
27634 Raleigh (6.3 mi)
27698 Raleigh (6.3 mi)
27640 Raleigh (6.3 mi)
27668 Raleigh (6.3 mi)
27699 Raleigh (6.3 mi)
27656 Raleigh (6.3 mi)
27697 Raleigh (6.3 mi)
27601 Raleigh (6.5 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 53,535 |
| Population density | 1,041 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 37 |
| County FIPS | 183 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 51.41 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.13 sq mi |
| Latitude | 35.6837 |
| Longitude | -78.6641 |
| Timezone | Eastern (ET) |
| Area code | 919 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 36.2% | 28.8% | 44.4% |
| $50k – $100k | 28.3% | 29.9% | 30.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 27.2% | 29.3% | 19.1% |
| Over $200k | 8.3% | 12.0% | 6.0% |
Demographics & statistics
53,535
Population
1,041
People per sq mi
34.9
Median age
$84,569
Median household income
$46,559
Per capita income
$313,200
Median home value
$1,416
Median monthly rent
61.1%
Home ownership
12.3%
Poverty rate
3.8%
Unemployment
15,363
Housing units
47.9%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
1,850
Under 5
1,746
1,731
5–9
1,634
1,134
10–14
1,070
1,320
15–19
1,246
2,530
20–24
2,390
5,316
25–34
5,019
3,861
35–44
3,645
3,411
45–54
3,220
1,742
55–59
1,645
1,362
60–64
1,287
2,127
65–74
2,009
934
75–84
881
219
85+
206
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 10,664 | 19.9% |
| 18 and over | 42,871 | 80.1% |
| 65 and over | 6,376 | 11.9% |
| Median age | 34.9 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
61.6%
Black or African American
16.4%
Hispanic or Latino
8.1%
Two or more races
7.6%
Other race
4.1%
Asian
2%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 35,889 | 61.6% |
| Black or African American | 9,575 | 16.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,739 | 8.1% |
| Two or more races | 4,409 | 7.6% |
| Other race | 2,370 | 4.1% |
| Asian | 1,156 | 2% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 136 | 0.2% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 36.2% | 28.8% | 44.4% |
| $50k – $100k | 28.3% | 29.9% | 30.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 27.2% | 29.3% | 19.1% |
| Over $200k | 8.3% | 12.0% | 6.0% |
Under $10k
4.7%
$10k–$15k
2.3%
$15k–$25k
7.2%
$25k–$35k
7.3%
$35k–$50k
9.6%
$50k–$75k
13.0%
$75k–$100k
14.6%
$100k–$150k
18.9%
$150k–$200k
10.6%
$200k+
11.7%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 4.7% |
| $10k–$15k | 2.3% |
| $15k–$25k | 7.2% |
| $25k–$35k | 7.3% |
| $35k–$50k | 9.6% |
| $50k–$75k | 13.0% |
| $75k–$100k | 14.6% |
| $100k–$150k | 18.9% |
| $150k–$200k | 10.6% |
| $200k+ | 11.7% |
| Median income | $84,569 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
3.7%
$50k–$100k
3.3%
$100k–$150k
4.4%
$150k–$200k
6.5%
$200k–$300k
28.8%
$300k–$500k
38.2%
$500k–$1M
14.1%
$1M+
1.1%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $313,200 |
| Median rent / month | $1,416 |
| Owner occupied | 61.1% |
| Renter occupied | 38.9% |
| Vacant | 10.0% |
| Single-family detached | 60.1% |
| Large apartment buildings | 15.6% |
| Mobile homes | 5.5% |
| Median rooms | 5.4 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.56 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 1.7% |
| 2010–2019 | 17.6% |
| 2000–2009 | 25.2% |
| 1990–1999 | 18.2% |
| 1980–1989 | 13.4% |
| 1970–1979 | 7.5% |
| 1960–1969 | 7.4% |
| 1950–1959 | 2.6% |
| 1940–1949 | 1.6% |
| 1939 or earlier | 4.8% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 2.1% |
| 1 bedroom | 10.6% |
| 2 bedrooms | 23.3% |
| 3 bedrooms | 46.2% |
| 4 bedrooms | 15.7% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 2.0% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 3.2% |
| 1 vehicle | 29.2% |
| 2 vehicles | 43.8% |
| 3 or more | 23.7% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 27.1% |
| Electricity | 67.0% |
| Propane / LP gas | 4.5% |
| Fuel oil | 0.7% |
| Wood | 0.2% |
| Solar | 0.2% |
| No fuel used | 0.2% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 9,793 | 46.0% |
| Cohabiting couple | 1,361 | 6.4% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 4,973 | 23.4% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 5,154 | 24.2% |
| Households with children under 18 | 5,291 | 24.9% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 4,522 | 21.2% |
| Average household size | 2.45 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 44.3% | 31.8% |
| Married | 45.6% | 47.9% |
| Separated | 1.1% | 2.0% |
| Widowed | 1.5% | 8.1% |
| Divorced | 7.4% | 10.1% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
2.5%
Some HS, no diploma
3.8%
HS graduate
17.9%
Some college, no degree
20.0%
Associate's degree
8.0%
Bachelor's degree
33.4%
Graduate / professional
14.5%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 93.8% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 47.9% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 1,091 | 8.2% |
| Kindergarten | 580 | 4.3% |
| Elementary school | 4,481 | 33.6% |
| High school | 1,688 | 12.6% |
| College / grad school | 5,508 | 41.3% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Professional & management
20.2%
Education & healthcare
19.9%
Arts, food & hospitality
9.5%
Manufacturing
8.7%
Retail trade
8.4%
Construction
6.6%
Finance & real estate
6.2%
Public administration
5.6%
Transportation & utilities
4.8%
Other services
3.8%
Information
3.5%
Wholesale trade
2.2%
Agriculture & mining
0.5%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 53.8% |
| Service | 13.4% |
| Sales & office | 17.4% |
| Natural resources & construction | 5.3% |
| Production & transportation | 10.2% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 79.6% |
| Government | 13.7% |
| Self-employed | 6.4% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.3% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 69.9% |
| Carpool | 6.7% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 1.9% |
| Work from home | 19.7% |
| Other means | 1.3% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 27.8 |
Poverty
All people
12.3%
Under 18 years
12.7%
18 and over
12.2%
Married-couple families
2.3%
Female-led households
23.7%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 21.5% |
| Retirement income | 17.3% |
| Supplemental Security | 2.0% |
| Cash public assistance | 0.7% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 6.3% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 30.2% |
| High blood pressure | 27.5% |
| High cholesterol | 26.9% |
| Diabetes | 7.9% |
| Heart disease | 4.3% |
| Stroke | 2.2% |
| Asthma | 8.9% |
| Arthritis | 17.4% |
| Kidney disease | 2.2% |
| Pulmonary disease | 4.7% |
| Cancer | 4.5% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 14.9% |
| Binge drinking | 18.3% |
| No physical activity | 17.6% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 31.6% |
| Depression | 22.8% |
| Fair or poor health | 11.0% |
| Poor mental health | 14.6% |
| Poor physical health | 8.5% |
| No health insurance | 17.9% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 76.4% |
| Visited dentist | 69.0% |
| Cholesterol screening | 87.0% |
| Teeth loss | 11.8% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 3,458 | 8.1% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 10.4% |
| Under 18 | 3.0% |
| 18–64 years | 8.2% |
| 65 and over | 35.4% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 72.6% |
| Public insurance | 25.1% |
| No insurance | 11.7% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 5.0% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 49,939 | 93.3% |
| Spanish | 3,285 | 6.6% |
| Other Indo-European | 2,534 | 5.1% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 61 | 0.1% |
| Other languages | 441 | 0.9% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 48,825 | 91.2% |
| Born in same state | 48,061 | 89.8% |
| Born in different state | 27,042 | 50.5% |
| Foreign born | 764 | 1.4% |
| Naturalized citizen | 4,710 | 8.8% |
| Not a US citizen | 1,666 | 35.4% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| French | 7,874 | 14.7% |
| Arab | 5,646 | 10.5% |
| Italian | 4,220 | 7.9% |
| English | 428 | 0.8% |
| Polish | 311 | 0.6% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch | 152 | 0.3% |
| Irish | 150 | 0.3% |
| German | 66 | 0.1% |
| Norwegian | 57 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 39.8% |
| Internet access | 96.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 27603
What part of Raleigh is ZIP code 27603?
ZIP code 27603 covers a portion of Raleigh, North Carolina, within Wake County.
What county is ZIP code 27603 in?
ZIP code 27603 falls within Wake County, North Carolina.
How educated is the population of ZIP code 27603?
48% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — well above the national average of ~33%, reflecting a highly educated population.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 27603?
The median home value in ZIP code 27603 is $313,200.
What is the population of ZIP code 27603?
ZIP code 27603 has an estimated population of 53,535 residents, with a density of 1,041 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 27603?
The median household income in ZIP code 27603 is $84,569, above the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 27603 in?
ZIP code 27603 observes the EST timezone.