Best places to raise a family in North Carolina
For the majority of people, there comes a moment in time when the prerequisites for a place to call home drastically change. This usually happens while planning to have children or shortly after the little ones arrive. Priorities dramatically shift, often prompting a move to a new home or even a new city. Cutting-edge restaurants and hipster cocktail bars suddenly take a backseat to excellent schools and plenty of playgrounds.
So where exactly are the best places to raise a family in North Carolina? Stacker has collected data from Niche's 2018 best places to raise a family rankings to determine where children are most likely to thrive. The rankings measure the appeal of an area based on public schools, crime rates, cost of living, affordability, and access to family-friendly amenities.
To create this list, Niche used data from several databases, including the U.S. Census, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control, as well as Niche's own proprietary data and community reviews. The data includes the area's population, median home value, median rent, median household income, and the percentage of households with children. It also takes into consideration the national average for median home value—$184,700, median rent—$949, and median household income—$55,322.
Read on to find out where to consider moving if you are raising a family in North Carolina.
#25. Jamestown—town in North Carolina
Population: 3,718
Median home value: $229,200
Median rent: $806
Median household income: $63,482
Percentage of households with children: 16%
#24. Biltmore Forest—town in North Carolina
Population: 1,516
Median home value: $821,700
Median rent: $1,639
Median household income: $141,458
Percentage of households with children: 16%
#23. Indian Trail—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 36,357
Median home value: $177,200
Median rent: $1,125
Median household income: $72,726
Percentage of households with children: 27%
#22. Wesley Chapel—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 8,217
Median home value: $321,300
Median rent: $1,205
Median household income: $103,438
Percentage of households with children: 23%
#21. Stokesdale—town in North Carolina
Population: 5,278
Median home value: $198,300
Median rent: $687
Median household income: $94,934
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#20. Rolesville—suburb of Raleigh, NC
Population: 5,583
Median home value: $259,000
Median rent: $703
Median household income: $91,000
Percentage of households with children: 29%
#19. Oak Ridge—town in North Carolina
Population: 6,617
Median home value: $320,700
Median rent: $1,004
Median household income: $109,509
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#18. Matthews—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 30,054
Median home value: $224,000
Median rent: $1,047
Median household income: $75,205
Percentage of households with children: 18%
#17. Huntersville—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 51,701
Median home value: $259,200
Median rent: $1,130
Median household income: $90,633
Percentage of households with children: 24%
#16. Lewisville—town in North Carolina
Population: 13,356
Median home value: $185,500
Median rent: $819
Median household income: $72,994
Percentage of households with children: 18%
#15. Raleigh—city in North Carolina
Population: 441,326
Median home value: $218,200
Median rent: $966
Median household income: $58,641
Percentage of households with children: 19%
#14. Weddington—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 10,254
Median home value: $426,400
Median rent: $2,313
Median household income: $125,966
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#13. Harrisburg—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 14,500
Median home value: $245,400
Median rent: $1,378
Median household income: $88,865
Percentage of households with children: 25%
#12. Clemmons—town in North Carolina
Population: 19,536
Median home value: $202,200
Median rent: $851
Median household income: $67,783
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#11. Cornelius—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 27,426
Median home value: $258,800
Median rent: $1,149
Median household income: $86,355
Percentage of households with children: 19%
#10. Wake Forest—suburb of Raleigh, NC
Population: 36,472
Median home value: $270,300
Median rent: $973
Median household income: $81,200
Percentage of households with children: 27%
#9. Waxhaw—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 12,398
Median home value: $273,900
Median rent: $1,228
Median household income: $86,771
Percentage of households with children: 28%
#8. Davidson—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 12,076
Median home value: $393,300
Median rent: $1,054
Median household income: $109,907
Percentage of households with children: 20%
#7. Chapel Hill—town in North Carolina
Population: 59,005
Median home value: $390,300
Median rent: $1,061
Median household income: $65,373
Percentage of households with children: 13%
#6. Carrboro—suburb of Raleigh, NC
Population: 20,867
Median home value: $326,700
Median rent: $945
Median household income: $53,513
Percentage of households with children: 20%
#5. Holly Springs—suburb of Raleigh, NC
Population: 30,126
Median home value: $249,500
Median rent: $1,231
Median household income: $98,041
Percentage of households with children: 27%
#4. Marvin—suburb of Charlotte, NC
Population: 6,056
Median home value: $618,900
Median rent: $3,071
Median household income: $185,862
Percentage of households with children: 31%
#3. Apex—suburb of Raleigh, NC
Population: 43,893
Median home value: $278,400
Median rent: $1,162
Median household income: $95,283
Percentage of households with children: 26%
#2. Cary—suburb of Raleigh, NC
Population: 155,822
Median home value: $309,800
Median rent: $1,084
Median household income: $94,617
Percentage of households with children: 22%
#1. Morrisville—suburb of Raleigh, NC
Population: 22,600
Median home value: $291,400
Median rent: $1,146
Median household income: $92,769
Percentage of households with children: 25%
