Safest Cities In North Carolina: Secure And Peaceful Living

North Carolina is a southeastern state in the US, bordered to the west by the Appalachian Mountains and to the east by the Outer Banks (OBX), a 200-mile long stretch of barrier islands and spits along the Atlantic coast. Find out what cities in North Carolina offer the best safety, community atmosphere, and low crime rate for residents.

What are the most popular states to move to in the US right now? Texas and Florida used to dominate many popular state lists- with warm weather, more affordable housing and business-friendly policies. However, you may be surprised to find that North Carolina now ranks #4 in destinations (behind its neighbor South Carolina, then Idaho, and Delaware). And the main reasons for North Carolina’s popularity are based on why people often move at all- sunny pleasant weather, lower cost of living, and lower taxes.

Now weather has always been a big plus in North Carolina -its mild climate tends to be sunny and between 50 and 70 degrees all year. Additionally North Carolina is exceptionally kind to their residents when it comes to cost of living and taxes. Median house prices hover around $428,750 (compared to CA’s median of $786,900 or NY’s $867,439) making the major living cost of housing much more affordable in NC. Businesses and citizens are often attracted to North Carolina for its flat tax rate of 4.50%- which applies to all regardless of income.

When considering a move to North Carolina, you will find some notable cities. Charlotte is its largest, known as a major financial hub. Raleigh is the state capital and 2nd largest city in NC. Raleigh-Durham refers to its larger “Research Triangle” area. Asheville is a city in the Blue Ridge Mountains renowned for its outdoors. Fayetteville, home to Fort Bragg military base, and beachfront Wilmington, as a tourist destination, provide additional features to North Carolina’s many attractions.

What are the safest cities in North Carolina?

First of all, Raleigh is known as the “Safest Big City in North Carolina.” It has an overall crime rate of 1.20 per 1,000 residents which is hard to beat for a city of its size (474,000 residents, excluding its suburbs). The job market is attractive- this past year alone Glassdoor lists 24,000 job openings available here. Raleigh is home to numerous tech companies (Cisco, IBM, Red Hat), universities (North Carolina State University), healthcare systems (WakeMed Health & Hospitals), and all the state government offices and agencies as the state capital. As far as affordability, average home values here are $435,263 and 1 bedroom rentals price at $1,416/month.

Raleigh has numerous areas around it that are specifically listed on numerous safest cities lists, though they are actually suburbs of Raleigh. The top safe suburbs of Raleigh on those safety lists are:

Cary- Cary is a Raleigh suburb with over 170,000 residents- and its location in the Research Triangle area-including Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill- provides many tech jobs (especially with SAS Institute software company here). Many become familiar with scenic Cary simply by attending its many festivals, sport events, and concerts-at Koka Booth Outdoor Amphitheatre and WakeMed Soccer Park. But some move to Cary for its top-notch education options. Families seek Cary’s access to higher education schools Duke, UNC, and NC State, along with reputable K-8 and high schools choices. There are some affordable housing units being built here set to open in 2026, but currently average rents are $1,666/mo and houses are high cost, around $550,000 as of Feb 2025.

Morrisville– Another safe suburb located 12 miles west of Raleigh is Morrisville. Situated near the Research Triangle metro area and RDU airport, this suburb is known for attracting working professionals to its many jobs in tech, research, and aviation. This suburb offers a mix of sumptuous cuisines at various Indian, Persian and Southern restaurants, reflective of a diverse population. Median house sales are around $508,500 and 1 bedroom rents are $1,898/month- the number of renters and owners are about evenly split. Sought-after neighborhoods are Addison Park, Carpenter Park, and Downing Glen.

Apex– Nicknamed the “Peak of Good Living” Apex is a suburb 15 mi east of Raleigh, centered around a charming historic district complete with a vintage train depot built in 1867. It is considered very safe with an over Crime Grade of B- (19.04 crimes per 1,000 residents), safer than 66% of cities in the US. Median home sold prices in Apex were around $613,721 in February 2025, and average rents range from $1,410 to $1,871/month. Part of the Triangle Region, Apex residents can access jobs and many amenities with its location only 20 minutes from downtown Raleigh, 20 minutes from Cary, and 15 minutes from Holly Springs. Apex is family friendly with top-rated schools- cons to life here are its lack of nightlife, traffic, and humid summers.

Rolesville– This diverse suburb of approximately 12,000 residents offers small-town charm in a safe environment (the overall crime rate here is 15.57 per 1,000 residents, safer than 79% of US cities). Median sold prices of homes in Rolesville are currently $477,460 (87% of residents own here). Median rents are about $1,860/month. Historically this suburb traces its roots back to an early settler William Roles, a landowner and merchant who established the area as a stagecoach stop, as he developed agriculture, tobacco and cotton farming. Today this woodsy suburb has replaced many of its fields for homes, retailers and restaurants- (e.g. there’s a new 80 acre mixed-use Wallbrook development– anchored by Publix, it includes medical and professional offices, retailers and restaurants).

Holly Springs– This slow-paced peaceful suburb 15 miles north of Raleigh has some key businesses– biopharmaceutical titan Amgen Inc., Pierce Group Benefits, and Shattered Digital, to name a few. Beyond the employment options, people are attracted to the safety here too. Holly Springs has an overall crime rate of 17.43 per 1,000 residents in a typical year, safer than 72% of US cities. Costs here are decent but have been rising- $577,515 is the average home value in this suburb, up 2.7% over the past year, and 82% of households are owner-occupied. The smaller rental market is trending at $1,425/month for a 1 bedroom apartment. This area is especially popular for its commuting location near Raleigh and the airport, along with its prestigious schools, and is a family-oriented community (with little nightlife). Due to Holly Springs’ rapid expansion, some residents find the continual construction projects bothersome.

Asheville– When looking beyond Raleigh and its many safe suburbs, Asheville is another large city in North Carolina that is often acclaimed for its safety (Asheville’s overall crime rate is 1.40 per 1,000 residents). This city is located in western North Carolina, nestled between the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains. The city has been an artsy mountain escape for years, beloved by artists and outdoor people. Diversified manufactures here include textiles, furniture, printed and electrical products. Additionally Asheville has long been a vacation hub– the vast Biltmore gardens and estate of philanthropist George Vanderbilt was built as a summer home here. Median listings for homes here are at $595,000. One bedroom apartment rents are $1,474/month (compared to other Southern cities, such as Atlanta, GA for instance, the cost of living in Asheville is 4.2% higher).

Pinehurst– Pinehurst, 90 miles west of Charlotte, is known as North Carolina’s #1 safest city. The crime rate here is 3.83 crimes per 1,000 residents (81% lower than North Carolina’s average). This small affluent community of about 16,000 has a well-funded police department, active neighborhood watch, and various community securities in place that support its low-crime status. Some residents describe life in Pinehurst like “stepping into a Hallmark movie…” 86% of residents own their houses here, with median values at $423,300. Those who rent here pay $1,580/mo. Pinehurst Village retail district is designed to look just like a New England style village, with shops, boutiques and eateries. But Pinehurst is most importantly known worldwide as a golf destination (e.g. Pinehurst No 2 Course at Pinehurst Resort), site of multiple tournaments. This suburb is popular with retirees and outdoor lovers.

After exploring some of these safe cities, you may decide to relocate. If so, you could soon be speaking like a true Tar Heel local as you drive down US Highway 15-501 from UNC to Duke University:

“Y’all, I’m fixin’ to take a drive down yonder on Tobacco Road to my fave joint Smithfield’s- they have the best BBQ, fried green tomatoes, and Cheerwine in the state!”