on May 14, 2025

HR&A collaborated with Wake County to launch an interactive housing platform to inform growth

This press release was originally issued by Wake County.

New platform delivers real-time housing trends and insights

 

Wake County is giving residents, local leaders and housing advocates a powerful new tool to understand the housing landscape and shape the future of their communities. The county’s new Housing Data Dashboard is now live, offering a one-stop hub for exploring key trends in population growth, affordability, supply and demand.

 

“This tool will help us all make informed decisions about how we grow and where we invest,” said Chair Susan Evans with the Wake County Board of Commissioners. “The more we understand the full picture, the more effectively we can address housing challenges and create opportunity for all.”

 

The dashboard comes at a pivotal time. Wake County’s population has grown nearly 10 percent in the last decade, with more than 41,000 people moving in from other parts of the country last year alone. Median rent rose by more than 26 percent since 2018, placing increased strain on renters. Nearly 61,000 renter households now spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing, which is considered cost burdened.

 

By making this data accessible to everyone, the platform aims to foster more coordinated, data-driven responses to Wake County’s most urgent housing needs. It allows users to explore interactive charts and maps, dig into trends across demographics, affordability and supply, and export reports tailored to their communities.

 

Wake County partnered with HR&A Advisors Inc. to develop the dashboard. Their team helped build a platform that delivers both deep analytical capabilities for internal staff and actionable insights for the public.