03.11.2024

SUBSCRIBE | REFER

Today’s Forecast

59º | 0% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:30 a.m. | Sunset 7:19 p.m.

💼 We crunched the numbers for you

The top industries and employers in the Raleigh area

An aerial view of downtown Raleigh. | Photo by @dyyymondaerials

More than 1.17 million people (and thousands of businesses) contribute to the Raleigh area’s $95.6 billion economy. But have you ever wondered about the City of Oaks’ heaviest hitters?

Consider this Raleigh Business 101 — your guide to our region’s five key industries and six major employers.

Note: When we say the Raleigh area, that refers to Wake County’s 12 municipalities including Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Raleigh, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon.

A map of Wake County. — Wake County includes 12 municipalities, including Raleigh in the center.
|
Map via Wake County

The key industries

There are five key industries that represent around 75% of Wake County’s economy, based on data from the Raleigh Chamber and Wake County Economic Development. We’ve listed them in order of employment numbers.

Professional and Business Services | 137,197 employees
Everything from accounting and law firms to banks and marketing agencies fall under this umbrella — with larger employers including Fidelity Investments and Conduent Business Services.

Education and Health Services | 114,512 employees
Duke University and Duke Health Systems, the Wake County Public School System, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill take the lion’s share of this sector’s employment.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 111,205 employees
Walmart, Food Lion, and Target are the largest retailers in the region — last year, retail sales topped $21.1 billion in Wake County.

Outside of PNC Arena — PNC Arena and the Carolina Hurricanes employ ~400 people.
|
Photo by Carolina Hurricanes

Government | 88,820 employees
When you account for the federal, state, and local employees across Wake County, plus all the government employees within each city, it adds up. The largest public administration employer is the State of North Carolina, which employs ~24,000 people for everything from park maintenance to tax assessment.

Leisure and Hospitality | 65,428 employees
The millions of people that visit the area each year — and their billions in spending — have played a major role in this sector’s growth over the last decade. Luihn Food Systems (think: KFC and Taco Bell), Concord Hospitality Enterprises, and PNC Arena are some of the largest employers.

This information is derived from the most recent data published by the Raleigh Chamber and Wake County Economic Development.

Click the link below for the area’s six major employers — that all employ more than 10,000 workers.

Major players in Wake County

Asked

Test your business knowledge: Which company employs the most people globally?

A. Amazon
B. McDonald’s
C. Walmart
D. Starbucks

Let's get down to biz

Events

Monday, March 11

Concerts & Cocktails: “The Little Mermaid” | Monday, March 11-Sunday, March 24 | Times vary | 10th & Terrace, 616 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh | Price of purchase | Before heading to Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts to watch the Carolina Ballet perform “The Little Mermaid,” stop by this bar with sweeping views for a show-themed cocktail.
Bingo Night | Monday, March 11, Monday, March 25 | Times vary | The Long Leaf Hotel, 300 N. Dawson St., Raleigh | Free | Grab a fancy bev from the bar and enjoy this game of chance.

Tuesday, March 12

Can I Recycle This? | Tuesday, March 12 | 3-5 p.m. | Oberlin Regional Library, 1930 Clark Ave., Raleigh | Free | Learn the answers to all your recycling questions at this ask-an-expert drop-in event.
Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele | Tuesday, March 12 | Times vary | Merrimon-Wynne House, 500 N. Blount St., Raleigh | $40-$59 | Enjoy this multi-sensory musical experience surrounded by the glow of candlelight.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers | Tuesday, March 12 | 7 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh | $62-$312 | Watch the Canes hit the ice against the Rangers.

Wednesday, March 13

Art in Bloom, Presented by PNC | Wednesday, March 13-Sunday, March 17 | Times vary | NC Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh | $40-$50 | Explore stunning floral designs from across the state + nation during this five-day floral fundraiser.

Saturday, March 16

North Carolina Courage vs. Houston Dash | Saturday, March 16 | 7-9 p.m. | WakeMed Soccer Park, 101 Soccer Park Dr, Cary | $23-$90 | Kick off the North Carolina Courage 2024 home opener with a special Sam Mewis Celebration.*

Plan your week

Click here to have your event featured.

Try This

Shop + dine RDU to make the most of your travel day

Try This: Shop + dine RDU to make the most of your travel day

Presented by a RALtoday Partner

Slideshow of photos displaying concessions in RDU's terminal 2.

The secret to a successful travel day is low stress...and good food + drink. | Photos by RALtoday

Ready for takeoff, Raleigh? RALtoday team member Garcelle here. I’ve got spring break on the brain and summer travel plans aren’t far behind. Come along with me and see how I recently spent time at RDU before my flight (and enjoy a sneak peek of what’s to come).

What we tried

I love the fact that I can still shop + dine at some of my favorite local spots, even in the airport. Once through security, my first stop was local favorite La Farm Bakery + Café. I’m normally a fan of the deluxe breakfast sandwich on a croissant, but opted for an iced matcha latte (and it hit the spot). Pro tip: In a hurry? Grab a drip coffee, pastry, or cold item from the express line.

Latte in hand, I headed to Ink by Hudson for a few flight-ready reading materials (and water, of course). They’ve got a great selection ranging from bestsellers to children’s books + toys.

Read on for a look at what’s coming to RDU — and some of my other favorite post-security spots.

What not to miss

News Notes

Announced

The NC Courage is joining a women’s 7-on-7 bracket in The Soccer Tournament (TST) this June on home turf at WakeMed Soccer Park. The winner-take-all tournament has a $1 million prize, and you know we’ll be rooting for the home team. No players from the current NWSL roster will participate — join the ticket waitlist.

Sports

The Carolina Hurricanes acquired forward Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade. The deal was made in exchange for Canes’ forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Cruz Lucius, and Vasily Ponomarev, in addition to two conditional draft picks in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Plan Ahead

Last year’s Raleigh-Durham Startup Week was so successful that the event added a fourth day. The free four-day networking event geared toward local startups is April 9-10 in Durham, and April 11-12 in Raleigh. Register to attend.

Pets

Wake County is hosting its Community Pet Days throughout March and April, offering free and low-cost wellness services for pet owners. Services include rabies vaccines, microchips, and more. Find an upcoming date.

Arts

Join the NC Museum of Art for the 10th edition of Art in Bloom, presented by PNC. This five-day floral fundraising extravaganza features stunning designs from across the country, plus 10 special installations portraying the decades from the 1920s through the 2020s. Learn more + get tickets.*

Edu

Missed the 2024-25 magnet school application deadline? You have a second chance to secure a spot. Families can submit transfer requests during the Round Two application period of March 4-15 — available for select schools with open seats available. See which schools having openings + apply.*

Biz

How does a 2,318-pound generator end up on the roof of a Trinity-managed Durham highrise? See for yourself.*

The Buy

The Buy 3.11.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

Flower pots, solar lights, or lemon trees in QVC’s garden deals. “Love your garden” items are on sale until Thursday, March 28, meaning it’s the perfect time to start dreaming up this year’s outdoor spaces.

Share RALtoday

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

Facebook

Twitter

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_21}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.

Claim your rewards

The Wrap

Cat George in a black turtleneck sweater

Today’s edition by:
Cat

From the editor

Last Friday, Allie and I traveled to Charlotte via Amtrak. CLTtoday is launching very soon — we met up with City Editor Jack who showed us around the Queen City a bit. Our quick trip was filled with good coffee, delicious bites, and skyline views. Pro tip: If you’re planning a day trip, Amtrak is a great option — plus, Raleigh Union Station is really beautiful to travel out of. Stay tuned for a full rundown.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY