The 10 Best Small Towns In North Carolina For 2026


The best small towns in North Carolina are Wrightsville Beach and Bayshore for 2026 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: April 18, 2026

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in North Carolina. Best sururbs in North Carolina. Best counties in North Carolina.

Etc., etc., etc.

But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Tar Heel State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.

Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in North Carolina based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.

We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in North Carolina ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In North Carolina For 2026

  1. Wrightsville Beach
  2. Bayshore
  3. Northlakes
  4. Avery Creek
  5. Jame
  6. Trent Woods
  7. Biltmore Forest
  8. Kure Beach
  9. Valley Hill
  10. Royal Pines
  11. Weaverville
  12. Alamance
  13. Fearrington Village
  14. Nags Head
  15. Sunset Beach

Best Small Towns To Live In North Carolina Map

What’s the best small town in North Carolina? Wrightsville Beach is the best small town in North Carolina based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Wrightsville Beach, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Tar Heel State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In North Carolina For 2026

1. Wrightsville Beach

Wrightsville Beach, NC

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 2,665
Median Income: $151,563 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $1,666,434 (1st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.4%

2. Bayshore

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,949
Median Income: $94,632 (28th Best)
Median Home Value: $612,264 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%

3. Northlakes

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,716
Median Income: $101,250 (20th Best)
Median Home Value: $426,768 (42nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%

4. Avery Creek

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,887
Median Income: $113,261 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $480,798 (23rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

5. Jame

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 3,708
Median Income: $104,844 (16th Best)
Median Home Value: $380,540 (68th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.7%

6. Trent Woods

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 4,032
Median Income: $107,802 (13th Best)
Median Home Value: $383,827 (64th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%

7. Biltmore Forest

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 1,587
Median Income: $169,167 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $1,552,552 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.5%

8. Kure Beach

Kure Beach, NC

Source: Wikipedia User Alexisrael | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,466
Median Income: $104,149 (18th Best)
Median Home Value: $761,406 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3%

9. Valley Hill

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,675
Median Income: $86,599 (47th Best)
Median Home Value: $411,164 (48th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

10. Royal Pines

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 4,325
Median Income: $107,885 (11th Best)
Median Home Value: $466,010 (30th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%

11. Weaverville

Weaverville, NC

Source: Wikipedia User -ted | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 4,687
Median Income: $88,221 (44th Best)
Median Home Value: $468,960 (29th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%

12. Alamance

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,267
Median Income: $99,375 (22nd Best)
Median Home Value: $474,277 (24th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.2%

13. Fearrington Village

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,356
Median Income: $86,116 (51st Best)
Median Home Value: $550,315 (13th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0%

14. Nags Head

Nags Head, NC

Source: Wikipedia User lns1122 | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 3,160
Median Income: $91,264 (34th Best)
Median Home Value: $720,238 (8th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%

15. Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach, NC

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Currivan | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 4,351
Median Income: $81,976 (61st Best)
Median Home Value: $440,728 (38th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.7%

Best States In America

Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In North Carolina

We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in North Carolina possible.

Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Lowest Unemployment Rates
  • Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
  • Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
  • Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
  • Commute Times (Lower is better)

We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 276 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 276, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in North Carolina. Top of that list — Wrightsville Beach.

This is our eleventh time ranking the best small places to live in North Carolina.

Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones

We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in North Carolina are the best in which to live.

And who can argue with that?

The best small towns in North Carolina are Wrightsville Beach, Bayshore, Northlakes, Avery Creek, Jame, Trent Woods, Biltmore Forest, Kure Beach, Valley Hill, and Royal Pines.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in North Carolina:

  1. Gamewell
  2. Vanceboro
  3. Tabor City

For more North Carolina reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In North Carolina

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Wrightsville Beach, NC 2,665 $151,563 0.4%
2 Bayshore, NC 2,949 $94,632 2.0%
3 Northlakes, NC 1,716 $101,250 1.0%
4 Avery Creek, NC 2,887 $113,261 0.0%
5 Jame, NC 3,708 $104,844 0.7%
6 Trent Woods, NC 4,032 $107,802 3.1%
7 Biltmore Forest, NC 1,587 $169,167 2.5%
8 Kure Beach, NC 2,466 $104,149 2.3%
9 Valley Hill, NC 2,675 $86,599 0.0%
10 Royal Pines, NC 4,325 $107,885 3.2%
11 Weaverville, NC 4,687 $88,221 3.4%
12 Alamance, NC 1,267 $99,375 0.2%
13 Fearrington Village, NC 2,356 $86,116 3.0%
14 Nags Head, NC 3,160 $91,264 1.0%
15 Sunset Beach, NC 4,351 $81,976 0.7%
16 Laurel Park, NC 2,408 $90,000 2.9%
17 Emerald Isle, NC 3,934 $89,773 1.2%
18 Brices Creek, NC 3,415 $85,723 0.0%
19 Sea Breeze, NC 1,849 $69,942 1.6%
20 Bermuda Run, NC 3,211 $69,301 0.0%
21 Cape Carteret, NC 2,703 $86,136 1.3%
22 Walnut Creek, NC 1,422 $166,250 1.7%
23 Pine Knoll Shores, NC 1,351 $109,375 3.8%
24 Southport, NC 4,205 $87,641 0.0%
25 Red Oak, NC 3,405 $90,214 0.0%
26 Banner Elk, NC 1,473 $86,382 2.4%
27 Cedar Point, NC 1,917 $98,750 2.8%
28 Mountain Home, NC 3,437 $83,083 0.7%
29 Swepsonville, NC 2,517 $100,559 2.2%
30 Pittsboro, NC 4,752 $81,639 1.1%
31 Mcadenville, NC 1,010 $112,083 0.4%
32 River Bend, NC 2,874 $71,824 4.3%
33 Mars Hill, NC 3,025 $81,429 4.5%
34 Advance, NC 1,408 $115,391 0.0%
35 Southern Shores, NC 3,139 $131,429 13.2%
36 Atlantic Beach, NC 1,719 $70,402 2.9%
37 Flat Rock, NC 3,530 $95,098 5.1%
38 Balfour, NC 1,134 $70,116 0.0%
39 Youngsville, NC 3,011 $86,528 1.5%
40 Forest Oaks, NC 4,293 $107,604 0.0%
41 Midway, NC 4,897 $83,446 2.7%
42 Kitty Hawk, NC 3,724 $94,450 8.9%
43 Foxfire, NC 1,925 $85,117 0.0%
44 Troutman, NC 3,995 $98,462 3.4%
45 Surf City, NC 4,396 $81,433 2.8%
46 Swansboro, NC 3,997 $114,425 2.7%
47 Lake Park, NC 3,431 $66,411 3.5%
48 Lowesville, NC 3,874 $113,510 2.8%
49 Seven Lakes, NC 4,535 $91,085 2.3%
50 Lake Junaluska, NC 3,175 $66,165 6.6%
51 Beaufort, NC 4,689 $53,321 5.7%
52 Southmont, NC 1,525 $91,307 0.0%
53 Midland, NC 4,860 $101,477 1.8%
54 Boiling Springs, NC 4,757 $89,875 6.3%
55 Wanchese, NC 1,956 $88,750 1.9%
56 Bethlehem, NC 4,101 $87,795 6.0%
57 Wallburg, NC 3,150 $88,406 4.8%
58 Mount Pleasant, NC 2,230 $90,795 3.2%
59 Woodlawn, NC 1,085 $72,734 0.0%
60 Mineral Springs, NC 3,314 $91,500 2.1%
61 Dortches, NC 1,158 $74,500 1.5%
62 Highlands, NC 1,074 $71,509 4.3%
63 Fairview, NC 3,619 $98,808 1.8%
64 Fairfield Harbour, NC 2,948 $72,583 4.5%
65 Efland, NC 1,611 $65,735 0.0%
66 Ranlo, NC 4,617 $78,033 5.7%
67 Fairview, NC 2,298 $92,132 5.7%
68 Tryon, NC 1,810 $57,721 2.5%
69 Belville, NC 2,573 $81,944 3.5%
70 Buies Creek, NC 3,746 $53,933 1.7%
71 Stanley, NC 4,069 $75,461 5.8%
72 Clyde, NC 1,359 $56,406 0.4%
73 Tobaccoville, NC 2,664 $80,263 3.3%
74 Rockwell, NC 2,782 $69,632 5.3%
75 Neuse Forest, NC 2,671 $84,500 6.5%
76 Stedman, NC 1,670 $107,250 1.7%
77 Pine Level, NC 2,031 $75,263 3.8%
78 Horse Shoe, NC 1,490 $64,096 10.8%
79 Stem, NC 1,249 $95,625 1.1%
80 Camden, NC 1,115 $94,412 9.7%
81 Lake Royale, NC 3,168 $107,806 1.3%
82 James City, NC 4,789 $58,973 2.5%
83 Stony Point, NC 1,372 $73,209 0.0%
84 Claremont, NC 1,922 $66,667 1.2%
85 Holly Ridge, NC 4,904 $104,788 1.6%
86 Wingate, NC 4,425 $63,068 5.7%
87 Canton, NC 4,419 $69,924 1.8%
88 Manteo, NC 2,020 $83,777 6.1%
89 Lowell, NC 3,768 $52,500 3.7%
90 Benson, NC 4,282 $67,102 2.9%
91 Broad Creek, NC 1,836 $57,500 2.1%
92 Lillington, NC 4,709 $81,760 3.9%
93 Pinetops, NC 1,426 $60,458 2.7%
94 Rutherfordton, NC 3,680 $59,375 7.3%
95 Rutherford College, NC 1,374 $67,500 2.2%
96 Carthage, NC 2,896 $82,695 2.7%
97 Vass, NC 1,644 $73,581 3.9%
98 Landis, NC 3,765 $75,000 3.4%
99 Denver, NC 2,497 $65,721 2.6%
100 Mountain View, NC 3,982 $71,792 4.1%
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.

 Best Small Towns, Rankings