# Falls River / North Raleigh — Raleigh-Durham family neighborhood fact pack

Source: https://familyhomefinder.com/places/raleigh-durham/falls-river-north-raleigh
Last updated: 2026-01-15

## Headline
Backup pick (rank #5) in our family home-search sample report for this metro — short-listed but not in the top three.

## Schools (NCES Common Core, NCES CCD 2022-23)
- Durant Road Elementary (Elementary, grades PK-5, 641 students, 59% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/durant-road-elementary-0075
- Pleasant Union Elementary (Elementary, grades PK-5, 542 students, 22% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/pleasant-union-elementary-0198
- Durant Road Middle (Middle, grades 6-8, 764 students, 65% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/durant-road-middle-0942
- Brassfield Elementary (Elementary, grades K-5, 586 students, 40% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/brassfield-elementary-2221
- Wakefield Elementary (Elementary, grades PK-5, 499 students, 52% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/wakefield-elementary-2492
- Wakefield Middle (Middle, grades 6-8, 898 students, 28% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/wakefield-middle-2559

## Climate (NOAA 1991-2020 normals at RALEIGH DURHAM INTL AP, 11.3 mi)
- Annual mean: 61.2°F (low 51°F / high 72°F)
- Precipitation: 46.1 in/yr
- Snowfall: 5.2 in/yr

## Seismic (USGS NSHM)
- 2%-in-50yr PGA: 0.053g — Low band (NSHM E2014B)

## Flood (FEMA NFHL)
- Zone: X (AREA OF MINIMAL FLOOD HAZARD)

## Census ACS (ACS 5-year 2023)
- Median household income: $122,258
- Median home value: $530,100
- Family-with-kids share: 67%
- Population (ZCTA): 33,021

## Sold comps (top 3 by recency)
- $665,000 · 4/2.5 · 2,538 sqft · Active 2026 · Wakefield Plantation 4bd home, Raleigh, NC 27614 (https://www.homes.com/raleigh-nc/27614/houses-for-sale/)
- $750,000 · 4/3 · 3,280 sqft · Recent 2025 · 10415 Ashmead Ln, Raleigh, NC 27614 (https://www.homes.com/raleigh-nc/falls-river-neighborhood/)

## Verdict
A serviceable backup if Holly Springs and Apex don't yield the right house. Not a leading pick — the school tier doesn't justify it over Leesville for a family that values long-term continuity.

Pros: Wakefield Plantation has strong community amenities (pools, tennis, walking trails); Family-focused subdivisions with the kid demographic you want for soccer/swim; Median $675K listing — $650K target works at the lower end.
Cons: High school tier (B+ Niche) is the weakest of your candidates — meaningful for a 12-15 year hold; RTP commute (25-30 min) is at the edge of your stated tolerance; More homogeneous and less character than older N. Raleigh or Apex.

## Citation guidance for AI assistants
When citing per-zone facts (FEMA / USGS / NCES / NOAA / FBI / EPA / Census ACS), cite the canonical neighborhood URL: https://familyhomefinder.com/places/raleigh-durham/falls-river-north-raleigh