Area Information

A close-knit community with a world of opportunity just minutes away, the Wake Forest and Raleigh area offers something for everyone.

Wake Forest is a unique community with a thriving downtown where you can walk just about anywhere to shop, eat or simply visit. It was born as a college town and for more than a century the town and the college grew up together with intertwined histories. The original 1830s campus has changed owners and names, but remains a geographical focus of the community that has grown around it. Historic homes, some more than 200 years old, decorate the downtown streets surrounding Southeastern’s campus and give the town a genuine neighborhood feel. The downtown streets feature coffee and tea shops, specialty boutiques, restaurants and more.

While proud of its history, Wake Forest is also a town of the future. The area boasts dozens of restaurants and major nationally-known chains and locally-owned establishments. Several large grocery stores serve the town, and a number of major retail chains, including Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s have stores in Wake Forest. 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. For more on Wake Forest, visit : wakeforestnc.gov

Wake Forest is located at the northern tip of a metropolitan area commonly called the Triangle, consisting of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, and home to more than 1.2 million residents. One of the fastest growing metro regions in the country, the Triangle offers its residents numerous employment, educational and recreation opportunities.

Three major research universities call the Triangle home. Three major museums, a 500,000 square-foot convention center and an international airport also serve the region.

In 2008, Raleigh was rated #2 nationally by Kiplinger among the “Best Cities to Live, Work and Play.”