What are the best places to live in North Carolina?

ZipScore ranks every ZIP code in North Carolina by safety, school quality, affordability, and quality of life. Browse the rankings above to find the top neighborhoods in North Carolina based on real data from the US Census Bureau, FBI, and EPA.

What is the safest city in North Carolina?

The safest cities in North Carolina are shown in our Safest Neighborhoods section above, ranked by violent crime rate per 100,000 residents using FBI crime data. Use the search or filters above to explore North Carolina neighborhoods by safety grade.

What is the cost of living in North Carolina?

Cost of living varies widely across North Carolina. Our rankings show median home values, median rent, and median household income for every ZIP code in North Carolina. Use the affordability filter above or our free Affordability Calculator to find neighborhoods within your budget.

What are the best school districts in North Carolina?

The top-rated school districts in North Carolina are shown in our Best for Families section above, ranked by average school rating and student-teacher ratio. Click any ZIP code for a full school breakdown including individual school ratings.

Is North Carolina a good state to live in?

North Carolina offers diverse neighborhoods ranging from urban centers to quiet suburbs and rural areas. Use ZipScore to explore the data for each ZIP code in North Carolina - including crime rates, school quality, housing affordability, air quality, and climate data - to find the area that best fits your lifestyle.

North Carolina Neighborhoods & ZIP Codes

Explore all 13 ZIP codes in North Carolina - crime, housing, schools, and more.

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Sort by: ZipScore Population Income Safest Showing 13 of 13

ZIP · City	Population	Median Income	Median Home	ZipScore
27609 Raleigh	41,320	$201,894	$851,544	85
27607 Raleigh	46,780	$208,215	$800,873	85
27615 Raleigh	52,840	$158,979	$914,140	80
28226 Charlotte	54,620	$108,614	$481,864	76
28209 Charlotte	30,070	$119,450	$456,888	75
27606 Raleigh	52,480	$114,459	$548,640	75
27605 Raleigh	14,230	$99,577	$429,947	75
28203 Charlotte	29,740	$107,766	$482,567	74
28204 Charlotte	27,180	$74,466	$265,859	69
27603 Raleigh	57,640	$74,623	$286,987	67
28202 Charlotte	12,360	$77,601	$266,328	67
27601 Raleigh	20,310	$79,209	$254,685	66
28205 Charlotte	53,180	$45,906	$185,746	51

Top 10 Safest Cities in North Carolina

Ranked by lowest violent crime rate - FBI Uniform Crime Report data

#	ZIP · City	Crime Rate/100k	Safety Grade
1	27615 Raleigh	64.0	A+
2	27609 Raleigh	73.0	A+
3	27607 Raleigh	80.0	A
4	27605 Raleigh	97.0	A
5	28226 Charlotte	98.0	A
6	28203 Charlotte	123.0	A
7	27606 Raleigh	147.0	A
8	28209 Charlotte	183.0	B+
9	28204 Charlotte	183.0	B+
10	27603 Raleigh	193.0	B+

Top 10 Most Affordable Cities in North Carolina

Ranked by lowest median home value - US Census Bureau data

#	ZIP · City	Median Home	Avg Rent	ZipScore
1	28205 Charlotte	$185,746	$833/mo	51
2	27601 Raleigh	$254,685	$1,378/mo	66
3	28204 Charlotte	$265,859	$1,147/mo	69
4	28202 Charlotte	$266,328	$1,284/mo	67
5	27603 Raleigh	$286,987	$1,209/mo	67
6	27605 Raleigh	$429,947	$1,805/mo	75
7	28209 Charlotte	$456,888	$2,028/mo	75
8	28226 Charlotte	$481,864	$2,025/mo	76
9	28203 Charlotte	$482,567	$1,869/mo	74
10	27606 Raleigh	$548,640	$1,942/mo	75

Top 10 Best Cities for Families in North Carolina

Ranked by highest school ratings - best school districts for families

#	ZIP · City	School Rating	Safety	ZipScore
1	27609 Raleigh	9.1/10	A+	85
2	27615 Raleigh	8.6/10	A+	80
3	27607 Raleigh	8.4/10	A	85
4	27606 Raleigh	8.1/10	A	75
5	27605 Raleigh	7.5/10	A	75
6	28226 Charlotte	7.2/10	A	76
7	28203 Charlotte	7.2/10	A	74
8	28209 Charlotte	7.1/10	B+	75
9	27601 Raleigh	6.5/10	B	66
10	27603 Raleigh	6.4/10	B+	67

North Carolina Neighborhoods & ZIP Codes

Top 10 Safest Cities in North Carolina

Top 10 Most Affordable Cities in North Carolina

Top 10 Best Cities for Families in North Carolina

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