The 10 Best Counties To Live In North Carolina For 2022


Using science and data, we can tell you which counties in North Carolina have the most for people looking to make the move to North Carolina.

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Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment: is North Carolina a good place?

The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best places to live in North Carolina.

Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Tar Heel State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been helping people find the best places to live in America for years.

So, the question becomes, if you wanted to relocate to the best part of North Carolina, where would you go? To answer that we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 100 counties in the state.

After the analytic dust settled, we identified the 10 best counties to live in Tar Heel State for 2022.

Wake County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in North Carolina. And you might want to avoid Jones County if you can — at least according to the data.

So if you’re thinking of making the move 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 cheapest places to live in North Carolina.

The Best Counties To Live In North Carolina For 2022

1. Wake County

Cary, NC

Source: Flickr User James Willamor | CC BY-SA 2.0

Biggest Place: Raleigh

Population: 1,091,662
Median Income: $83,567.0 (best)
Median Home Price: $301,600.0 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.2% (14th best)
More on Wake County: Photos | Data

2. Chatham County

Cary, NC

Source: Flickr User James Willamor | CC BY-SA 2.0

Biggest Place: Cary

Population: 72,853
Median Income: $69,799.0 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $310,000.0 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.4% (16th best)
More on Chatham County: Photos | Data

3. Moore County

Aberdeen, NC

Source: Wikipedia User Bigbird78 | CC BY-SA 3.0

Biggest Place: Pinehurst

Population: 99,263
Median Income: $63,324.0 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $229,400.0 (14th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.6% (22nd best)
More on Moore County: Photos | Data

4. Iredell County

Davidson, NC

Source: Flickr User davidwilson1949 | CC BY 2.0

Biggest Place: Mooresville

Population: 178,853
Median Income: $62,551.0 (12th best)
Median Home Price: $200,800.0 (2best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8% (28th best)
More on Iredell County: Photos | Data

5. Cabarrus County

Concord, NC

Source: Wikipedia User AlexiusHoratius | CC BY-SA 3.0

Biggest Place: Concord

Population: 211,605
Median Income: $71,177.0 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $219,100.0 (19th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.0% (35th best)
More on Cabarrus County: Photos | Data

6. Orange County

Carrboro, NC

Source: Wikipedia User Elizabeth B. Thomsen Etho | GFDL

Biggest Place: Durham

Population: 146,354
Median Income: $74,803.0 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $331,800.0 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.0% (11th best)
More on Orange County: Photos | Data

7. Currituck County

Biggest Place: Moyock

Population: 27,210
Median Income: $73,741.0 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $263,400.0 (5th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (3rd best)
More on Currituck County: Data

8. Brunswick County

Oak Island, NC

Source: Wikipedia User User:Dincher | GFDL

Biggest Place: Leland

Population: 137,303
Median Income: $59,763.0 (16th best)
Median Home Price: $220,400.0 (18th best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.0% (58th best)
More on Brunswick County: Photos | Data

9. Union County

Indian Trail, NC

Source: Public domain

Biggest Place: Indian Trail

Population: 235,767
Median Income: $82,557.0 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $254,100.0 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.7% (24th best)
More on Union County: Photos | Data

10. Dare County

Kill Devil Hills, NC

Source: Wikipedia User Tetra09 | CC BY-SA 4.0

Biggest Place: Kill Devil Hills

Population: 36,698
Median Income: $65,420.0 (8th best)
Median Home Price: $297,200.0 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.6% (47th best)
More on Dare County: Photos | Data

Methodology: How do you determine which North Carolina county is the best?

To give you the best county in North Carolina, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we need to make some assumptions about what’s a “best county” and what isn’t. And, for reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, don’t take this analysis to court.

With that in mind, we went to two of the best sources of data on the internet; the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent time period.

We paid particular attention to:

  • Violent Crime Rates
  • Property Crime Rates
  • Median Home Values
  • Median Income
  • Unemployment Rates
  • Adult Education Levels
  • Health Insurance Coverage
  • Poverty Rates
Best Counties To Live In North Carolina

We then ranked each county in North Carolina across each of the criteria from one to 100, with one being the best.

Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In North Carolina”.

The result is some of the safest, quiet, and best counties to raise a family in the Tar Heel State.

Read on to see why Wake County is the best county, while Jones County is probably in contention for being the worst county in North Carolina.

Summary: The Best Counties In North Carolina To Call Home For 2018

It turns out living in North Carolina can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?

But now you the know the really good parts and the parts to avoid and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day. And for that, you are welcome.

Here’s a look at the worst counties in North Carolina according to the data:

  1. Jones County
  2. Halifax County
  3. Robeson County

For more North Carolina reading, check out:

Detailed List Of The Best Counties In North Carolina

County Rank Population Median Income Median Home Price
Wake County 1 1,091,662 $83,567.0 $301,600.0
Chatham County 2 72,853 $69,799.0 $310,000.0
Moore County 3 99,263 $63,324.0 $229,400.0
Iredell County 4 178,853 $62,551.0 $200,800.0
Cabarrus County 5 211,605 $71,177.0 $219,100.0
Orange County 6 146,354 $74,803.0 $331,800.0
Currituck County 7 27,210 $73,741.0 $263,400.0
Brunswick County 8 137,303 $59,763.0 $220,400.0
Union County 9 235,767 $82,557.0 $254,100.0
Dare County 10 36,698 $65,420.0 $297,200.0
New Hanover County 11 231,448 $56,689.0 $258,200.0
Henderson County 12 116,298 $58,928.0 $232,000.0
Lincoln County 13 84,580 $59,592.0 $187,000.0
Polk County 14 20,682 $52,125.0 $222,700.0
Camden County 15 10,654 $63,834.0 $221,000.0
Buncombe County 16 259,576 $55,032.0 $250,600.0
Davie County 17 42,543 $62,028.0 $177,100.0
Carteret County 18 69,301 $57,871.0 $226,700.0
Mecklenburg County 19 1,095,170 $69,240.0 $253,500.0
Pender County 20 61,891 $60,044.0 $198,100.0
Durham County 21 317,665 $62,812.0 $241,800.0
Onslow County 22 198,377 $51,560.0 $162,400.0
Perquimans County 23 13,513 $51,036.0 $173,200.0
Transylvania County 24 34,039 $51,509.0 $231,300.0
Granville County 25 59,823 $56,924.0 $168,900.0
Guilford County 26 532,956 $54,794.0 $172,900.0
Johnston County 27 203,308 $61,806.0 $180,200.0
Mitchell County 28 14,959 $48,841.0 $164,200.0
Madison County 29 21,608 $46,190.0 $200,700.0
Haywood County 30 61,862 $51,548.0 $185,600.0
Forsyth County 31 378,499 $53,583.0 $163,800.0
Pamlico County 32 12,673 $48,531.0 $161,600.0
Craven County 33 102,290 $53,894.0 $161,200.0
Alexander County 34 37,271 $51,329.0 $138,900.0
Watauga County 35 55,669 $46,453.0 $246,000.0
Nash County 36 94,287 $49,949.0 $133,900.0
Stokes County 37 45,688 $51,668.0 $145,000.0
Stanly County 38 62,050 $54,104.0 $150,400.0
Gaston County 39 222,119 $53,474.0 $156,800.0
Person County 40 39,561 $57,323.0 $134,100.0
Pasquotank County 41 39,775 $54,439.0 $166,600.0
Catawba County 42 158,507 $54,690.0 $156,200.0
Ashe County 43 27,009 $43,030.0 $158,200.0
Franklin County 44 68,027 $58,172.0 $161,500.0
Alamance County 45 166,144 $51,580.0 $160,900.0
Clay County 46 11,150 $42,160.0 $197,600.0
Yadkin County 47 37,589 $46,954.0 $138,500.0
Avery County 48 17,510 $42,695.0 $151,800.0
Davidson County 49 166,837 $50,454.0 $149,500.0
Gates County 50 11,519 $45,871.0 $142,400.0
Jackson County 51 43,435 $46,820.0 $206,900.0
Pitt County 52 179,961 $49,337.0 $146,700.0
Harnett County 53 134,328 $54,565.0 $160,700.0
Cumberland County 54 334,562 $48,177.0 $139,700.0
Mcdowell County 55 45,402 $47,085.0 $129,400.0
Macon County 56 35,172 $45,703.0 $171,700.0
Rowan County 57 140,978 $51,054.0 $146,600.0
Wilkes County 58 68,341 $44,980.0 $129,200.0
Cleveland County 59 97,765 $43,512.0 $130,000.0
Chowan County 60 13,995 $44,050.0 $139,500.0
Montgomery County 61 27,223 $45,147.0 $120,500.0
Caswell County 62 22,619 $47,938.0 $113,600.0
Lee County 63 61,083 $52,294.0 $145,600.0
Beaufort County 64 47,160 $48,051.0 $138,000.0
Randolph County 65 143,460 $48,984.0 $128,800.0
Caldwell County 66 82,056 $46,094.0 $125,200.0
Cherokee County 67 28,413 $40,793.0 $163,900.0
Yancey County 68 17,870 $44,554.0 $166,900.0
Rockingham County 69 91,051 $45,697.0 $114,900.0
Graham County 70 8,501 $42,207.0 $119,000.0
Hoke County 71 54,590 $51,140.0 $146,200.0
Wayne County 72 123,785 $47,221.0 $125,900.0
Burke County 73 90,148 $43,915.0 $120,600.0
Alleghany County 74 11,085 $37,158.0 $150,500.0
Surry County 75 71,904 $44,979.0 $129,700.0
Hertford County 76 23,752 $42,588.0 $89,800.0
Greene County 77 20,987 $43,563.0 $87,500.0
Wilson County 78 81,579 $44,594.0 $127,100.0
Edgecombe County 79 52,069 $40,489.0 $88,500.0
Swain County 80 14,241 $45,554.0 $149,300.0
Columbus County 81 55,659 $38,487.0 $94,800.0
Northampton County 82 19,672 $38,969.0 $83,600.0
Duplin County 83 58,965 $43,422.0 $89,500.0
Richmond County 84 44,759 $39,051.0 $88,200.0
Vance County 85 44,614 $41,827.0 $103,700.0
Martin County 86 22,644 $39,909.0 $86,400.0
Bertie County 87 19,081 $35,042.0 $78,500.0
Hyde County 88 5,089 $46,667.0 $122,300.0
Tyrrell County 89 3,978 $38,250.0 $110,900.0
Rutherford County 90 66,741 $43,183.0 $125,100.0
Anson County 91 24,430 $39,799.0 $104,100.0
Bladen County 92 33,209 $37,188.0 $98,700.0
Washington County 93 11,788 $30,941.0 $86,400.0
Warren County 94 19,746 $37,476.0 $89,500.0
Lenoir County 95 56,350 $39,923.0 $94,000.0
Sampson County 96 63,284 $42,914.0 $97,500.0
Scotland County 97 34,921 $35,936.0 $87,600.0
Robeson County 98 131,656 $35,362.0 $75,600.0
Halifax County 99 50,678 $35,904.0 $85,800.0
Jones County 100 9,453 $38,324.0 $92,200.0
Download The Entire North Carolina Ranking Data
Editor’s Note: We updated this article for 2022. This is our ninth time ranking the best counties to live in North Carolina.

About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

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