Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is North Carolina a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in North Carolina.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Tar Heel State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of North Carolina, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 100 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In North Carolina For 2024
Wake County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in North Carolina. And you should avoid Robeson County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in North Carolina. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in North Carolina and the cheapest places to live in North Carolina.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In North Carolina For 2024
1. Wake County
Biggest Place: Raleigh
Population: 1,132,103
Median Income: $96,734 (best)
Median Home Price: $475,833 (5th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.2% (16th best)
More on Wake County: Data
2. Orange County
Biggest Place: Durham
Population: 145,919
Median Income: $85,785 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $471,210 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.9% (11th best)
More on Orange County: Data
3. Chatham County
Biggest Place: Cary
Population: 76,754
Median Income: $84,222 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $545,007 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (2nd best)
More on Chatham County: Data
4. Union County
Biggest Place: Indian Trail
Population: 240,109
Median Income: $95,533 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $424,510 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.3% (17th best)
More on Union County: Data
5. Moore County
Biggest Place: Pinehurst
Population: 100,759
Median Income: $77,981 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $393,815 (18th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.6% (26th best)
More on Moore County: Data
6. Cabarrus County
Biggest Place: Concord
Population: 226,396
Median Income: $83,828 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $367,078 (22nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.9% (34th best)
More on Cabarrus County: Data
7. Currituck County
Biggest Place: Moyock
Population: 28,616
Median Income: $82,793 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $509,658 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (4th best)
More on Currituck County: Data
8. Brunswick County
Biggest Place: Leland
Population: 139,721
Median Income: $71,193 (16th best)
Median Home Price: $425,569 (10th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.0% (38th best)
More on Brunswick County: Data
9. Lincoln County
Biggest Place: Lincolnton
Population: 87,933
Median Income: $75,672 (11th best)
Median Home Price: $367,458 (2best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.4% (23rd best)
More on Lincoln County: Data
10. Camden County
Biggest Place: Elizabeth City
Population: 10,547
Median Income: $79,120 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $351,667 (24th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.7% (59th best)
More on Camden County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which North Carolina county is the best?
To give you the best county in North Carolina, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in North Carolina across each of the criteria from one to 100, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In North Carolina.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Tar Heel State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in North Carolina.
Read on to see why Wake County is the best county, while Robeson County is probably in contention for being the worst county in North Carolina.
Summary: The Best Counties In North Carolina To Call Home For 2024
Living in North Carolina can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in North Carolina are Wake County, Orange County, Chatham County, Union County, Moore County, Cabarrus County, Currituck County, Brunswick County, Lincoln County, and Camden County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in North Carolina according to the data:
- Robeson County
- Scotland County
- Bertie County
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Safest Cities in North Carolina
- Best Places To Buy A House In North Carolina
- Best Places To Retire In North Carolina
- Best Counties To Live In North Carolina
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In North Carolina
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wake County | 1,132,103 | $96,734 | $475,833 |
| 2 | Orange County | 145,919 | $85,785 | $471,210 |
| 3 | Chatham County | 76,754 | $84,222 | $545,007 |
| 4 | Union County | 240,109 | $95,533 | $424,510 |
| 5 | Moore County | 100,759 | $77,981 | $393,815 |
| 6 | Cabarrus County | 226,396 | $83,828 | $367,078 |
| 7 | Currituck County | 28,616 | $82,793 | $509,658 |
| 8 | Brunswick County | 139,721 | $71,193 | $425,569 |
| 9 | Lincoln County | 87,933 | $75,672 | $367,458 |
| 10 | Camden County | 10,547 | $79,120 | $351,667 |
| 11 | Carteret County | 68,353 | $66,965 | $443,309 |
| 12 | Dare County | 37,160 | $79,742 | $575,730 |
| 13 | Iredell County | 187,839 | $73,103 | $371,646 |
| 14 | Polk County | 19,538 | $60,465 | $369,133 |
| 15 | Buncombe County | 269,449 | $66,531 | $445,716 |
| 16 | New Hanover County | 228,134 | $67,515 | $412,366 |
| 17 | Johnston County | 219,042 | $75,288 | $336,097 |
| 18 | Mecklenburg County | 1,115,403 | $79,265 | $407,949 |
| 19 | Madison County | 21,414 | $56,664 | $360,847 |
| 20 | Henderson County | 116,469 | $65,508 | $407,513 |
| 21 | Davie County | 43,030 | $69,105 | $287,374 |
| 22 | Durham County | 325,101 | $74,927 | $397,026 |
| 23 | Pender County | 61,592 | $74,538 | $422,809 |
| 24 | Transylvania County | 33,131 | $62,056 | $437,145 |
| 25 | Haywood County | 62,152 | $56,596 | $342,245 |
| 26 | Franklin County | 69,680 | $70,493 | $345,150 |
| 27 | Craven County | 101,098 | $61,676 | $253,091 |
| 28 | Gaston County | 228,972 | $62,628 | $283,315 |
| 29 | Pamlico County | 12,317 | $55,867 | $264,465 |
| 30 | Guilford County | 539,557 | $62,880 | $258,343 |
| 31 | Person County | 39,131 | $60,688 | $229,381 |
| 32 | Stokes County | 44,696 | $57,539 | $225,434 |
| 33 | Alamance County | 171,779 | $60,866 | $274,586 |
| 34 | Onslow County | 203,686 | $59,976 | $263,109 |
| 35 | Granville County | 61,161 | $68,079 | $299,576 |
| 36 | Harnett County | 134,718 | $64,992 | $278,305 |
| 37 | Pasquotank County | 40,454 | $61,411 | $228,824 |
| 38 | Alexander County | 36,505 | $62,764 | $230,479 |
| 39 | Clay County | 11,186 | $57,065 | $323,880 |
| 40 | Davidson County | 169,498 | $58,473 | $246,308 |
| 41 | Perquimans County | 13,053 | $59,401 | $251,785 |
| 42 | Stanly County | 62,723 | $60,634 | $266,492 |
| 43 | Forsyth County | 383,739 | $61,229 | $262,732 |
| 44 | Catawba County | 161,011 | $62,070 | $264,926 |
| 45 | Avery County | 17,679 | $53,513 | $344,646 |
| 46 | Mitchell County | 14,989 | $55,534 | $233,028 |
| 47 | Macon County | 37,088 | $51,042 | $332,033 |
| 48 | Chowan County | 13,835 | $51,188 | $226,256 |
| 49 | Watauga County | 54,540 | $50,034 | $479,089 |
| 50 | Ashe County | 26,759 | $49,176 | $329,158 |
| 51 | Gates County | 10,509 | $55,750 | $196,610 |
| 52 | Yancey County | 18,538 | $53,103 | $296,597 |
| 53 | Rowan County | 147,067 | $59,717 | $255,100 |
| 54 | Hoke County | 52,612 | $57,141 | $250,390 |
| 55 | Cherokee County | 28,868 | $49,254 | $282,944 |
| 56 | Pitt County | 171,196 | $54,915 | $234,438 |
| 57 | Lee County | 63,560 | $60,941 | $268,787 |
| 58 | Randolph County | 144,403 | $56,423 | $241,205 |
| 59 | Yadkin County | 37,280 | $57,486 | $217,206 |
| 60 | Cumberland County | 335,207 | $55,551 | $201,143 |
| 61 | Caswell County | 22,747 | $56,999 | $183,631 |
| 62 | Montgomery County | 25,839 | $55,523 | $213,328 |
| 63 | Jackson County | 42,388 | $51,482 | $414,116 |
| 64 | Beaufort County | 44,711 | $56,081 | $226,161 |
| 65 | Nash County | 95,015 | $56,770 | $218,427 |
| 66 | Mcdowell County | 44,629 | $53,532 | $246,605 |
| 67 | Wayne County | 117,480 | $54,323 | $168,761 |
| 68 | Burke County | 87,799 | $53,732 | $228,914 |
| 69 | Tyrrell County | 3,389 | $55,341 | $162,277 |
| 70 | Caldwell County | 80,716 | $52,362 | $207,681 |
| 71 | Surry County | 71,429 | $52,743 | $215,930 |
| 72 | Jones County | 9,263 | $53,053 | $127,771 |
| 73 | Cleveland County | 99,527 | $50,723 | $182,764 |
| 74 | Rockingham County | 91,209 | $50,737 | $178,750 |
| 75 | Bladen County | 29,807 | $40,476 | $134,163 |
| 76 | Rutherford County | 64,680 | $50,512 | $198,335 |
| 77 | Graham County | 8,047 | $46,010 | $244,846 |
| 78 | Wilkes County | 66,125 | $49,119 | $223,485 |
| 79 | Swain County | 14,130 | $52,818 | $309,607 |
| 80 | Alleghany County | 10,989 | $42,115 | $258,998 |
| 81 | Warren County | 18,803 | $42,282 | $247,076 |
| 82 | Washington County | 11,051 | $38,927 | $109,122 |
| 83 | Martin County | 21,992 | $44,799 | $111,996 |
| 84 | Columbus County | 50,827 | $43,206 | $181,762 |
| 85 | Vance County | 42,492 | $48,340 | $171,866 |
| 86 | Wilson County | 78,667 | $49,827 | $198,320 |
| 87 | Hertford County | 21,633 | $46,196 | $107,118 |
| 88 | Northampton County | 17,528 | $45,698 | $122,414 |
| 89 | Duplin County | 49,312 | $49,376 | $162,717 |
| 90 | Edgecombe County | 49,067 | $46,370 | $143,297 |
| 91 | Lenoir County | 55,071 | $43,063 | $132,332 |
| 92 | Richmond County | 43,149 | $42,354 | $122,004 |
| 93 | Sampson County | 59,317 | $49,963 | $130,031 |
| 94 | Greene County | 20,407 | $50,320 | $164,605 |
| 95 | Halifax County | 48,772 | $41,629 | $84,518 |
| 96 | Hyde County | 4,636 | $43,724 | $246,236 |
| 97 | Anson County | 22,200 | $42,000 | $109,753 |
| 98 | Bertie County | 17,818 | $41,652 | $55,749 |
| 99 | Scotland County | 34,222 | $41,948 | $129,675 |
| 100 | Robeson County | 117,573 | $39,393 | $127,047 |
