Best counties to raise a family in North Carolina

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B), cost of living (A-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 14,065
- Median household income: $55,429
- Median home value: $209,800
- Top places to live: Charleston Township (B+), Nantahala Township (B+), Cherokee (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B)
- Population: 90,359
- Median household income: $78,490
- Median home value: $279,500
- Top places to live: Westport (A-), Denver (A-), Lowesville (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 71,407
- Median household income: $56,095
- Median home value: $166,400
- Top places to live: Elkin (A), Flat Rock (B+), Toast (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 64,565
- Median household income: $63,060
- Median home value: $213,800
- Top places to live: Sanford (B), West Sanford Township (A-), Jonesboro Township (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 100,170
- Median household income: $55,769
- Median home value: $180,200
- Top places to live: Boiling Springs (A), Shelby (B+), Kings Mountain (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 172,279
- Median household income: $58,851
- Median home value: $194,300
- Top places to live: Winterville (A-), Greenville (A-), Ayden (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 117,387
- Median household income: $67,623
- Median home value: $317,800
- Top places to live: Balfour (A), Flat Rock (A), Valley Hill (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A+), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 19,689
- Median household income: $61,005
- Median home value: $281,100
- Top places to live: Tryon (A-), Saluda Township (A-), Tryon Township (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A+), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 54,607
- Median household income: $51,367
- Median home value: $321,500
- Top places to live: Boone (A-), Blowing Rock Township (A), Blowing Rock (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 336,749
- Median household income: $58,780
- Median home value: $183,700
- Top places to live: Spring Lake (B+), Hope Mills (B+), Fayetteville (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 226,623
- Median household income: $79,838
- Median home value: $267,600
- Top places to live: Clayton (A-), Pine Level (B+), Archer Lodge (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 271,790
- Median household income: $70,578
- Median home value: $360,000
- Top places to live: Royal Pines (A), Weaverville (A), Biltmore Forest (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 162,051
- Median household income: $64,544
- Median home value: $218,100
- Top places to live: Hickory (A-), St. Stephens (A-), Newton (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (C+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 231,214
- Median household income: $72,892
- Median home value: $353,700
- Top places to live: Wrightsboro (A), Wrightsville Beach (A), Murraysville (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 191,800
- Median household income: $78,678
- Median home value: $292,300
- Top places to live: Mooresville (A), Troutman (A-), Statesville (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (B), cost of living (C+), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 329,405
- Median household income: $79,501
- Median home value: $351,700
- Top places to live: Durham (A), Gorman (C), Triangle Township (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 78,319
- Median household income: $88,534
- Median home value: $397,800
- Top places to live: Fearrington Village (A), Pittsboro (A-), Siler City (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 102,840
- Median household income: $82,837
- Median home value: $315,300
- Top places to live: Pinehurst (A+), Southern Pines (A), Aberdeen (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (B+), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 542,987
- Median household income: $66,027
- Median home value: $234,900
- Top places to live: Summerfield (A+), Stokesdale (A+), Jamestown (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (C+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 147,292
- Median household income: $88,553
- Median home value: $428,500
- Top places to live: Chapel Hill (A+), Carrboro (A+), Hillsborough (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (B+), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 386,740
- Median household income: $65,541
- Median home value: $227,800
- Top places to live: Clemmons (A+), Lewisville (A), Kernersville (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 244,975
- Median household income: $99,243
- Median home value: $374,400
- Top places to live: Weddington (A+), Marvin (A+), Waxhaw (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A-), cost of living (C+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 1,130,906
- Median household income: $83,765
- Median home value: $371,200
- Top places to live: Davidson (A+), Dilworth (A+), Fourth Ward (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A), cost of living (B), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 231,262
- Median household income: $86,084
- Median home value: $318,600
- Top places to live: Harrisburg (A+), Concord (A), Kannapolis (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A+), cost of living (B-), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 1,151,009
- Median household income: $101,763
- Median home value: $422,800
- Top places to live: Cary (A+), Morrisville (A+), Apex (A+)