https://x.com/statisticurban/status/1949139693452316966?s=46
interesting and somewhat surprising stat for raleigh to come second in
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It’s not necessarily a density stat as you would think at first glance. It’s multi-family units per population, and in the Raleigh MSA a fair number of these are suburban developments where they can build a truly large number of units not within walking distance of much.
I mean it is a density stat of a sort, simply a suburban one (think Orange County CA) than a Brooklyn one.
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The current title is inaccurate and somewhat misleading. It refers to a per-capita ratio, not a true density metric, which requires a land-based measure—such as dwelling units per acre. Additionally, the description of new multifamily units per 1,000 residents is ambiguous, as it depends on how multifamily product is defined (e.g., podium building, garden apartment, build-to-rent townhomes, quad plexes).
A more accurate representation of density would be something like:
New Raleigh multifamily projects are delivering an average of 10 units per acre.
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the key to that statistic quoted is how much multi family those metro areas are building. It is not talking about existing inventory or density but how much multifamily is being constructed. Raleigh and Charlotte have some of the highest numbers of new apartments being built that is why both are near the top.
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Isn’t it really just a metric on how much new housing Raleigh’s metro is building?
An area is defined (the Raleigh MSA covers x square miles), it simply isn’t a constant across the board. And multifamily units as a general rule add more density than empty land or SFH. It’s definitely not the most accurate way to do housing density, but it’s broadly going to produce a similar list.
Did we really need to use ChatGPT to write this?
Yes and given that Raleigh continues to top migration behavior, it’s expected that we would have a strong pipeline of multifamily.
I’m not sure I fully follow your response. Yes, we know Raleigh’s land area and population that gives us a basic measure of density. Comparing figures from 2020 to 2025 would help establish whether the places are actually becoming denser. The chart doesn’t tell us much about actual built density. We don’t know if the new units are at higher density than single-family subdivisions. In fact, it’s not uncommon for garden apartment complexes to end up with lower unit-per-acre density than some compact single-family neighborhoods. The chart really just shows that cities experiencing strong population growth also have a pipeline of new multifamily housing, which is expected, especially in a high interest rate environment where renting tends to be more economical.
From an investment perspective, I doubt any developer would rely on this data to make decisions on projects, markets, and strategy. And from a government planning standpoint, they’re likely to focus more on residents, households, or structures per square mile to evaluate actual density outcomes.
Certainly if they are going by the metro area, it’s getting denser because Raleigh’s MSA hasn’t changed boundaries in a long time. While the city itself has added a nominal amount of land area, it too is getting denser, but it’s not particularly dense by comparison to many other cities proper around the country.
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Even dense SFH communities aren’t getting much more than 5 units/acre. I’d be hard pressed to imagine any multi-family units doing worse than that, even with a garden.
I agree there are better ways to find housing density. This is simply a quick shot to say which metro areas are building housing stock capable of densifying easily.
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Please let the police know I’ve been in the Pacific Northwest. I have an alibi and was not part of this mischievous gang of pigs.
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Ordinarily, I HATE these types of YouTube videos, but I clicked on them for curiosity to see what impressions others had of our State. Both of these guys kept talking about how clean Raleigh (and Charlotte) were and how many trees we had. It made me realize that folks who have never been here really seemed to think we lived in Oz. Kinda funny also, they thought NC was “flat” and “somewhere in the middle” 
Also, the video they are commenting on has some issues of its own. They talk about Biltmore, but are showing Grove Park Inn (which confuses both guys), and also talking about the colorful fall foliage along the Blue Ridge Parkway but the video shows mid-summer green as far as the eye can see.
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That video he was commenting on is like 5-6 years old but his comment that he thought “Carolina was all flat and desert like” had me laughing. Yes Europe there is more to the USA than Florida, NY and California. I have to say I know a lot more about Scotland, the UK, or Ireland that he does about the US. But overall their impressions on how beautiful NC is true. Sometimes living here we dont realize it but we do live a great state and that is why so many people want to join us here.
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Wake County judge rules against Raleigh nightlife ordinance
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We are getting our own Monopoly game.
That said, I already have Raleighopoly that I bought a few years back at Deco.
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Let’s just hope it doesn’t turn out the same way Pokemon Go turned people into the walking dead starring at their phones.
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It’s about time! We’ve had ours for a while. 
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