Are you reading this article on a slow Monday morning, wondering how you will make it through another long work week? Well, you should take a look at these cities in North Carolina for retirement.
Retirement is a time in life when you can pursue your hobbies in greater depth. For example, you open a small bike shop in Boone as a hobby, or you can bike on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
North Carolina has the best of everything. Great weather, access to beaches and mountains, affordability, and great community involvement. But where in North Carolina is the best to retire?
We crunched the numbers to determine the places that offer retirees safety, affordability, and things to do. It’s the kind of criteria you can count on — this is the tenth time we’ve ranked the best places to retire in the Tarheel State. And many of these places appear on our other lists of best places for families and safest cities in North Carolina.
So grab a biscuit and a good cup of coffee, and read on.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In North Carolina For 2025
What is the best place to retire in North Carolina? The best place to retire in North Carolina is Smithfield.
Smithfield is a small town sandwiched between Charlotte, Statesville, and Black Mountain in North Carolina that is perfect for any retiree. You can spend weekends swimming Lake Norman or camping in the mountains.
North Carolina is a state that constantly comes up on lists of great places to live in the U.S., so why not move here for retirement?
Why did Smithfield take the top spot? And where are Raleigh and Greensboro?
For more North Carolina state reading:
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
- Best Places To Raise A Family In North Carolina
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In North Carolina For 2025
/10
Population: 11,798
Median Income: $37,827
Median Home Price: $217,000
Median Rent: $601
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Smithfield: Data
/10
Population: 10,705
Median Income: $49,386
Median Home Price: $155,500
Median Rent: $698
Distance to Closest Airport: 68 miles
More on Tarboro: Data
/10
Population: 13,223
Median Income: $56,869
Median Home Price: $169,300
Median Rent: $1,016
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Newton: Data
/10
Population: 18,282
Median Income: $48,889
Median Home Price: $165,200
Median Rent: $671
Distance to Closest Airport: 57 miles
More on Lenoir: Data
/10
Population: 11,503
Median Income: $43,294
Median Home Price: $224,600
Median Rent: $920
Distance to Closest Airport: 24 miles
More on Lincolnton: Data
/10
Population: 11,472
Median Income: $45,507
Median Home Price: $177,700
Median Rent: $879
Distance to Closest Airport: 23 miles
More on Kings Mountain: Data
/10
Population: 21,868
Median Income: $50,705
Median Home Price: $185,400
Median Rent: $899
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Shelby: Data
/10
Population: 10,200
Median Income: $148,250
Median Home Price: $467,400
Median Rent: $982
Distance to Closest Airport: 18 miles
More on Rolesville: Data
/10
Population: 31,563
Median Income: $56,893
Median Home Price: $211,500
Median Rent: $1,068
Distance to Closest Airport: 73 miles
More on New Bern: Data
/10
Population: 19,576
Median Income: $35,250
Median Home Price: $108,300
Median Rent: $822
Distance to Closest Airport: 71 miles
More on Kinston: Data
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Tar Heel State for 2025
To create our ranking of the best places in North Carolina to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Tar Heel State — 736 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 73 places from across the state.
For these 73, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 73, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Smithfield, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2025. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in North Carolina.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In North Carolina Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in North Carolina goes to Smithfield.
The best places to retire in North Carolina are Smithfield, Tarboro, Newton, Lenoir, Lincolnton, Kings Mountain, Shelby, Rolesville, New Bern, and Kinston.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Spring Lake
- Pineville
- Havelock
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In North Carolina
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smithfield | 11,798 | $37,827 | $217,000 | $601 |
| 2 | Tarboro | 10,705 | $49,386 | $155,500 | $698 |
| 3 | Newton | 13,223 | $56,869 | $169,300 | $1,016 |
| 4 | Lenoir | 18,282 | $48,889 | $165,200 | $671 |
| 5 | Lincolnton | 11,503 | $43,294 | $224,600 | $920 |
| 6 | Kings Mountain | 11,472 | $45,507 | $177,700 | $879 |
| 7 | Shelby | 21,868 | $50,705 | $185,400 | $899 |
| 8 | Rolesville | 10,200 | $148,250 | $467,400 | $982 |
| 9 | New Bern | 31,563 | $56,893 | $211,500 | $1,068 |
| 10 | Kinston | 19,576 | $35,250 | $108,300 | $822 |