WYLT Neighborhood Rankings · 2026

Best Neighborhoods
in North Carolina

Ranked by safety, schools, walkability, and value. Every verdict is based on real data — no sponsored rankings, no fluff.

25 neighborhoods reviewed
19 "Settle here" picks
6 "Good for now" picks

#1 Pick in North Carolina

Apex, Apex is the top-rated neighborhood in North Carolina — our highest verdict.

Top 25 Neighborhoods in North Carolina

#1

Apex

Settle here

Apex, NC

Price

$551K

Walk

68/100

Schools

8.5/10

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#2

Chapel Hill

Settle here

Chapel Hill, NC

Price

$664K

Walk

71/100

Schools

7.9/10

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#3

Fuquay Varina

Settle here

Fuquay Varina, NC

Price

$414K

Walk

51/100

Schools

9/10

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#4

Belmont

Settle here

Belmont, NC

Price

$374K

Walk

54/100

Schools

8.3/10

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#5

Garner

Settle here

Garner, NC

Price

$356K

Walk

55/100

Schools

7.9/10

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#6

Holly Springs

Settle here

Holly Springs, NC

Price

$523K

Walk

41/100

Schools

9/10

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#7

Raleigh

Settle here

Raleigh, NC

Price

$349K

Walk

41/100

Schools

8.3/10

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#8

Wake Forest

Settle here

Wake Forest, NC

Price

$498K

Walk

38/100

Schools

8.7/10

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#9

Clayton

Settle here

Clayton, NC

Price

$321K

Walk

32/100

Schools

8.1/10

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#10

Denver

Settle here

Denver, NC

Price

$492K

Walk

20/100

Schools

8.8/10

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#11

New Hill

Settle here

New Hill, NC

Price

$614K

Walk

22/100

Schools

9/10

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#12

Eagle Rock

Settle here

Eagle Rock, NC

Price

$659K

Walk

19/100

Schools

9/10

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#13

Mebane

Settle here

Mebane, NC

Price

$312K

Walk

68/100

Schools

6/10

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#14

Indian Trail

Settle here

Indian Trail, NC

Price

$396K

Walk

41/100

Schools

8.6/10

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#15

Matthews

Settle here

Matthews, NC

Price

$534K

Walk

25/100

Schools

7/10

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#16

Hope Valley Durham

Settle here

Hope Valley Durham, NC

Price

$408K

Walk

26/100

Schools

6.8/10

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#17

Leland

Settle here

Leland, NC

Price

$352K

Walk

23/100

Schools

6.5/10

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#18

Tryon

Settle here

Tryon, NC

Price

$345K

Walk

28/100

Schools

5/10

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#19

Flat Rock

Settle here

Flat Rock, NC

Price

$198K

Walk

19/100

Schools

6.1/10

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#20

South Lakes Fuquay Varina

Good for now

South Lakes Fuquay Varina, NC

Price

$414K

Walk

51/100

Schools

9/10

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#21

Cary

Good for now

Cary, NC

Price

$456K

Walk

82/100

Schools

8.2/10

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#22

Hickory

Good for now

Hickory, NC

Price

$262K

Walk

55/100

Schools

6.8/10

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#23

Greensboro

Good for now

Greensboro, NC

Price

$157K

Walk

80/100

Schools

6.4/10

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#24

Asheville

Good for now

Asheville, NC

Price

$359K

Walk

87/100

Schools

6/10

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#25

Charlotte

Good for now

Charlotte, NC

Price

$444K

Walk

88/100

Schools

7.9/10

View report →

Best places to live in North Carolina — 2026 rankings

WYLT has reviewed 25 neighborhoods across North Carolina, covering cities including Apex, Chapel Hill, Fuquay Varina, Belmont, Garner and more. The top-rated neighborhood this year is Apex, rated "Settle here" based on safety, schools, walkability, and home prices. 19 neighborhoods earn our highest "Settle here" verdict — meaning strong scores across all four dimensions with no major red flags.

Median home prices across reviewed North Carolina neighborhoods average $418K. Average Walk Score is 47/100. Every verdict is based on real data — crime statistics, school ratings, walkability scores, and price trend data — not sponsored rankings. Click any neighborhood to read its full report including commute times, flood risk, and a plain-English verdict.

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