Wake Forest

A close-knit community with a world of opportunity just minutes away, the Wake Forest and Raleigh area offers something for everyone.

Wake Forest is a unique community with a thriving downtown where you can walk just about anywhere to shop, eat or simply visit. It was born as a college town and for more than a century the town and the college grew up together with intertwined histories. The original 1830s campus has changed owners and names, but remains a geographical focus of the community that has grown around it. Historic homes, some more than 200 years old, decorate the downtown streets surrounding Southeastern’s campus and give the town a genuine neighborhood feel. The downtown streets feature coffee and tea shops, specialty boutiques, restaurants and more.

While proud of its history, Wake Forest is also a town of the future. The area boasts dozens of restaurants and major nationally-known chains and locally-owned establishments. Several large grocery stores serve the town, and a number of major retail chains, including Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s have stores in Wake Forest. In 2007, the town was listed by Forbes magazine as the 20th fastest growing suburb in America, with a 73.2 percent increase in population between 2000 and 2006. For more on Wake Forest, visit www.ci.wake-forest.nc.us, wakeforestchamber.org or www.wakeforestdowntown.com.