The Town FilesRolesville, North Carolina
Town in Wake County · population 9,475 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $535,000
- Household income
- $149,565
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 40.6
Rolesville is a town of 9,475 people in Wake County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $535,000, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for families than 96% of North Carolina towns, more upscale than 96% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 87% of North Carolina towns.
How Rolesville ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rolesville is worth $535,000, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $149,565, which is more affordable than 57% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,085 a month. 92.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rolesville | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $535,000 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,085 | $969 |
| Median household income | $149,565 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 92.5% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 2013 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rolesville
| People | Rolesville | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.1% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.1% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.2% | — |
| Work from home | 27.9% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 89.5% |
Weather in Rolesville
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 28.3°F. About 47.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.5 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 82 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rolesville since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on November 28, 1988 about 3.2 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 229 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 13, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 1, 1990.
Severe weather in Wake County since 1996
Wake County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| August 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Wake County
Wake County had 653,153 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $76,807 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Rolesville itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Rolesville
5 public schools with 5,140 students, about 17.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolesville High | 9-12 | 2,319 | 18.4 |
| Rolesville Middle | 6-8 | 944 | 16.0 |
| Rolesville Charter Academy (charter) | K-8 | 746 | 23.3 |
| Sanford Creek Elementary | PK-5 | 622 | 13.5 |
| Rolesville Elementary | PK-5 | 509 | 13.4 |
Towns near Rolesville
- Wake Forest, NC4.3 mi · 47,601 people · home $474,500
- Knightdale, NC8.8 mi · 19,435 people · home $380,100
- Zebulon, NC10.2 mi · 6,903 people · home $320,700
- Wendell, NC10.5 mi · 9,793 people · home $330,500
- Raleigh, NC11.5 mi · 467,665 people · home $415,800
- Lake Royale, NC15.5 mi · 3,392 people · home $280,400
- Louisburg, NC15.6 mi · 3,064 people · home $262,500
- Archer Lodge, NC16.9 mi · 4,797 people · home $324,500
Rolesville questions
Is Rolesville, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rolesville scores better for retirees than 63% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 27%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.6).
How much does a house cost in Rolesville?
The median owner-occupied home in Rolesville is valued at $535,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $149,565, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,085 a month.
What is the weather like in Rolesville?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 28.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.5 inches of precipitation a year and 3.5 inches of snow.
Does Rolesville get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rolesville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on November 28, 1988. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)