The 10 Safest Cities In North Carolina For 2020

The 10 Safest Cities In North Carolina For 2020

1. Holly Springs

Holly Springs has reclaimed the throne after being dethroned for the first time in a couple of years last year -- it ranks as the safest city in North Carolina.

A slight decrease in violent crimes did the trick and it's still WAY safe to live here compared to most every other place in NC. And the property crime rates are still super low. As a forebear of places to come, Holly Springs is a suburb of Raleigh right in the middle of the state. By the end of this article, you'll have read a line similar to that many times over.

2. Pinehurst

Welcome to Pinehurst, the second safest place to live in North Carolina for 2020.

Pinehurst managed to just miss out on Holly Springs this year and claim the number 2 overall spot in the Tarheel State thanks to the lowest property crime rate and lowest violent crime rate in the state.

So you know what that means? You can leave your car unlocked and doors open when you go out for your daily round of golf. And make sure to stop in at Betsy's for a crepe. I literally drive an hour each way at least twice a year to eat breakfast there -- it's awesome.

3. Cary

Speaking of pricey places -- Cary is basically as pricey as they come in North Carolina (which isn't all that pricey compared to the rest of the country) -- but well, well worth it.

Cary ranked as our best place to live in North Carolina for 2018 and finished in the top ten nationally. It's also one of the most expensive places in the state. But all those money signs equal safety as Cary has one of the lowest property crime rates you'll find and a top ten violent crime rate.

Located Southwest of Raleigh, it's probably the nicest 'burb around. Make sure to stop by La Farm bakery -- I love the monkey bread, but most people rave about the white chocolate baguettes.

4. Davidson

Let me say that I'm totally biased in favor of Davidson -- it's an awesome little college town on the north side of Charlotte. I suggest you spend a day walking around campus, eating on main street, and just taking it all in.

IMO, it's the ideal place to live in the state based on my six plus years living here. And, since it places fourth here, you also know it's safe. It has a top safety rating for both violent and property crime.

So pack your bags and feel confident in your move to Davidson -- if you can afford the price of entry to this safe haven.

5. Boone

We already named Boone the best city for singles in 2019 in North Carolina, so the fact that you can enjoy looking for love in a safe environment is just a bonus. Boone had the fourth lowest rate of violent crime in the state, with residents facing a 1 in 1,084 of being the victim of violence -- a rate substantially lower than the national average. As long as you don't break a leg on Appalachian Ski Mountain, you should be totally safe in Boone.

Boone is located in the north-western part of North Carolina in the mountains.

6. Fletcher

Stopping the streak of Raleigh suburbs is Fletcher, a safe town on the west side of the state.

Unlike all those fancy burbs, you can actually afford to live here. And that's great news because it has the second lowest violent crime rate in the state which helped propel it into the top ten for the second time.

Interestingly, compared to other states, North Carolina's safest cities are really stable from year to year.

7. Apex

While you might think Apex has the apex of living, it always seem to be just a notch behind Cary in our rankings.

And while Cary is the probably the nicest 'burb around, Apex might give it a run for its money in some ways.

The city of some 40,000 plus people has less violent crime, but a bit more property crime than it's neighbor. It also costs a bit less to live here, doesn't rank quite as high on our other rankings, and has a longer commute to Raleigh.

Some might call Apex UNC-Chapel Hill to Cary's Duke.

Just saying.

8. Wake Forest

Wake Forest's population has been increasing at a rate of about 5% a year since 2010, and it's not hard to see what all the buzz is about. The city recently ranked as one of the best places to live in North Carolina, thanks in part to its stellar crime numbers. Wake Forest had the eighth lowest rate of property and tenth lowest rate of violent crime in the state. With both crime rates being far below the national average and great amenities like those at Joyner Park, Wake Forest's 9/10 score on our overall snackability scale makes a lot of sense.

Wake Forest is just a half hour north of North Carolina's capital, Raleigh.

9. Winterville

Winterville may have a chilly name, but rest assured that it's a warm place to call home. Winterville experienced less than half as much violent and property crime as the national average in 2018, meaning residents don't have to worry about an assault or a mugging at Winterville Recreation Park. In terms of statewide comparisons, Winterville was more impressive in terms of property crime, with the third lowest rate in the North Carolina.

Winterville is located in the east-central part of the state.

10. Gibsonville

Located 15 miles east of Greensboro, Gibsonville is the tenth safest city in North Carolina. Gibsonville averaged just one violent crime and six property crimes a month in 2018, with crime rates far below the statewide average. Gibsonville had the fourth lowest rate of property crime in the state, so if you return from a picnic at Moricle Park sans wallet, don't worry -- it'll probably be in your mailbox before the day is through. Gibsonville jumped up 15 spots from last year to achieve its #10 ranking this year.

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