Best places to live in North Carolina

- Overall Rank: 1,747
- Population: 2,465
- Median household income: $113,216
- Median home value: $423,600 (39% own)
- Median rent: $1,647 (61% rent)
- Top public schools: Ardrey Kell High School (grade A+), Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,683
- Population: 465,517
- Median household income: $78,631
- Median home value: $347,000 (51% own)
- Median rent: $1,371 (49% rent)
- Top public schools: North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (grade A+), Raleigh Charter High School (grade A+), Green Level High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Cary Academy (grade A+), Ravenscroft School (grade A+), Camelot Academy (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,637
- Population: 7,358
- Median household income: $130,414
- Median home value: $522,560 (89% own)
- Median rent: $2,013 (11% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,612
- Population: 31,396
- Median household income: $107,969
- Median home value: $452,300 (70% own)
- Median rent: $1,483 (30% rent)
- Top public schools: Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Lake Norman Charter School (grade A), Community School of Davidson (grade A)
- Top private schools: Davidson Day School (grade A+), Cannon School (grade A), Woodlawn School (grade A)

- Overall Rank: 1,551
- Population: 4,886
- Median household income: $201,724
- Median home value: $588,325 (93% own)
- Median rent: $2,015 (7% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

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- Overall Rank: 1,489
- Population: 17,653
- Median household income: $102,917
- Median home value: $385,300 (88% own)
- Median rent: $1,613 (13% rent)
- Top public schools: The Academy of Moore County (grade A+), McDeeds Creek Elementary School (grade A), Pinehurst Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: The O'Neal School (grade A+), Sandhills Classical Christian School (grade A minus), Saint John Paul II Catholic School (grade unavailable)

- Overall Rank: 1,468
- Population: 5,355
- Median household income: $113,524
- Median home value: $627,978 (65% own)
- Median rent: $966 (35% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Socrates Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,456
- Population: 5,791
- Median household income: $86,763
- Median home value: $549,897 (32% own)
- Median rent: $1,535 (68% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Lake Norman Charter School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,455
- Population: 6,279
- Median household income: $120,851
- Median home value: $496,810 (78% own)
- Median rent: $1,704 (22% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Socrates Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,432
- Population: 28,050
- Median household income: $103,141
- Median home value: $308,401 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,864 (23% rent)
- Top public schools: Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Lake Norman Charter School (grade A), Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early College High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Davidson Day School (grade A+), Cannon School (grade A), SouthLake Christian Academy (grade A)

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- Overall Rank: 1,416
- Population: 7,183
- Median household income: $102,434
- Median home value: $559,997 (16% own)
- Median rent: $1,837 (84% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Christian School (grade A)

- Overall Rank: 1,396
- Population: 3,946
- Median household income: $163,613
- Median home value: $655,979 (76% own)
- Median rent: $1,336 (24% rent)
- Top public schools: Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Socrates Academy (grade A), Union Prep Academy at Indian Trail (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,376
- Population: 5,820
- Median household income: $130,311
- Median home value: $439,869 (90% own)
- Median rent: $1,628 (10% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Socrates Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,209
- Population: 6,810
- Median household income: $146,919
- Median home value: $609,015 (79% own)
- Median rent: $2,369 (21% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,163
- Population: 4,999
- Median household income: $109,114
- Median home value: $378,439 (38% own)
- Median rent: $1,560 (62% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Lake Norman Charter School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Davidson Day School (grade A+)

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- Overall Rank: 1,146
- Population: 4,639
- Median household income: $110,655
- Median home value: $529,418 (50% own)
- Median rent: $1,578 (50% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Socrates Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,113
- Population: 4,622
- Median household income: $90,625
- Median home value: $214,400 (81% own)
- Median rent: $821 (19% rent)
- Top public schools: Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy (grade A), Cleveland Early College High School (grade A), Springmore Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Word of Faith Christian School (grade B), The Village School (grade unavailable), Glenwood Christian Academy (grade unavailable)

- Overall Rank: 1,112
- Population: 4,391
- Median household income: $106,630
- Median home value: $364,576 (75% own)
- Median rent: $1,139 (25% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,055
- Population: 10,813
- Median household income: $171,799
- Median home value: $533,075 (72% own)
- Median rent: $1,872 (28% rent)
- Top public schools: Marvin Ridge High School (grade A+), Ardrey Kell High School (grade A+), Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,038
- Population: 2,524
- Median household income: $150,852
- Median home value: $871,557 (79% own)
- Median rent: $1,500 (21% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Lake Norman Charter School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Christian School (grade A)

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- Overall Rank: 1,020
- Population: 13,608
- Median household income: $112,327
- Median home value: $428,438 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,957 (23% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 999
- Population: 4,515
- Median household income: $124,968
- Median home value: $415,660 (72% own)
- Median rent: $1,677 (28% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 967
- Population: 9,925
- Median household income: $181,087
- Median home value: $586,851 (88% own)
- Median rent: $1,753 (12% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Socrates Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 837
- Population: 2,765
- Median household income: $83,195
- Median home value: $444,125 (55% own)
- Median rent: $1,290 (45% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Christian School (grade A)

- Overall Rank: 753
- Population: 21,058
- Median household income: $132,667
- Median home value: $453,733 (73% own)
- Median rent: $2,223 (27% rent)
- Top public schools: Marvin Ridge High School (grade A+), Ardrey Kell High School (grade A+), Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

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- Overall Rank: 723
- Population: 14,268
- Median household income: $108,536
- Median home value: $419,348 (51% own)
- Median rent: $1,782 (49% rent)
- Top public schools: Ardrey Kell High School (grade A+), Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 684
- Population: 1,483
- Median household income: $71,278
- Median home value: $519,659 (36% own)
- Median rent: $1,551 (64% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Lake Norman Charter School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 631
- Population: 1,555
- Median household income: $165,313
- Median home value: $464,300 (66% own)
- Median rent: $1,828 (34% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Socrates Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 592
- Population: 9,242
- Median household income: $136,616
- Median home value: $548,670 (53% own)
- Median rent: $1,755 (47% rent)
- Top public schools: Ardrey Kell High School (grade A+), Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Pleasant Knoll Middle (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 361
- Population: 10,231
- Median household income: $133,449
- Median home value: $613,509 (39% own)
- Median rent: $1,905 (61% rent)
- Top public schools: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy (grade A+), Charlotte Engineering Early College (grade A+), Lake Norman Charter School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Providence Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Country Day School (grade A+), Charlotte Latin School (grade A+)

This story features data reporting and writing by Elena Cox and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 42 states.

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