The 10 Happiest Cities In North Carolina For 2023


The happiest cities in North Carolina are Waynesville and Fletcher for 2023 based on Saturday Night Science.

Welcome to the happiest places in North Carolina.

Using Saturday Night Science and data, we determined the cities and towns with the most rainbows, butterflies, puppies, and unicorns.

You know, the places where people have jobs, white-picked fences, and friendly neighbors – unicorn cities.

After analyzing the 136 largest cities, we happily present the happiest cities in the Tar Heel State.


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


Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably live in one of these cities.

Oh, and by the way, Siler City is the most miserable place in North Carolina.

For more North Carolina reading, check out:

The 10 Happiest Places In North Carolina For 2023

Waynesville, NC

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

4
/10

Population: 10,087
Poverty Level: 19.5%
Median Home Price $174,700
Married Households 24.0%
Households With Kids 22.84%
More on Waynesville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Waynesville is by far the happiest place in the state of North Carolina. Let’s see why.
First off, having a solid family life is a good indication of how happy someone is. Lots of the residents of Waynesville aren’t missing out on love; more than 24% of them are married. Plus, the average commute time here is only about 18 minutes each way. That means a lot more time with the spouse and kids.

Fletcher, NC

Source: Wikipedia User Brian Stansberry | CC BY 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 7,935
Poverty Level: 9.0%
Median Home Price $248,500
Married Households 27.0%
Households With Kids 22.33%
More on Fletcher: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Things look to be pretty pleasant in Fletcher. Crime is really low here, and the percentage of married residents (27%) mean there’s lots of stability at home.
In addition to those factors, there is a thriving amount of community involvement. Studies have shown that a key factor to happiness is when people volunteer, especially in their own neighborhoods.

Elon, NC

Source: Flickr User MPD01605 | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 11,059
Poverty Level: 24.5%
Median Home Price $304,800
Married Households 14.0%
Households With Kids 27.29%
More on Elon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

The people who live in Elon have a lot going for them. 54% of them have college degrees, and they command some of the highest salaries in NC. 14% of the people here are married.
Most of these all tops in the entire state.

Asheville, NC

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

6
/10

Population: 93,272
Poverty Level: 12.4%
Median Home Price $319,400
Married Households 12.0%
Households With Kids 20.16%
More on Asheville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Asheville is where you can bet there are lots of smiley and happy people all over town. Crime is essentially something that just doesn’t happen here very often. And when you can let your guard down and relax a little, the lack of stress really makes a difference.
Same goes on the job front. Only 4.0% of residents here are out of work. Sounds like there are jobs for just about everyone who wants one. Which must be a good feeling to have.

Morehead City, NC

Source: Wikipedia User Bz3rk | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 9,535
Poverty Level: 12.7%
Median Home Price $295,300
Married Households 19.0%
Households With Kids 23.9%
More on Morehead City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

If you want to see a bunch of happy people, go to Morehead City. It seriously looks like something out of a commercial.
They have a 18 minute commute time, which means lots more time with the kids.

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 14,878
Poverty Level: 15.1%
Median Home Price $217,200
Married Households 13.0%
Households With Kids 16.86%
More on Hendersonville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

For those who say that money doesn’t buy happiness, you’re half right. Studies have shown that people are happy up to a certain point when it comes to annual salaries, somewhere around $72,000 a year. After that, it doesn’t matter how much you make, you’re not going to be much happier.
The residents of Hendersonville have that covered. Plus about 13% of households are married.

Wilmington, NC

Source: Wikipedia User Jason W. Smith | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 115,976
Poverty Level: 18.8%
Median Home Price $279,900
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 18.56%
More on Wilmington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Most of the people in Wilmington have to be ‘plum’ happy. True happiness is ‘Home Sweet Home’ with your kids and spouse, being reminded to do chores, run errands and fold the clothes right.

Woodfin, NC

Source: Flickr User NCDOTcommunications | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 7,771
Poverty Level: 14.8%
Median Home Price $284,900
Married Households 11.0%
Households With Kids 17.04%
More on Woodfin: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Less than 2.6% of the residents in Woodfin are jobless, which is just about as low as you’ll see.

Incomes are steady, and commute times are really low as well. That really takes away the stress factors that stop folks from relaxing and enjoying their ‘down time’ to do the little things that matter: Walks in the park, time alone with a book and extra face time with the children.

Chapel Hill, NC

Source: Wikipedia User Caroline Culler (User:Wgreaves) | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 60,920
Poverty Level: 19.6%
Median Home Price $454,300
Married Households 5.0%
Households With Kids 26.4%
More on Chapel Hill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

About 79% of residents in Chapel Hill, NC have a college degree. While we’ve all heard the saying, ‘Ignorance is bliss,’ our argument is: Ignorance is also broke.

Not only are most of the residents of Chapel Hill smart, they’re safe, too.

Brevard, NC

Source: Wikipedia User -ted from Raleigh, NC, USA | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 7,712
Poverty Level: 14.3%
Median Home Price $257,700
Married Households 16.0%
Households With Kids 20.47%
More on Brevard: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

In Brevard, most of the population is married, and most own their own homes.
The commute times (17 minutes each way) might eventually start to turn the corners of those smiles sideways.
But for now, it’s all roses in Brevard.

Methodology: How We Measured The Happiest Cities In The Tar Heel State

To rank the happiest places in North Carolina, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.

So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, added some Saturday Night Science, and generated the answer.

Here are the criteria we used to measure happiness:

  • Percentage of residents with a college degree
  • Average commute times
  • Unemployment rates
  • Cost of living
  • % of married couples
  • % of families with kids
  • Poverty rate

After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 136 places in North Carolina with over 5,000 people.

We then ranked each place from one to 136 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the happiest.

Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Happy Index for each place with the lowest overall Happy Index “earning” the title “Happiest City In North Carolina.”

If you’d like to see the complete list of cities, happiest to saddest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.

We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the happiest cities in North Carolina.

There You Have It – The Happiest Cities In North Carolina

As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in North Carolina is usually a subjective matter.

But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.

If you’re curious enough, here are the most miserable cities in North Carolina, according to science:

  1. Siler City
  2. Zebulon
  3. Monroe

For more North Carolina reading, check out:

Happiest Cities In North Carolina For 2023

Rank City Population Poverty Level Median Home Value % Married % Kids
1 Waynesville, NC 10,087 19.5% $174,700 24.0% 22.84%
2 Fletcher, NC 7,935 9.0% $248,500 27.0% 22.33%
3 Elon, NC 11,059 24.5% $304,800 14.0% 27.29%
4 Asheville, NC 93,272 12.4% $319,400 12.0% 20.16%
5 Morehead City, NC 9,535 12.7% $295,300 19.0% 23.9%
6 Hendersonville, NC 14,878 15.1% $217,200 13.0% 16.86%
7 Wilmington, NC 115,976 18.8% $279,900 15.0% 18.56%
8 Woodfin, NC 7,771 14.8% $284,900 11.0% 17.04%
9 Chapel Hill, NC 60,920 19.6% $454,300 5.0% 26.4%
10 Brevard, NC 7,712 14.3% $257,700 16.0% 20.47%
11 Boone, NC 18,055 55.3% $272,500 6.0% 12.48%
12 Summerfield, NC 11,026 7.4% $387,500 21.0% 34.68%
13 Black Mountain, NC 8,386 4.6% $264,900 15.0% 18.08%
14 Tarboro, NC 10,733 24.5% $132,800 26.0% 26.76%
15 Oak Island, NC 8,252 9.5% $284,400 25.0% 10.75%
16 Mount Airy, NC 10,547 29.3% $160,100 23.0% 25.99%
17 Smithfield, NC 11,168 30.0% $165,800 22.0% 27.5%
18 Oak Ridge, NC 7,461 3.8% $406,300 28.0% 39.16%
19 Washington, NC 9,754 30.6% $158,100 28.0% 26.47%
20 Carrboro, NC 21,237 12.1% $396,800 5.0% 25.88%
21 Gibsonville, NC 8,684 9.4% $200,700 31.0% 34.68%
22 Kernersville, NC 26,376 11.5% $208,200 21.0% 24.98%
23 Greenville, NC 87,815 26.2% $163,500 15.0% 26.36%
24 Durham, NC 279,106 13.5% $264,100 12.0% 26.94%
25 New Bern, NC 31,058 19.1% $167,600 15.0% 25.03%
26 Mills River, NC 7,082 3.5% $306,300 24.0% 27.85%
27 Morganton, NC 17,389 27.0% $158,400 19.0% 30.18%
28 Shelby, NC 21,564 19.0% $143,700 23.0% 23.85%
29 Southern Pines, NC 15,156 10.1% $301,200 14.0% 22.02%
30 Raleigh, NC 462,219 12.1% $285,400 12.0% 27.66%
31 Cramerton, NC 5,190 2.9% $231,800 34.0% 29.36%
32 Leland, NC 22,794 4.3% $273,000 17.0% 22.98%
33 Lewisville, NC 13,413 10.4% $225,600 29.0% 34.85%
34 Clemmons, NC 21,032 5.4% $253,400 24.0% 29.12%
35 Trinity, NC 6,981 11.9% $149,600 34.0% 29.05%
36 Carolina Beach, NC 6,456 8.9% $394,000 19.0% 16.26%
37 Archdale, NC 12,117 7.3% $147,500 29.0% 25.89%
38 Clinton, NC 8,124 27.7% $133,600 23.0% 31.07%
39 St. James, NC 6,199 2.8% $473,700 6.0% 2.5%
40 King, NC 7,258 5.3% $170,200 35.0% 29.68%
41 Pinehurst, NC 17,250 4.2% $338,900 12.0% 18.13%
42 Walke, NC 5,626 9.7% $154,300 30.0% 30.39%
43 Belmont, NC 14,442 14.8% $262,200 20.0% 32.81%
44 Hickory, NC 42,831 16.7% $199,100 18.0% 28.58%
45 Davidson, NC 14,644 6.5% $478,000 9.0% 32.92%
46 Kill Devil Hills, NC 7,541 7.5% $278,000 12.0% 17.26%
47 Pineville, NC 10,317 13.1% $254,300 7.0% 33.37%
48 Rockingham, NC 9,200 28.7% $107,100 25.0% 27.56%
49 Wendell, NC 9,847 8.6% $226,400 20.0% 28.19%
50 Dunn, NC 8,616 23.2% $142,900 24.0% 26.87%
51 Winston-Salem, NC 247,917 19.0% $158,600 16.0% 28.55%
52 Morrisville, NC 28,824 4.1% $358,800 5.0% 38.85%
53 Goldsboro, NC 33,214 24.1% $135,900 19.0% 26.83%
54 Cary, NC 171,603 5.7% $404,300 9.0% 38.23%
55 Cherryville, NC 6,044 15.1% $149,800 39.0% 39.36%
56 Matthews, NC 29,417 4.6% $299,900 14.0% 31.8%
57 Weddington, NC 12,851 2.1% $549,200 17.0% 49.89%
58 Mint Hill, NC 26,236 7.9% $313,900 21.0% 32.32%
59 Roanoke Rapids, NC 15,294 20.4% $110,500 24.0% 30.33%
60 Cornelius, NC 30,925 6.6% $371,100 10.0% 30.09%
61 Hillsborough, NC 9,342 7.6% $321,000 15.0% 29.41%
62 Winterville, NC 10,336 6.4% $169,300 30.0% 34.97%
63 Oxford, NC 8,658 24.0% $143,800 24.0% 26.39%
64 Greensboro, NC 295,483 17.4% $169,100 14.0% 30.49%
65 High Point, NC 113,148 14.6% $167,900 18.0% 32.02%
66 Newton, NC 13,081 10.3% $120,700 25.0% 27.76%
67 Unionville, NC 6,634 6.1% $263,000 44.0% 33.17%
68 Lumberton, NC 19,186 31.1% $112,300 20.0% 33.63%
69 Burlington, NC 56,563 17.2% $145,000 19.0% 27.21%
70 Elizabeth City, NC 18,466 21.2% $150,700 19.0% 26.91%
71 Charlotte, NC 864,871 11.6% $258,000 10.0% 30.25%
72 Conover, NC 8,393 12.0% $171,900 23.0% 41.42%
73 Wilson, NC 47,914 21.3% $150,000 23.0% 30.9%
74 Williamston, NC 5,221 29.4% $97,900 32.0% 31.18%
75 Sawmills, NC 5,053 19.3% $150,600 34.0% 31.62%
76 Stokesdale, NC 5,895 8.0% $250,900 24.0% 45.85%
77 Albemarle, NC 16,318 23.9% $136,900 27.0% 30.75%
78 Reidsville, NC 14,463 28.5% $112,600 23.0% 28.02%
79 Kinston, NC 19,888 27.9% $97,400 18.0% 23.4%
80 Statesville, NC 27,777 19.6% $167,700 18.0% 32.9%
81 Mocksville, NC 5,714 26.3% $159,600 16.0% 32.51%
82 Salisbury, NC 35,258 23.7% $156,300 22.0% 32.59%
83 Rocky Mount, NC 54,375 18.9% $114,400 23.0% 27.06%
84 Gastonia, NC 79,483 14.4% $178,800 23.0% 32.48%
85 Fuquay-Varina, NC 33,135 11.6% $303,400 15.0% 42.8%
86 Graham, NC 16,793 23.7% $150,900 21.0% 32.25%
87 Nashville, NC 5,626 18.8% $148,800 28.0% 37.19%
88 Aberdeen, NC 8,333 7.4% $212,200 16.0% 33.39%
89 Mooresville, NC 48,431 8.2% $260,300 11.0% 38.15%
90 Laurinburg, NC 15,242 33.2% $108,600 21.0% 30.15%
91 Kings Mountain, NC 10,775 20.7% $150,500 22.0% 24.24%
92 Garner, NC 30,859 8.4% $236,600 17.0% 30.47%
93 Angier, NC 5,312 9.6% $170,800 19.0% 28.68%
94 Lenoir, NC 18,205 17.1% $119,700 26.0% 27.07%
95 Apex, NC 58,066 3.3% $371,200 11.0% 46.01%
96 Wadesboro, NC 5,079 37.1% $70,100 22.0% 26.15%
97 Butner, NC 8,295 14.0% $170,000 27.0% 37.21%
98 Bessemer City, NC 5,452 12.7% $113,200 23.0% 27.67%
99 Holly Springs, NC 40,198 4.1% $383,400 13.0% 56.61%
100 Fayetteville, NC 208,497 19.1% $138,800 11.0% 29.64%
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 900,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.