You want a change and you’ve decided that you want to live in Raleigh, North Carolina. So, you get the job and now you need a place to live. There’s a lot to think about when searching for the right neighborhood. Things like safety, affordability, and amenities are things that most people find important. But, if you’ve never been to Raleigh, where do you begin? We’ll tell you. HomeSnacks has created the ultimate guide to The City of Oak’s best neighborhoods for 2026 and listed them below.
Whether you’re going to be a Hurricane’s fan, a Wolfpack fan, a fan of renting a home, or a fan of buying one, there’s a great place to live in Raleigh that won’t break your bank. Matter of fact, the Falls of Neuse and North Central neighborhoods both have homes for under $349,390–that’s unheard of in a city with over 300,000 residents!
There’s always something brewing in Raleigh: great coffee, craft beer, and street festivals that rival those found in the biggest cities in the country. So, if you want to get your hands on one of this city’s hottest neighborhoods, don’t wait: Raleigh is also one of the fastest growing cities in the country. So, do yourself a favor and take a second to see our list of Raleigh’s top ten best neighborhoods.
$165,486 median income · $665,475 median home value
$125,326 median income · $672,878 median home value
$148,413 median income · $593,800 median home value
$66,214 median income · $494,338 median home value
Located in
Wake County, North Carolina
The town of Hillsborough is the county seat of Orange County, North Carolina. The population was 6,087 in 2010.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$87,769 median income · $398,357 median home value
$96,375 median income · $450,000 median home value
$105,066 median income · $425,040 median home value
$80,005 median income · $266,389 median home value
$68,103 median income · $324,617 median home value
$78,719 median income · $279,428 median home value
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is North Carolina’s statewide median.
North Carolina statewide median: $72,388
North Carolina statewide median: $336,408
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the best Raleigh, NC neighborhoods in 2026
To rank the best neighborhoods in Raleigh, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 18 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Raleigh.” We’re lookin’ at you, Glenwood.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Raleigh, North Carolina has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Raleigh.
The full plate
Table: Best Raleigh neighborhoods for 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by neighborhood name.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glenwood | 8,325 | $665,475 | $165,486 |
| 2 | Wade | 9,237 | $672,878 | $125,326 |
| 3 | Five Points | 8,669 | $593,800 | $148,413 |
| 4 | Hillsborough | 16,059 | $494,338 | $66,214 |
| 5 | Six Forks | 11,821 | $398,357 | $87,769 |
| 6 | Mordecai | 3,022 | $450,000 | $96,375 |
| 7 | North Central | 5,599 | $425,040 | $105,066 |
| 8 | North | 76,649 | $266,389 | $80,005 |
| 9 | Falls Of Neuse | 9,886 | $324,617 | $68,103 |
| 10 | Northwest | 81,974 | $279,428 | $78,719 |
| 11 | Central | 7,434 | $407,400 | $69,122 |
| 12 | East Raleigh | 11,598 | $372,057 | $62,387 |
| 13 | West | 37,998 | $161,100 | $49,446 |
| 14 | South Central | 7,209 | $235,712 | $34,998 |
| 15 | Northeast | 87,424 | $154,814 | $56,500 |
| 16 | Southeast | 28,074 | $124,092 | $43,932 |
| 17 | Southwest | 22,629 | $132,067 | $38,691 |
| 18 | South | 17,197 | $131,456 | $42,477 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. All 18 Raleigh neighborhoods.
Summary
Summary: Putting a bow on our analysis of the best neighborhoods in Raleigh
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Raleigh where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Raleigh are Glenwood, Wade, Five Points, Hillsborough, Six Forks, Mordecai, North Central, North, Falls Of Neuse, and Northwest.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Raleigh aren’t all good. South takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Raleigh.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below. Not sold on North Carolina? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Neighborhoods In Raleigh FAQs
What is the best neighborhood in Raleigh?
Glenwood is the best neighborhood in Raleigh for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Wade and Five Points are next.
What are the best neighborhoods in Raleigh?
The best neighborhoods in Raleigh are Glenwood, Wade, Five Points, Hillsborough, Six Forks, Mordecai, North Central, North, Falls Of Neuse, and Northwest. We ranked all 18 neighborhoods in the city.
How expensive is Glenwood?
The median household income in Glenwood is $165,486 and the median home costs $665,475. The best blocks in Raleigh rarely come at a discount.
How do you rank Raleigh neighborhoods?
Each neighborhood is scored on income, home values, population density, unemployment, and crime, using Census tract data. The neighborhood with the best combined score, Glenwood, takes the top spot.
Which Raleigh neighborhood ranked last?
South came in last of the 18 neighborhoods we scored. Every city has a bottom of the table; in Raleigh the numbers put it there.
