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Buying land in Wake County, North Carolina: what to check

Wake County covers 835 square miles of land and 22 of water in North Carolina, with about 1,232,444 residents in 2024 (up 9.1% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 38% of its land as rural and 95% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 12% of the county's land. Below: how much of Wake County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Wake CountySee a sample report

Wake County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

26%

Above the state's county median (7.2%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

5.6%

Above the state's county median (3.2%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

61%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$14,718/acre

Above the state's county median ($5,848)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

13%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

38%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Wake County

Ordered by what Wake County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Put flood checks first in Wake County

    26% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 9.6% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently. FEMA rates Wake County's river-flooding risk relatively high.

    Look up the FEMA flood zone at the pin, not the parcel's address. If any of the land is in zone A or V, price flood insurance before you offer, ask for an elevation certificate, and check whether the access road floods too.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

  2. 2.Budget for a perc test and maybe an engineered septic

    USDA rates 61% of Wake County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and 0% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  3. 3.Check the soils if you plan to farm, graze or garden

    Farm real estate in Wake County averaged $14,718 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 51% of its mapped soils are prime or of statewide importance.

    Compare the asking price with recent sales of similar tracts, not the county average, which mixes cropland, pasture, timber and homesites. If an ag tax valuation applies, ask what the rollback taxes would be if you change the use.

    Guide: Land due diligence checklist

  4. 4.Find out where the water comes from

    At least half of Wake County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 13% of the 262 weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps from 2021 to 2026.

    Ask whether the land has a public water connection, an existing well (and its log and yield), or neighbors' well depths from the state well database. For a new well, check permits and typical depth with the state agency first.

    Guide: Wells, public water and water rights

  5. 5.Rule out wetlands on the part you'll use

    About 5.6% of Wake County's mapped soils are hydric (formed under saturated conditions, a federal wetland indicator) and 2.3% are poorly or very poorly drained (USDA SSURGO).

    Open the National Wetlands Inventory mapper at the parcel. Filling or draining a wetland can need a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, and wet ground limits septic fields and building pads.

    Guide: Wetlands on land for sale

  6. 6.Confirm access, utilities and zoning

    The 2020 Census classified 38% of Wake County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Zoning and deed restrictions

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Wake County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
26%, 3rd highest of 100 in North Carolina FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
9.6% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
5.6% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
2.3% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
22 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
100% moderate or worse, 100% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Wake County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
15% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Prime only if drained, irrigated or protected
9.1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
35% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
6.2% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
61% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Wake County's soil-surveyed land (about 530,641 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
664 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
12% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
94 acres (median 32) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$14,718 per acre, 3rd highest of 100 in North Carolina USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
32,997 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
7,478 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
12,090 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
2,307 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Wake County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Relatively High.

  • HailRelatively High
  • Heat waveRelatively High
  • River and inland floodingRelatively High
  • LightningRelatively High
  • TornadoRelatively High
  • HurricaneRelatively Moderate
  • Winter weatherRelatively Moderate
  • DroughtRelatively Low
  • EarthquakeRelatively Low
  • LandslideRelatively Low
  • Strong windRelatively Low
  • WildfireVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Wake County

How much of Wake County, NC is in a flood zone?

About 26% of Wake County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 3rd highest of 100 counties in North Carolina. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Wake County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Wake County at $14,718 an acre, 3rd highest of 100 counties in North Carolina (the median North Carolina county was $5,848). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Wake County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 61% of Wake County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Wake County?

15% of Wake County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 9.1% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 35% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 664 farms averaging 94 acres.

How often is Wake County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 13% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 4.2%. On 2026-10-27, 100% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Wake County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Wake County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Wake County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Wake County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Wake County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.