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Best places to live in Greater Raleigh

16 places with 892,186 residents within about 30 km of Raleigh, ranked for 29 household profiles. Local data: official statistics on affordability, green space, education and family, health and elderly, jobs and economy, lifestyle and amenities, mobility and connectivity and safety and community (local or regional figures, sources on every place page) plus population and geography.

A greater area here means every municipality whose nearest big-city core is Raleigh, within a radius that grows with the size of the city (20 to 60 km). It is a practical commuting belt, not an official region.

Rank Greater Raleigh for your household

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For young families

  1. 1Cary (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 159,769 residents    70
  2. 2Holly Springs (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 31,377 residents    68
  3. 3Apex
    North Carolina, 45,585 residents    67
  4. 4Fuquay-Varina
    North Carolina, 23,907 residents    66
  5. 5Raleigh (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 482,295 residents    66
  6. 6Garner (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 28,053 residents    65
  7. 7Wake Forest
    North Carolina, 38,199 residents    65
  8. 8Morrisville (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 23,820 residents    65
  9. 9Rolesville
    North Carolina, 6,289 residents    64
  10. 10Wendell (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 6,285 residents    63

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For retired couples

  1. 1Holly Springs (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 31,377 residents    72
  2. 2Cary (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 159,769 residents    72
  3. 3Fuquay-Varina
    North Carolina, 23,907 residents    71
  4. 4Green Level (North Carolina, 2,158 residents)
    North Carolina, 2,158 residents    70
  5. 5Apex
    North Carolina, 45,585 residents    69
  6. 6Wake Forest
    North Carolina, 38,199 residents    69
  7. 7Rolesville
    North Carolina, 6,289 residents    68
  8. 8Garner (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 28,053 residents    68
  9. 9Morrisville (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 23,820 residents    67
  10. 10Raleigh (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 482,295 residents    66

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For remote workers

  1. 1Holly Springs (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 31,377 residents    70
  2. 2Cary (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 159,769 residents    70
  3. 3Fuquay-Varina
    North Carolina, 23,907 residents    70
  4. 4Wake Forest
    North Carolina, 38,199 residents    68
  5. 5Garner (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 28,053 residents    68
  6. 6Apex
    North Carolina, 45,585 residents    68
  7. 7Clayton (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 19,304 residents    67
  8. 8Raleigh (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 482,295 residents    67
  9. 9Morrisville (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 23,820 residents    66
  10. 10Rolesville
    North Carolina, 6,289 residents    66

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For commuters

  1. 1Cary (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 159,769 residents    85
  2. 2Raleigh (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 482,295 residents    84
  3. 3Apex
    North Carolina, 45,585 residents    79
  4. 4Morrisville (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 23,820 residents    78
  5. 5Garner (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 28,053 residents    77
  6. 6Holly Springs (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 31,377 residents    71
  7. 7Fuquay-Varina
    North Carolina, 23,907 residents    65
  8. 8Wake Forest
    North Carolina, 38,199 residents    65
  9. 9Knightdale
    North Carolina, 14,256 residents    64
  10. 10Rolesville
    North Carolina, 6,289 residents    62

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For single professionals

  1. 1Raleigh (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 482,295 residents    80
  2. 2Cary (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 159,769 residents    78
  3. 3Apex
    North Carolina, 45,585 residents    70
  4. 4Garner (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 28,053 residents    69
  5. 5Morrisville (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 23,820 residents    64
  6. 6Holly Springs (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 31,377 residents    59
  7. 7Wake Forest
    North Carolina, 38,199 residents    53
  8. 8Fuquay-Varina
    North Carolina, 23,907 residents    52
  9. 9Rolesville
    North Carolina, 6,289 residents    49
  10. 10Wendell (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 6,285 residents    45

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For movers on a budget

  1. 1Clayton (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 19,304 residents    56
  2. 2Archer Lodge
    North Carolina, 4,708 residents    52
  3. 3Cary (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 159,769 residents    49
  4. 4Apex
    North Carolina, 45,585 residents    49
  5. 5Raleigh (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 482,295 residents    47
  6. 6Morrisville (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 23,820 residents    46
  7. 7Holly Springs (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 31,377 residents    46
  8. 8Garner (North Carolina)
    North Carolina, 28,053 residents    45
  9. 9Fuquay-Varina
    North Carolina, 23,907 residents    45
  10. 10Wake Forest
    North Carolina, 38,199 residents    43

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Towns in Greater Raleigh