Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Yahoo Voices

 

Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Yahoo Voices

This article, the eleventh in a 50-state series, ranks the best places to live in North Carolina based on three criteria: (1) median household income (adjusted for cost of living); (2) educational attainment (% of residents 25 years and over who have earned a bachelor's degree or higher); and (3) property crime rates per 1,000 residents (burglary and automobile thefts). For purposes of these rankings, "places" are incorporated municipalities with populations greater than 2,000.  Among the twenty best places to live in North Carolina, six are suburbs of Charlotte, five are suburbs of Raleigh, four are suburbs of Greensboro, two are suburbs of Asheville, two are suburbs of  Wilmington, and one is a suburb of Greenville. By county, five of the best places to live in North Carolina are located in or partially in Wake County; three in or partially in Mecklenburg County; three in or partially in Union County; three in Guilford County; two in Henderson County; one each in Brunswick, Craven, Forsyth, and New Hanover Counties; one partially in Durham County and one partially in Iredell County.  After reading "Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012)," return to this link to read "Largest Cities in North Carolina (2012)." A collection of similar articles for the remaining 49 states can be found at these links: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,  Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. For the culmination of the 50-state series, read "Best Places to Live in America (2012)." This article may be updated as new data becomes available. 1. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Marvin, NC (Union County) Population: 6,823 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $177,058 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 60.3% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 5.04* Distance to Familiar Cities: Charlotte, NC: 24 miles N Raleigh, NC: 158 miles NE 2. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Weddington, NC (Union County)

 

Population: 9,304 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $135,833 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 53.1% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 5.04* Distance to Familiar Cities: Charlotte, NC: 16 miles SSE Raleigh, NC: 154 miles NE 3. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Davidson, NC (Iredell and Mecklenburg Counties) Population: 9,629 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $86,472 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 70.5% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 3.84 Distance to Familiar Cities: Charlotte, NC: 21 miles S Raleigh, NC: 148 miles ENE 4. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Summerfield, NC (Guilford County) Population: 7,528 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $118,751 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 47.6% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.99* Distance to Familiar Cities: Greensboro, NC: 12 miles SSE Raleigh, NC: 90 miles ESE 5. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Oak Ridge, NC (Guilford County) Population: 4,498 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $112,920

 

Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 43.9% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.99* Distance to Familiar Cities: Greensboro, NC: 18 miles SE Raleigh, NC: 94 miles ESE 6. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Apex, NC (Wake County) Population: 31,704 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $86,077 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 59.7% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 3.31 Distance to Familiar Cities: Raleigh, NC: 14 miles ENE Chapel Hill, NC: 25 miles NNW Durham, NC: 22 miles N 7. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Cary, NC (Wake and Chatham Counties) Population: 137,163 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $87,768 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 60.4% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 4.53 Distance to Familiar Cities: Raleigh, NC: 9 miles ESE Chapel Hill, NC: 25 miles NW Durham, NC: 19 miles NNW 8. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Flat Rock, NC (Henderson County) Population: 2,952 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $89,993

 

Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 61.4% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 5.64* Distance to Familiar Cities:  Asheville, NC: 29 miles NNW Charlotte, NC: 102 miles E Raleigh, NC: 252 miles ENE 9. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Trent Woods, NC (Craven County) Population: 4,008 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $89,695 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 49.9% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.0 Distance to Familiar Cities: Greenville, NC: 46 miles NNE Raleigh, NC: 111 miles WNW 10. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Morrisville, NC (Wake and Durham Counties) Population: 13,139 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $73,339 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 66.8% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 5.86 Distance to Familiar Cities: Raleigh, NC: 16 miles SE Chapel Hill, NC: 18 miles WNW Durham, NC: 15 miles NNW 11. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Holly Springs, NC (Wake County) Population: 19,022 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $87,945

 

Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 52.1% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 3.79 Distance to Familiar Cities: Raleigh, NC: 18 miles NE Chapel Hill, NC: 29 miles N Durham, NC: 30 miles NNW 12. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Huntersville, NC (Mecklenburg County) Population: 41,357 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $85,916 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 54.2% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 4.69 Distance to Familiar Cities: Charlotte, NC: 14 miles N Raleigh, NC: 149 miles ENE

13. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Laurel Park, NC (Henderson County) Population: 2,451 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $68,128 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 53.8%

Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.22 Distance to Familiar Cities:

 

 Asheville, NC: 28 miles NNE Charlotte, NC: 106 miles E Raleigh, NC: 256 miles ENE 14. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Jamestown, NC (Guilford County) Population: 3,178 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $83,323 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 43.7% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.99* Distance to Familiar Cities: Greensboro, NC: 12 miles NE Raleigh, NC: 87 miles ESE 15. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - St. James, NC (Brunswick County) Population: 2,722 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $86,257 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 61.0% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 10.26 Distance to Familiar Cities: Wilmington, NC: 31 miles NNE Fayetteville, NC: 106 miles NNW Raleigh, NC: 153 miles NNW 16. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Waxhaw, NC (Union County) Population: 3,922 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $91,078 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 44.6% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 5.04*

 

Distance to Familiar Cities: Charlotte, NC: 23 miles NNW Raleigh, NC: 156 miles NE 17. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Wake Forest, NC (Wake County) Population: 24,499 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $73,632 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 53.8% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 4.86 Distance to Familiar Cities: Raleigh, NC: 18 Horse Properties Fayette County TN miles TN miles SSW Chapel Hill, NC: 38 miles WSW Durham, NC: 24 miles W 18. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Lewisville, NC (Forsyth County) Population: 12,631 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $85,465 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 45.8% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 4.75* Distance to Familiar Cities: Greensboro, NC: 40 miles E Raleigh, NC: 115 miles ESE 19. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Wesley Chapel, NC (Union County) Population: 3,772 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $90,604 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 39.5%

 

Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 5.04* Distance to Familiar Cities: Charlotte, NC: 22 miles NNW Raleigh, NC: 152 miles NE 20. Best Places to Live in North Carolina (2012) - Wrightsville Beach, NC (New Hanover) Population: 2,646 Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $76,260 Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 63.6% Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 19.65 Distance to Familiar Cities: Wilmington, NC: 10 miles W Fayetteville, NC: 97 miles NW Raleigh, NC: 130 miles NNW *In some cases, municipalities either do not report their crime statistics to the FBI or they contract for services with a county law enforcement agency or the state police. For those towns, crime rates are extrapolated from state, county, or contiguous municipality data. Source(s): "All Cities in North Carolina," City-Data.com "American Community Survey," U.S. Census Bureau "American Fact Finder," U.S. Census Bureau "Uniform Crime Reports," Federal Bureau of Investigation