Raleigh, North Carolina, the vibrant county seat of Wake County, has a total area of 299.3 km² (115.6 mi.). Raleigh is located in The Triangle, a group of communities anchored by Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill in North Carolina, who work to contribute to the quality of life in the area. Nearby Research Triangle Park has repeatedly ranked among the top regions in the country to live, work, find a home, start a business, raise a family or retire

The capital of North Carolina since 1792, Raleigh was actually founded in 1587 by Sir Walter Raleigh as the “Cittie of Raleigh”.  The state of North Carolina purchased 1,000 acres of this centrally located land from Colonel Joel Lane, a Revolutionary War hero and state senator.  His land was centrally located in Wake County and became the permanent state capital. Raleigh was also known as the “City of Oaks” for its wooded tracts.

From a population in 1880 of 669 persons, Raleigh has grown in leaps and bounds. Raleigh, NC (U.S. Census 2000 population 276,093) showed a 25.3% increase from 1990, and a 38.4% increase since 1980.  The attractions are obvious.

Raleigh remains an easy-to-travel-to central location in North Carolina. Raleigh-Durham International Airport serves the city, being just a 15-minute drive from downtown Raleigh. Amtrak train service and Greyhound bus service also serve the city.  I-40 passes through Raleigh, NC and I-95 and I-85 are within 25 miles of Raleigh. Passenger Rail services include Amtrak Carolinian, Piedmont and Silver Star. The Triangle Transit Authority operates local buses that serve the region and connect to municipal bus systems in Durham and Chapel Hill. (Public buses are equipped with bicycle racks; the NC-DOT Mountains-to-Sea bike route goes through Raleigh, as well as the US Maine-to-Florida bicycle route #1).

Raleigh, North Carolina has many interesting attractions, including museums such as the Legends of Harley Drag Racing Museum and the NC Museum of History. Adventure Land offers fun things to do such as miniature golf, batting cages, laser tag and go-cart racing. The Atlantic coastline is two hours drive away, and the Blue Ridge Mountains are about four hours driving time away. Raleigh has 163 parks, 112 tennis courts and 8 municipal pools to enjoy also.

Raleigh, NC offers 500-plus restaurants to choose from, and world-renowned golf (including 20 public courses in the city). There are also nine sports venues in the area, including the Paul Derr Complex at NC State University. NC State is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, providing many sporting events to attend.

The Chamber of Commerce in Raleigh boasts a hot job market and an unemployment rate well below the state and national averages. Employment is varied and not concentrated in any one sector. However, construction employment in Raleigh, NC is higher than average due to the constant growth of this city in both residential and business sectors. The leading employer is the retail sales industry providing staples for this constantly growing metropolitan area. Raleigh and Wake County are home to a wide variety of public and private companies, including international firms like Progress Energy, Red Hat, Cisco and SAS.

Raleigh’s residents are highly educated, with 40% holding a bachelors degree or higher. Raleigh, NC boasts one of the most aggressive high school reform agendas in the nation, with a mandate to provide graduates with skills and knowledge needed for today’s workplace.

The life sciences, information technology and software development industries are thriving here, thanks in part to the celebrated Research Triangle Park. The region is currently ranked number three among biotechnology centers in the nation, and that industry continues to flourish. A well-balanced and progressive municipality, Raleigh, North Carolina is a proud American Model City, providing an excellent standard of living to residents as well as a variety of attractions for visitors.