Best places to live in North Carolina
Cities and suburbs in North Carolina with 25,000+ people, scored against each other: affordability on a $75k salary after taxes and rent (35%), violent crime (30%), schools (20%) and job growth (15%).
| # | City | Score | Rent | Home | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wake Forest, NC | 69/100 | $1,596/mo | $475k | 8.7/10 |
| 2 | Fuquay-Varina, NC | 66/100 | $1,720/mo | $452k | 8.7/10 |
| 3 | Cary, NC | 64/100 | $1,738/mo | $580k | 8.7/10 |
| 4 | Apex, NC | 61/100 | $1,902/mo | $576k | 8.7/10 |
| 5 | Morrisville, NC | 60/100 | $1,858/mo | $519k | 8.7/10 |
| 6 | Raleigh, NC | 59/100 | $1,572/mo | $416k | 8.7/10 |
| 7 | Chapel Hill, NC | 59/100 | $1,613/mo | $614k | 9.8/10 |
| 8 | Monroe, NC | 59/100 | $1,246/mo | $309k | 9.2/10 |
| 9 | Garner, NC | 59/100 | $1,549/mo | $355k | 8.7/10 |
| 10 | Concord, NC | 58/100 | $1,451/mo | $354k | 6.9/10 |
| 11 | Greenville, NC | 57/100 | $1,007/mo | $234k | 4.2/10 |
| 12 | Mint Hill, NC | 56/100 | $1,528/mo | $429k | 6.8/10 |
| 13 | Holly Springs, NC | 54/100 | $2,021/mo | $536k | 8.7/10 |
| 14 | Clayton, NC | 48/100 | $1,661/mo | $330k | 6.2/10 |
| 15 | High Point, NC | 47/100 | $1,116/mo | $236k | 5.5/10 |
| 16 | Kannapolis, NC | 47/100 | $1,319/mo | $276k | 3.1/10 |
| 17 | Hickory, NC | 46/100 | $1,063/mo | $278k | 5.5/10 |
| 18 | Matthews, NC | 45/100 | $1,764/mo | $445k | 6.8/10 |
| 19 | Asheville, NC | 44/100 | $1,402/mo | $440k | 8.4/10 |
| 20 | Mooresville, NC | 43/100 | $1,626/mo | $391k | 8.5/10 |
| 21 | Cornelius, NC | 43/100 | $1,722/mo | $559k | 6.8/10 |
| 22 | Greensboro, NC | 41/100 | $1,172/mo | $245k | 5.5/10 |
| 23 | Winston-Salem, NC | 41/100 | $1,087/mo | $234k | 5.1/10 |
| 24 | Huntersville, NC | 41/100 | $1,834/mo | $473k | 6.8/10 |
| 25 | Gastonia, NC | 40/100 | $1,204/mo | $278k | 5/10 |
Rent, income and home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Taxes: 2026 federal and state rates for a single filer.
Compare the top 4