Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban North Carolina? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Raleigh, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which North Carolina suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Tar Heel State
Apex is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban North Carolina.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in 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 best places to raise a family in North Carolina.
Best Suburbs In North Carolina For 2025
/10
Population: 67,765
Median Income: $138,442
Average Home Price: $514,800
More on Apex: Data
Apex is located 14 miles west of Raleigh.
/10
Population: 14,852
Median Income: $152,969
Average Home Price: $626,000
More on Davidson: Data
Davidson is located 19 miles north of Charlotte.
/10
Population: 30,471
Median Income: $125,404
Average Home Price: $481,800
More on Morrisville: Data
Morrisville is located 10 miles south of Durham.
/10
Population: 176,686
Median Income: $129,399
Average Home Price: $525,200
More on Cary: Data
Cary is located 10 miles west of Raleigh.
/10
Population: 32,009
Median Income: $114,688
Average Home Price: $512,400
More on Cornelius: Data
Cornelius is located 18 miles north of Charlotte.
/10
Population: 43,429
Median Income: $132,435
Average Home Price: $485,500
More on Holly Springs: Data
Holly Springs is located 16 miles west of Raleigh.
/10
Population: 10,200
Median Income: $148,250
Average Home Price: $467,400
More on Rolesville: Data
Rolesville is located 11 miles east of Raleigh.
/10
Population: 17,992
Median Income: $104,955
Average Home Price: $423,300
More on Pinehurst: Data
Pinehurst is located 28 miles west of Fayetteville.
/10
Population: 11,325
Median Income: $82,717
Average Home Price: $355,800
More on Elon: Data
Elon is located 17 miles east of Greensboro.
/10
Population: 62,458
Median Income: $119,951
Average Home Price: $439,300
More on Huntersville: Data
Huntersville is located 13 miles north of Charlotte.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Tar Heel State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in North Carolina. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of North Carolina, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in North Carolina across these criteria from one to 77, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In North Carolina.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in North Carolina.
Read on to see why Apex is the ‘burb with the most, while Roxboro is probably not the best place to live in North Carolina.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In North Carolina
If you’re measuring the locations in North Carolina where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in North Carolina are Apex, Davidson, Morrisville, Cary, Cornelius, Holly Springs, Rolesville, Pinehurst, Elon, and Huntersville.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in North Carolina according to the data:
- Roxboro
- Smithfield
- Zebulon
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Carolina
- Richest Cities In North Carolina
- Safest Cities in North Carolina
- Worst Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Expensive Places To Live In North Carolina
The Best Suburbs In North Carolina
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apex | 67,765 | $138,442 | $514,800 |
| 2 | Davidson | 14,852 | $152,969 | $626,000 |
| 3 | Morrisville | 30,471 | $125,404 | $481,800 |
| 4 | Cary | 176,686 | $129,399 | $525,200 |
| 5 | Cornelius | 32,009 | $114,688 | $512,400 |
| 6 | Holly Springs | 43,429 | $132,435 | $485,500 |
| 7 | Rolesville | 10,200 | $148,250 | $467,400 |
| 8 | Pinehurst | 17,992 | $104,955 | $423,300 |
| 9 | Elon | 11,325 | $82,717 | $355,800 |
| 10 | Huntersville | 62,458 | $119,951 | $439,300 |
| 11 | Gibsonville | 9,289 | $105,981 | $262,400 |
| 12 | Chapel Hill | 59,889 | $85,825 | $576,500 |
| 13 | Waxhaw | 21,565 | $128,115 | $506,300 |
| 14 | Matthews | 29,959 | $105,579 | $406,800 |
| 15 | Fuquay-Varina | 37,749 | $111,447 | $410,600 |
| 16 | Stallings | 16,495 | $106,074 | $381,700 |
| 17 | Oak Ridge | 7,660 | $140,583 | $523,500 |
| 18 | Carrboro | 21,170 | $85,927 | $507,100 |
| 19 | Wake Forest | 51,199 | $120,777 | $435,000 |
| 20 | Whispering Pines | 5,081 | $112,517 | $452,800 |
| 21 | Harrisburg | 19,203 | $143,393 | $431,900 |
| 22 | Weddington | 13,468 | $196,159 | $730,200 |
| 23 | Mooresville | 51,447 | $88,592 | $348,500 |
| 24 | King | 7,345 | $60,451 | $227,500 |
| 25 | Wendell | 11,585 | $93,848 | $316,700 |
| 26 | Marvin | 6,542 | $250,001 | $860,600 |
| 27 | Knightdale | 19,532 | $91,638 | $331,900 |
| 28 | Summerfield | 11,031 | $151,131 | $490,100 |
| 29 | Archdale | 11,992 | $64,984 | $188,200 |
| 30 | Clemmons | 21,574 | $84,326 | $306,900 |
| 31 | Stokesdale | 5,943 | $135,389 | $368,600 |
| 32 | Hillsborough | 9,656 | $98,467 | $430,100 |
| 33 | Mebane | 18,899 | $84,312 | $295,600 |
| 34 | Clayton | 28,043 | $73,348 | $292,400 |
| 35 | Concord | 106,518 | $84,752 | $327,600 |
| 36 | Mint Hill | 26,954 | $99,272 | $386,900 |
| 37 | Cramerton | 5,376 | $94,390 | $322,900 |
| 38 | Southern Pines | 16,052 | $83,681 | $416,300 |
| 39 | Belmont | 15,140 | $86,442 | $349,700 |
| 40 | Lewisville | 13,655 | $84,424 | $284,300 |
| 41 | Dallas | 6,012 | $57,755 | $221,700 |
| 42 | Wesley Chapel | 8,923 | $129,962 | $493,900 |
| 43 | Mount Holly | 17,928 | $75,928 | $286,400 |
| 44 | Indian Trail | 41,146 | $99,073 | $343,500 |
| 45 | Kernersville | 27,439 | $69,923 | $264,000 |
| 46 | Aberdeen | 8,969 | $72,955 | $287,200 |
| 47 | Kannapolis | 56,470 | $70,691 | $245,500 |
| 48 | Garner | 32,543 | $77,496 | $320,300 |
| 49 | Archer Lodge | 5,036 | $98,170 | $285,600 |
| 50 | Trinity | 7,066 | $80,349 | $187,700 |
| 51 | High Point | 115,263 | $61,228 | $212,400 |
| 52 | Unionville | 6,826 | $92,009 | $312,200 |
| 53 | Locust | 5,529 | $78,280 | $285,800 |
| 54 | Pineville | 10,780 | $64,257 | $344,700 |
| 55 | Lincolnton | 11,503 | $43,294 | $224,600 |
| 56 | Thomasville | 27,261 | $58,246 | $163,200 |
| 57 | Hope Mills | 17,823 | $60,671 | $176,300 |
| 58 | Mocksville | 6,001 | $55,544 | $210,900 |
| 59 | Graham | 17,537 | $54,783 | $200,600 |
| 60 | Asheboro | 27,353 | $48,628 | $162,800 |
| 61 | Butner | 7,996 | $72,917 | $225,600 |
| 62 | Burlington | 58,599 | $54,941 | $188,700 |
| 63 | Sanford | 30,833 | $54,294 | $222,000 |
| 64 | Gastonia | 81,632 | $60,554 | $250,000 |
| 65 | Dunn | 8,512 | $47,310 | $178,900 |
| 66 | Spring Lake | 11,613 | $50,497 | $101,300 |
| 67 | Angier | 5,746 | $51,162 | $236,100 |
| 68 | Kings Mountain | 11,472 | $45,507 | $177,700 |
| 69 | Eden | 15,353 | $50,959 | $122,800 |
| 70 | Selma | 6,611 | $37,440 | $161,100 |
| 71 | Lexington | 19,691 | $41,775 | $158,100 |
| 72 | Oxford | 8,897 | $48,135 | $177,200 |
| 73 | Monroe | 35,596 | $67,265 | $270,600 |
| 74 | Reidsville | 14,547 | $42,702 | $139,000 |
| 75 | Zebulon | 7,961 | $58,940 | $275,400 |
| 76 | Smithfield | 11,798 | $37,827 | $217,000 |
| 77 | Roxboro | 8,144 | $39,283 | $138,700 |