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Knightdale, NC

A town of about 20,214 people in Wake County, part of the Raleigh area. Resident comments and photos are about Knightdale; job numbers cover the wider area.

The Raleigh area:Tech hub · Tech jobs 1.7x the U.S. share
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Knightdale

The Home Depot in Knightdale
The Home Depot in Knightdale · Photo: Ildar Sagdejev ( Specious ), CC BY-SA 4.0
Knightdale, North Carolina
Knightdale, North Carolina · Photo: Indy beetle, CC0
Knightdale Bypass Bridge
Knightdale Bypass Bridge · Photo: James Willamor, CC BY-SA 3.0
Mingo Creek Greenway
Mingo Creek Greenway · Photo: James Willamor, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Where it is
Knightdale
Knightdale in North Carolina
North Carolina in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Knightdale's center.

14
grocery stores
26
restaurants
4
coffee shops
33
parks
42
playgrounds
2
libraries
3
bookstores
2
gyms
2
bars
2
pharmacies
1
hospital

None found within 5 miles: movie theaters.

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Knightdale.

Bike lanes and bike paths
46 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
13 miles
about typical for a U.S. town

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 2,633 rented homes in Knightdale, 89% rent for under $2,000 a month and 100% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 12%
$1,000 to $1,499: 31%
$1,500 to $1,999: 46%
$2,000 to $2,499: 8%
$2,500 to $2,999: 2%
$3,000 or more: 0%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Knightdale rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $3,000 to $3,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in North Carolina

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the North Carolina DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: North Carolina voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

One public school district serves this county, with about 159,778 students. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Wake County Schools · Cary
159,778 students · 15 students per teacher · 197 schools · grades Pre-K to 13

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

North Carolina keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$307/week
about $16,000 a year
$217/week
about $11,300 a year
Toddler (2)$251/week
about $13,100 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$189/week
about $9,800 a year
$202/week
about $10,500 a year
School-age$99/week
about $5,100 a year

Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 13% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care.
Search licensed childcare in North Carolina →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

10 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Knightdale. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh
Public, 4-year · 37,323 students · $8,895 in-state, $31,767 out-of-state
Wake Technical Community College · Raleigh
Public, 2-year (community college) · 22,763 students · $2,336 in-state, $7,582 out-of-state
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary · Wake Forest
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,926 students · $10,516 a year
Meredith College · Raleigh
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,576 students · $43,936 a year
Shaw University · Raleigh
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 962 students · $17,272 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$431,269
What a typical home sells for across the Raleigh area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
27 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $3,124 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in NC. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
1 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
10.5 per 100,000 people a year
130 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. NC average: 20.2 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 8 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 6,746 people without housing in the North Carolina Balance of State area (85 counties): 4,521 in shelters and 2,225 outside, up from 4,180 in 2024. NC: 14 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$101,763
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.71% of home value a year
About $710 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.99%
NC's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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