The 10 Safest Cities In North Carolina For 2026
The safest cities in North Carolina are Whispering Pines and Rolesville for 2026 using Saturday Night Science.
North Carolina, renowned for its stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, and thriving cities, offers a diverse range of safe and inviting places to call home. But what places are the safest to live in North Carolina?
While we ranked The Tar Heel State 34th in public safety, there are cities and towns that are much safer than others.
To determine the safest places in North Carolina, we looked at the data on violent and property crimes per capita for each place in the state.
Whether you're drawn to the lively rhythm of cities like Raleigh, Charlotte, and Asheville or seek the tranquility of smaller towns and coastal havens, North Carolina has a safe place for everyone. Let's explore some of the safest places to live in the Tar Heel State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table
Here are the 10 safest cities to live in North Carolina for 2026:
What city is the safest place to live in North Carolina for 2026? According to the FBI data, Whispering Pines is the safest place to live in North Carolina if you care about low crime.
I'm sure it is no surprise to the residents of Whispering Pines that they ranked number one. It is, however, very crowded at the top: the list of safe and comfortable places to live in North Carolina is quite long.
So, read on to see how we crunched the numbers and how your city compared to the top ten.
Note: Many places in north carolina have stopped contributing crime data regularly. We extrapolate the crime data based on the most recently available data in those cases.For more reading on safe places to live in and around North Carolina, check out:
- Safest States In America
- Safest Cities In America
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
The 10 Safest Cities In North Carolina For 2026
Population: 5,431
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 257 (safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Whispering Pines: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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Situated in North Carolina's Moore County, Whispering Pines ranks as the safest city in the state, boasting a low 0/100k people violent crime rate and a minute 0.0 murder rate. The town's total crime rate of 257/100k people per captta positions it safest in terms of overall safety, reflecting efficient law enforcement practices despite its growth to a population of 5,431.
Even with an expanded populace, Whispering Pines maintains a 257/100k people property crime rate. Given their safety recound, they should consider a new city tagline like "Whispering Pines: Where Safety Sings."
Population: 11,884
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 33 (second safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 437 (fifth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Rolesville: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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Rolesville is the second safest city on our list and another Raleigh suburb.
While this suburb is a little more out in the boonies to the northeast of Raleigh, it still packs a safe punch for a city of its size. It has the second safest violent crime rate in the state, so you don't have to worry about getting in a fight with your neighbors.
The median income in town stands at 127575, and the median home will set you back 357200. That's actually pretty cheap for a median income that high.
Population: 14,332
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 41 (third safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 446 (sixth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Davidson: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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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 third 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.
Population: 18,716
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 58 (eighth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 277 (second safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Pinehurst: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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Welcome to Pinehurst, the fourth safest place to live in North Carolina for 2026.
Pinehurst managed to just miss out on Holly Springs this year and claim the number 4 overall spot in the Tarheel State thanks to the second safest property crime rate and second safest 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.
Population: 23,893
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 58 (seventh safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 422 (fourth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Waxhaw: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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Located in Union County, Waxhaw secured the fifth position for safety, thanks to its minimal violent crimes. With its 58/100k people violent crime rate and 422/100k people property crime rate, Waxhaw's is the seventh safest for violent crime and fourth safest for property crime.
Waxhaw's historical background as a gold mining town, coupled with its significant growth since 2010 leading up to 2026, has made it a desirable place for residents prioritizing safety. The town's current status as a hub for antiques and fine dining contributes to its reputation as a secure area with a small-town charm.
Population: 17,564
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 51 (fourth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 671 (eighth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Stallings: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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Population: 11,585
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 77 (12th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 310 (third safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Elon: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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Another fantastic college town, Elon, cracks the top 7 for the second year in a row.
Home to Elon University, you can be sure your college-aged kids are safe here -- it ranks in the top five for both categories of crime we analyzed. And don't be fooled by the seeming higher-than-average poverty rate -- those pesky college kids can't technically work full-time jobs, which messes with the national statistics.
Elon is located midway between Greensboro and Durham off of Route 40.
Population: 5,523
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 54 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 832 (tenth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Holly Ridge: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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Population: 47,436
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 69 (ninth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 579 (seventh safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Fuquay-Varina: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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In North Carolina, Fuquay-Varina is becoming known for its safety, with 0 murders, 33 violent crimes, and 275 property crimes, ranking as the ninth safest location in North Carolina. Its low crime rates of 69/100k people for violence and 579/100k people for property offenses places it at #9 and #7 respectively amongst state towns. Its proximity to Research Triangle Park and the town's strategic placement near both coastal beaches and mountain ranges aids in the community's growth and safety reputation.
Population: 10,926
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 82 (14th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 723 (ninth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Winterville: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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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 2024, 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 ninth safest rate in the North Carolina.
Winterville is located in the east-central part of the state.
Methodology: How we calculated the safest cities in North Carolina for 2026
While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in North Carolina are the safest, we wanted to rely on something other than speculation and opinion. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's most recent crime report in North Carolina.
Specifically, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, which summarizes the number of property and violent crimes in each city annually. We used two criteria:
- Violent crimes per capita (murders, assaults, rapes, armed robberies)
- Property crimes per capita (thefts, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts)
For example, there were 14 crimes committed in Whispering Pines, with a reported population of 5,431. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0026, which translates into a 1 in 387 chance of being the victim of a crime.
We only looked at North Carolina cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 109 of the biggest cities in North Carolina to rank.
We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 109 where 1 in any particular category is the safest.
Next, we averaged each place's two criteria to create a Safety Index. We crowned the place with the lowest overall Safety Score, "The Safest Place In North Carolina," with any ties going to the bigger city.
The safest city in North Carolina, based on our criteria, is Whispering Pines. The most dangerous city in North Carolina? Lumberton, where residents had a 1 in 8 chance of being the victim of a crime.
This article has been update for 2026. This report marks our eleventh time ranking the safest places to live in North Carolina. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2024 report.
Summary: The Safest Cities In The Tar Heel State
Looking at the data, you can tell that Whispering Pines is as safe as they come in North Carolina, according to science and data.
But as most North Carolina residents would agree, almost every place here has its safe and not safe parts. So just make sure you're informed ahead of time.
The safest places in North Carolina are .
Here's a look at the most dangerous cities in North Carolina according to the data:
- Lumberton
- Henderson
- Goldsboro
- Best Places To Raise A Family In North Carolina
- Best Places To Buy A House In North Carolina
- Best Places To Retire In North Carolina
Where Are The 10 Safest Cities In North Carolina For 2026?
| Rank | City | Population | Violent Crimes Per 100k | Property Crimes Per 100k | Murders Per 100k | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whispering Pines, NC | 5,431 | 0 | 257 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Rolesville, NC | 11,884 | 33 | 437 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Davidson, NC | 14,332 | 41 | 446 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Pinehurst, NC | 18,716 | 58 | 277 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Waxhaw, NC | 23,893 | 58 | 422 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Stallings, NC | 17,564 | 51 | 671 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Elon, NC | 11,585 | 77 | 310 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Holly Ridge, NC | 5,523 | 54 | 832 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Fuquay-Varina, NC | 47,436 | 69 | 579 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Winterville, NC | 10,926 | 82 | 723 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Black Mountain, NC | 8,564 | 58 | 1,179 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Boone, NC | 20,024 | 89 | 908 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Mint Hill, NC | 28,259 | 99 | 835 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Leland, NC | 33,162 | 96 | 983 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Cornelius, NC | 33,699 | 103 | 1,035 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | King, NC | 7,680 | 78 | 1,197 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Cary, NC | 181,793 | 70 | 1,317 | 1 | 3 |
| 18 | Angier, NC | 7,902 | 151 | 835 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Fletcher, NC | 8,219 | 73 | 1,338 | 12 | 1 |
| 20 | Wendell, NC | 16,281 | 135 | 1,074 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Archdale, NC | 12,143 | 107 | 1,119 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Cramerton, NC | 5,556 | 107 | 1,241 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Concord, NC | 111,922 | 159 | 1,105 | 5 | 6 |
| 24 | Gibsonville, NC | 9,619 | 176 | 925 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Wake Forest, NC | 55,872 | 146 | 1,304 | 3 | 2 |
| 26 | Woodfin, NC | 8,031 | 174 | 1,083 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Huntersville, NC | 65,752 | 142 | 1,364 | 1 | 1 |
| 28 | Clayton, NC | 31,494 | 168 | 1,282 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Mount Holly, NC | 18,581 | 107 | 1,646 | 5 | 1 |
| 30 | Kannapolis, NC | 60,725 | 167 | 1,785 | 9 | 6 |
| 31 | Butner, NC | 8,156 | 245 | 1,311 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Havelock, NC | 16,574 | 205 | 1,574 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Morrisville, NC | 32,336 | 98 | 2,433 | 3 | 1 |
| 34 | Kill Devil Hills, NC | 7,817 | 217 | 1,496 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Ayden, NC | 5,126 | 253 | 1,482 | 39 | 2 |
| 36 | Carrboro, NC | 21,045 | 180 | 1,929 | 4 | 1 |
| 37 | Boiling Spring Lakes, NC | 6,903 | 289 | 1,434 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Dallas, NC | 6,225 | 257 | 1,815 | 16 | 1 |
| 39 | Mooresville, NC | 54,823 | 217 | 2,152 | 3 | 2 |
| 40 | Surf City, NC | 5,120 | 292 | 1,777 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | Creedmoor, NC | 5,066 | 315 | 1,598 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Chapel Hill, NC | 63,906 | 172 | 2,514 | 1 | 1 |
| 43 | Matthews, NC | 31,422 | 184 | 2,654 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | Carolina Beach, NC | 6,917 | 332 | 1,850 | 14 | 1 |
| 45 | New Bern, NC | 32,548 | 362 | 1,616 | 12 | 4 |
| 46 | Graham, NC | 18,772 | 346 | 1,880 | 15 | 3 |
| 47 | Cherryville, NC | 6,342 | 173 | 2,995 | 31 | 2 |
| 48 | Bessemer City, NC | 5,685 | 457 | 1,495 | 87 | 5 |
| 49 | Thomasville, NC | 27,525 | 330 | 2,296 | 18 | 5 |
| 50 | Knightdale, NC | 20,557 | 194 | 2,923 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | Lincolnton, NC | 12,478 | 360 | 2,123 | 0 | 0 |
| 52 | Mount Airy, NC | 10,590 | 311 | 2,436 | 9 | 1 |
| 53 | Elizabeth City, NC | 19,064 | 340 | 2,386 | 15 | 3 |
| 54 | Southern Pines, NC | 17,092 | 368 | 2,030 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | Newton, NC | 13,479 | 400 | 1,906 | 7 | 1 |
| 56 | Zebulon, NC | 10,356 | 328 | 2,452 | 9 | 1 |
| 57 | Kernersville, NC | 28,522 | 227 | 3,148 | 7 | 2 |
| 58 | Marion, NC | 7,435 | 242 | 3,201 | 0 | 0 |
| 59 | Hendersonville, NC | 15,561 | 263 | 3,058 | 6 | 1 |
| 60 | Siler City, NC | 8,142 | 478 | 2,149 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 | Aberdeen, NC | 9,795 | 245 | 3,266 | 0 | 0 |
| 62 | Lenoir, NC | 18,201 | 258 | 3,219 | 0 | 0 |
| 63 | Eden, NC | 15,307 | 411 | 2,534 | 0 | 0 |
| 64 | High Point, NC | 117,629 | 454 | 2,456 | 2 | 3 |
| 65 | Mebane, NC | 20,920 | 305 | 3,212 | 0 | 0 |
| 66 | Belmont, NC | 15,672 | 382 | 2,833 | 0 | 0 |
| 67 | Hickory, NC | 44,682 | 407 | 2,824 | 2 | 1 |
| 68 | Wilson, NC | 47,825 | 579 | 2,402 | 25 | 12 |
| 69 | Kings Mountain, NC | 12,045 | 647 | 2,266 | 16 | 2 |
| 70 | Morehead City, NC | 9,960 | 361 | 3,072 | 0 | 0 |
| 71 | Greenville, NC | 90,871 | 453 | 2,914 | 9 | 9 |
| 72 | Raleigh, NC | 488,085 | 488 | 2,819 | 5 | 25 |
| 73 | Lexington, NC | 19,899 | 437 | 3,020 | 15 | 3 |
| 74 | Waynesville, NC | 10,813 | 499 | 2,811 | 18 | 2 |
| 75 | Reidsville, NC | 14,584 | 596 | 2,735 | 0 | 0 |
| 76 | Tarboro, NC | 10,920 | 668 | 2,692 | 18 | 2 |
| 77 | Shallotte, NC | 5,548 | 324 | 4,199 | 0 | 0 |
| 78 | Selma, NC | 7,244 | 1,049 | 2,388 | 0 | 0 |
| 79 | Shelby, NC | 22,028 | 1,044 | 2,433 | 22 | 5 |
| 80 | Garner, NC | 36,720 | 356 | 4,507 | 2 | 1 |
| 81 | Winston-Salem, NC | 254,041 | 809 | 2,921 | 11 | 29 |
| 82 | Washington, NC | 9,616 | 519 | 3,379 | 41 | 4 |
| 83 | Clinton, NC | 8,300 | 566 | 3,277 | 12 | 1 |
| 84 | Fayetteville, NC | 209,945 | 660 | 3,094 | 12 | 26 |
| 85 | Wilmington, NC | 125,101 | 482 | 3,514 | 5 | 7 |
| 86 | Spring Lake, NC | 11,459 | 541 | 3,377 | 0 | 0 |
| 87 | Hillsborough, NC | 9,788 | 378 | 4,525 | 20 | 2 |
| 88 | Smithfield, NC | 12,852 | 490 | 3,563 | 7 | 1 |
| 89 | Monroe, NC | 38,903 | 652 | 3,333 | 7 | 3 |
| 90 | Burlington, NC | 60,906 | 952 | 3,085 | 6 | 4 |
| 91 | Durham, NC | 300,208 | 619 | 3,799 | 12 | 37 |
| 92 | Rockingham, NC | 8,786 | 614 | 3,835 | 56 | 5 |
| 93 | Roanoke Rapids, NC | 14,497 | 896 | 3,380 | 6 | 1 |
| 94 | Charlotte-Mecklenburg, NC | 1,003,130 | 733 | 3,705 | 10 | 109 |
| 95 | Forest City, NC | 7,391 | 527 | 5,290 | 0 | 0 |
| 96 | Gastonia, NC | 85,112 | 849 | 3,514 | 4 | 4 |
| 97 | Greensboro, NC | 304,306 | 923 | 3,383 | 14 | 43 |
| 98 | Oxford, NC | 9,032 | 841 | 3,587 | 11 | 1 |
| 99 | Asheville, NC | 95,219 | 796 | 3,895 | 12 | 12 |
| 100 | Rocky Mount, NC | 54,223 | 765 | 3,979 | 12 | 7 |
Breaking Down Crime In The Safest And Most Dangerous Cities In North Carolina
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.
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