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 eleventh 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 2026
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 2026
/10
Population: 12,116
Median Income: $43,270
Median Home Price: $293,390
Median Rent: $658
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Smithfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,770
Median Income: $49,796
Median Home Price: $152,776
Median Rent: $843
Distance to Closest Airport: 68 miles
More on Tarboro: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 18,299
Median Income: $49,910
Median Home Price: $215,174
Median Rent: $664
Distance to Closest Airport: 57 miles
More on Lenoir: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 13,333
Median Income: $62,015
Median Home Price: $256,468
Median Rent: $1,091
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Newton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 11,783
Median Income: $46,320
Median Home Price: $296,022
Median Rent: $965
Distance to Closest Airport: 24 miles
More on Lincolnton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,766
Median Income: $149,565
Median Home Price: $497,995
Median Rent: $1,085
Distance to Closest Airport: 18 miles
More on Rolesville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 15,660
Median Income: $166,556
Median Home Price: $655,967
Median Rent: $1,652
Distance to Closest Airport: 19 miles
More on Davidson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 27,556
Median Income: $100,860
Median Home Price: $513,193
Median Rent: $1,528
Distance to Closest Airport: 16 miles
More on Mint Hill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 22,100
Median Income: $48,376
Median Home Price: $209,226
Median Rent: $945
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Shelby: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 32,734
Median Income: $61,031
Median Home Price: $281,327
Median Rent: $1,081
Distance to Closest Airport: 73 miles
More on New Bern: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Tar Heel State for 2026
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 2026. This list reflects our eleventh 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, Lenoir, Newton, Lincolnton, Rolesville, Davidson, Mint Hill, Shelby, and New Bern.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Spring Lake
- Pineville
- Monroe
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 | 12,116 | $43,270 | $293,390 | $658 |
| 2 | Tarboro | 10,770 | $49,796 | $152,776 | $843 |
| 3 | Lenoir | 18,299 | $49,910 | $215,174 | $664 |
| 4 | Newton | 13,333 | $62,015 | $256,468 | $1,091 |
| 5 | Lincolnton | 11,783 | $46,320 | $296,022 | $965 |
| 6 | Rolesville | 10,766 | $149,565 | $497,995 | $1,085 |
| 7 | Davidson | 15,660 | $166,556 | $655,967 | $1,652 |
| 8 | Mint Hill | 27,556 | $100,860 | $513,193 | $1,528 |
| 9 | Shelby | 22,100 | $48,376 | $209,226 | $945 |
| 10 | New Bern | 32,734 | $61,031 | $281,327 | $1,081 |