Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban North Carolina? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Raleigh, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which North Carolina suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Tar Heel State
Davidson is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban North Carolina.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in North Carolina, we’ve got you covered.
Keep on reading for a detailed methodology. Or, check out the best places to live in North Carolina and the best places to raise a family in North Carolina.
Best Suburbs In North Carolina For 2024
/10
Population: 15,199
Median Income: $140,938
Average Home Price: $624,402
More on Davidson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Davidson is located 19 miles north of Charlotte.
/10
Population: 174,880
Median Income: $125,317
Average Home Price: $600,101
More on Cary: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Cary is located 10 miles west of Raleigh.
/10
Population: 65,541
Median Income: $129,688
Average Home Price: $591,542
More on Apex: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Apex is located 14 miles west of Raleigh.
/10
Population: 31,396
Median Income: $107,969
Average Home Price: $501,024
More on Cornelius: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Cornelius is located 18 miles north of Charlotte.
/10
Population: 29,756
Median Income: $114,075
Average Home Price: $486,190
More on Morrisville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Morrisville is located 10 miles south of Durham.
/10
Population: 42,023
Median Income: $127,755
Average Home Price: $550,787
More on Holly Springs: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Holly Springs is located 16 miles west of Raleigh.
/10
Population: 17,653
Median Income: $102,917
Average Home Price: $487,605
More on Pinehurst: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Pinehurst is located 28 miles west of Fayetteville.
/10
Population: 9,696
Median Income: $145,166
Average Home Price: $497,136
More on Rolesville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Rolesville is located 11 miles east of Raleigh.
/10
Population: 48,047
Median Income: $115,159
Average Home Price: $513,842
More on Wake Forest: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Wake Forest is located 11 miles north of Raleigh.
/10
Population: 20,665
Median Income: $124,711
Average Home Price: $561,159
More on Waxhaw: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Waxhaw is located 19 miles south of Charlotte.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Tar Heel State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in North Carolina. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of North Carolina, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in North Carolina across these criteria from one to 74, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In North Carolina.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in North Carolina.
Read on to see why Davidson is the ‘burb with the most, while Roxboro is probably not the best place to live in North Carolina.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In North Carolina
If you’re measuring the locations in North Carolina where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in North Carolina are Davidson, Cary, Apex, Cornelius, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Pinehurst, Rolesville, Wake Forest, and Waxhaw.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in North Carolina according to the data:
- Roxboro
- Smithfield
- Zebulon
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Carolina
- Richest Cities In North Carolina
- Safest Cities in North Carolina
- Worst Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Expensive Places To Live In North Carolina
The Best Suburbs In North Carolina
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davidson | 15,199 | $140,938 | $624,402 |
| 2 | Cary | 174,880 | $125,317 | $600,101 |
| 3 | Apex | 65,541 | $129,688 | $591,542 |
| 4 | Cornelius | 31,396 | $107,969 | $501,024 |
| 5 | Morrisville | 29,756 | $114,075 | $486,190 |
| 6 | Holly Springs | 42,023 | $127,755 | $550,787 |
| 7 | Pinehurst | 17,653 | $102,917 | $487,605 |
| 8 | Rolesville | 9,696 | $145,166 | $497,136 |
| 9 | Wake Forest | 48,047 | $115,159 | $513,842 |
| 10 | Waxhaw | 20,665 | $124,711 | $561,159 |
| 11 | Chapel Hill | 58,919 | $85,940 | $603,034 |
| 12 | Huntersville | 61,202 | $112,893 | $517,476 |
| 13 | Gibsonville | 8,827 | $98,558 | $278,388 |
| 14 | Stallings | 16,193 | $99,451 | $433,914 |
| 15 | Harrisburg | 18,934 | $134,767 | $477,928 |
| 16 | Carrboro | 21,242 | $76,933 | $438,237 |
| 17 | Fuquay-Varina | 35,428 | $94,142 | $496,644 |
| 18 | Weddington | 13,173 | $171,810 | $936,823 |
| 19 | Matthews | 29,613 | $103,405 | $468,340 |
| 20 | Elon | 11,161 | $73,597 | $322,868 |
| 21 | Mooresville | 50,025 | $82,622 | $468,555 |
| 22 | Wendell | 10,575 | $91,316 | $361,432 |
| 23 | Summerfield | 10,986 | $148,182 | $467,749 |
| 24 | Oak Ridge | 7,637 | $146,131 | $514,942 |
| 25 | Archdale | 11,873 | $63,627 | $233,051 |
| 26 | King | 7,210 | $59,770 | $249,231 |
| 27 | Knightdale | 19,127 | $79,364 | $363,028 |
| 28 | Stokesdale | 5,900 | $118,159 | $349,634 |
| 29 | Mint Hill | 26,537 | $92,102 | $471,547 |
| 30 | Clayton | 26,837 | $71,698 | $366,122 |
| 31 | Marvin | 6,421 | $238,875 | $1,073,504 |
| 32 | Concord | 105,335 | $83,480 | $361,879 |
| 33 | Clemmons | 21,281 | $75,667 | $353,229 |
| 34 | Garner | 31,684 | $77,171 | $374,654 |
| 35 | Belmont | 14,842 | $84,274 | $403,471 |
| 36 | Mebane | 17,899 | $78,419 | $339,769 |
| 37 | Indian Trail | 40,325 | $95,101 | $408,207 |
| 38 | Cramerton | 5,294 | $89,313 | $282,370 |
| 39 | Southern Pines | 15,701 | $81,867 | $460,376 |
| 40 | Kernersville | 27,177 | $66,151 | $302,017 |
| 41 | Wesley Chapel | 8,763 | $133,333 | $595,551 |
| 42 | Hillsborough | 9,534 | $86,250 | $440,106 |
| 43 | Mount Holly | 17,644 | $73,923 | $341,383 |
| 44 | Pineville | 10,532 | $55,450 | $390,836 |
| 45 | Aberdeen | 8,674 | $69,758 | $315,702 |
| 46 | Lewisville | 13,509 | $86,641 | $358,604 |
| 47 | Dallas | 5,889 | $55,979 | $255,650 |
| 48 | Kannapolis | 53,314 | $66,487 | $259,607 |
| 49 | Unionville | 6,694 | $90,904 | $400,244 |
| 50 | High Point | 114,120 | $58,582 | $229,659 |
| 51 | Trinity | 7,012 | $70,368 | $268,416 |
| 52 | Hope Mills | 17,671 | $57,864 | $227,508 |
| 53 | Angier | 5,348 | $54,936 | $318,115 |
| 54 | Thomasville | 27,130 | $48,457 | $214,034 |
| 55 | Mocksville | 5,908 | $46,553 | $254,179 |
| 56 | Graham | 17,136 | $51,482 | $259,204 |
| 57 | Spring Lake | 11,710 | $44,447 | $219,908 |
| 58 | Gastonia | 80,615 | $58,047 | $275,514 |
| 59 | Butner | 8,374 | $68,604 | $258,713 |
| 60 | Burlington | 56,951 | $52,963 | $223,842 |
| 61 | Asheboro | 27,117 | $44,405 | $229,584 |
| 62 | Lincolnton | 11,225 | $41,614 | $273,540 |
| 63 | Sanford | 30,373 | $52,951 | $276,198 |
| 64 | Eden | 15,349 | $43,607 | $135,635 |
| 65 | Oxford | 8,685 | $42,016 | $232,049 |
| 66 | Kings Mountain | 11,246 | $45,301 | $218,463 |
| 67 | Selma | 6,449 | $29,325 | $260,426 |
| 68 | Lexington | 19,595 | $36,868 | $243,908 |
| 69 | Dunn | 8,549 | $41,843 | $213,087 |
| 70 | Monroe | 34,897 | $63,982 | $320,941 |
| 71 | Reidsville | 14,526 | $35,061 | $188,591 |
| 72 | Zebulon | 7,421 | $50,934 | $341,201 |
| 73 | Smithfield | 11,527 | $37,000 | $283,417 |
| 74 | Roxboro | 8,131 | $39,787 | $197,436 |