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Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina and is the second largest city in NC after Charlotte. Population estimates in January, 2009 were approximately 385,500 and we have been recognized as one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. There’s a lot more to the area than just Raleigh, though. Durham and Chapel Hill are the other primary cities of the Research Triangle metropolitan region, although Cary has been getting more and more buzz as a major player in the area.

There are three counties that make up the Raleigh metro area: Wake, Durham and Orange. Raleigh is located in Wake and Chapel Hill is in Orange County. A spring 2009 report from MSNBC projected that Raleigh will set the fastest pace of any metropolitan area in the country by 2025 citing “…an increase of 97.7 percent in 20 years, which equals an annual growth rate of 3.5 percent.” Read more about The biggest U.S. metro areas in 2025 from MSNBC.com.

Other popular surrounding towns of Raleigh include:  Wake Forest, Rolesville, Wendell, Zebulon, Knightdale, Garner, Willow Springs, Fuquay Varina, Holly Springs, Apex, Cary and Morrisville, Chapel Hill and Pittsboro.

Major universities like NC State, Chapel Hill, Duke and NC Central play a significant role in Raleigh’s identity. Highly recognized programs like engineering, forestry, architecture, medical programs and law schools turn out highly sought after recruits and draw new businesses from around the world.