# Holly Springs — Raleigh-Durham family neighborhood fact pack

Source: https://familyhomefinder.com/places/raleigh-durham/holly-springs
Last updated: 2026-01-15

## Headline
Rank #1 pick in our family home-search sample report for this metro.

## Schools (NCES Common Core, NCES CCD 2022-23)
- Southern Wake Academy (High, grades 6-12, 579 students) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/southern-wake-academy-2554
- Pine Springs Preparatory Academy (Elementary, grades K-8, 1,243 students) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/pine-springs-preparatory-academy-3413
- Holly Springs Elementary (Elementary, grades PK-5, 907 students, 18% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/holly-springs-elementary-2035
- Holly Ridge Elementary (Elementary, grades PK-5, 791 students, 15% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/holly-ridge-elementary-2683
- Holly Ridge Middle (Middle, grades 6-8, 994 students, 25% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/holly-ridge-middle-2684
- Holly Springs High (High, grades 9-12, 2,140 students, 12% free/reduced lunch) — https://familyhomefinder.com/schools/raleigh-durham/holly-springs-high-2847

## Climate (NOAA 1991-2020 normals at NEW HILL, 7.2 mi)
- Annual mean: 59.2°F (low 47°F / high 71°F)
- Precipitation: 47.1 in/yr

## Seismic (USGS NSHM)
- 2%-in-50yr PGA: 0.059g — Low band (NSHM E2014B)

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

## Census ACS (ACS 5-year 2023)
- Median household income: $125,681
- Median home value: $474,700
- Family-with-kids share: 82%
- Population (ZCTA): 45,993

## Sold comps (top 3 by recency)
- $1,040,000 · 5/4.5 · 4,769 sqft · 2025-04-21 · 117 Holly Mountain Rd, Holly Springs, NC 27540 (https://www.homes.com/holly-springs-nc/sold/)
- $1,004,000 · 5/4.5 · 4,011 sqft · 2025-05-01 · 816 Green Oaks Pkwy, Holly Springs, NC 27540 (https://www.homes.com/holly-springs-nc/sold/)
- $647,144 · 4/4 · 2,532 sqft · 2023-01-31 · 209 Emory Bluffs Dr, Holly Springs, NC 27540 (https://www.zillow.com/holly-springs-nc-27540/sold/15_p/)

## Verdict
The most balanced zone in your search — strong schools, healthy school culture, budget fit, and family-friendly amenities. This is where I'd start. Why this fits you specifically: a 12-15 year hold needs school continuity, and Holly Springs delivers a single feeder pattern (HSE → Holly Ridge → Holly Springs HS) without the toxic-competition risk of the Cary pipelines.

Pros: Strong K-12 pipeline top-to-bottom (88-91% elementary math proficiency); Holly Springs HS at 69% AP — the right pressure level for your stated low-tolerance mandate; Budget works cleanly: $650K hits the median; market is buyer-friendly (76 days on market, 1 offer).
Cons: 20-25 min RTP commute is the upper end of your target — fine for hybrid 3 days/wk, would be tight if it became 5; Holly Ridge Middle has one parent-flagged safety incident (May 2024); needs an in-person principal conversation; Less character / older-neighborhood feel than Apex downtown or Cary; mostly newer subdivisions.

## 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/holly-springs