North Carolina’s 10 Safest Cities to Live  

Safety matters in choosing where to buy your home. In exploring the safest cities in North Carolina, we delve into the factors contributing to their 2023 high marks for safety. Their historically low crime rates make them ideal destinations for anyone looking for a peaceful and secure place to call home.

A Statewide Look at Crime 

Crime rate statistics evaluate two different categories: property crimes and violent crimes. Burglary, theft, and arson fall under property crimes, while domestic disputes, aggravated assault, and other person-to-person crimes are considered violent.

North Carolina’s property crime rate did rise above the US average for 2022. But if you go back a decade, the state rate is consistently above average.

When it comes to violent crimes, North Carolina continued to report above the national average, something that started in 2019. Before that, the state’s violent crime rate was below average.

Do note that these figures depend on self-reported data. Not all jurisdictions or areas may send their crime statistics to databases that track this information.

Safewise uses the FBI-reported crime statistics, which collect information from 41 of the 50 states. Using data from 2022, it ranked and indexed 10 cities as being the safest to live based on their lower property and violent crime rates. All the safest cities in North Carolina are far below the US and state rates for property crime. Rates were measured as per 1,000 persons.

Half of the state’s ten safest cities fell inside the Raleigh-Durham metro but not in the city limits. Another two were inside the greater Charlotte metro, while the rest dotted the North Carolina landscape. All except one had populations under 100,000 residents.

Rolesville

Top-ranked Rolesville was also SafeWise’s safest city in the state for 2021. It’s partially earned that status due to its very low violent crime rates. It was one of only two statewide cities that had no murders, robberies, or rapes reported for the year.

The analysis graded its violent crime and property crime rate as “not applicable” because the numbers were so low per 1,000 people.

Rolesville has just under 10,000 residents and reports a median household income of $127,575. It falls within the Wake County borders but in the far northeastern part. It’s been a highly residential community and one of the county’s fastest-growing towns. Beautiful rolling hills surround Rolesville, as do a few lakes and rivers. The community oozes small-town charm with a large park in the town center.

Elon

This town of around 12,000 residents is home to a small liberal arts university. Its violent crime rate was 0.7 per 1,000 people, while its property crime rate was 6.7. It maintained its second-place ranking from the prior year.

Elon lies just outside Burlington, near the state’s fourth-largest city, Greensboro. Elon University is a significant draw; this school has earned national rankings for its undergraduate teaching excellence.  

Pinehurst

This popular retirement and golfing destination have around 17,000 full-time residents. It can feel larger in-season or when the PGA tournament comes to town. Even with all its tourism traffic, it sports a very low violent crime rate of 0.7. The property crime rate was down from 2022 to 6.0 per 1,000 persons. Overall, it rose six spots in its rankings because of significant drops in both crime rates.

Find Pinehurst near Southern Pines and Aberdeen in the North Carolina sandhills region. It has a world-famous golfing resort that hosts PGA tournaments, but equestrian sports are another locally large draw and pastime. 

Davidson

A popular suburb north of Charlotte, Davidson was considered the fourth safest city even though it dropped one spot from the prior year. One reason it went down the list was an increase in violent crime rates, which was still low at 0.7 in 2022. 

This affluent community has a median income of $141,000 for 13,500 residents. It sits on Lake Norman, providing waterfront access to one of the state’s largest lakes. Another draw is Davidson College, a liberal arts university of just under 2,000 students playing Division I and whose alumni include NBA player Stephen Curry. With its small-town vibe but easy access to the Charlotte metro, Davidson is considered one of the best places to live in the state by Niche.com.

Winterville

Winterville was the other North Carolina city that reported no murders, rapes, or robberies in 2022. Even though it had an extremely low violent crime rate, it slipped one spot in SafeWise rankings, but only because other cities had lower property crime rates. Still, just 6.7 reported property crimes show Winterville is a safe place to live.

Just over 10,000 people live in this North Carolina small town. Find Winterville south of Greenville, about halfway between the Raleigh metro and coastal North Carolina. The Tar River runs nearby.

Apex

Apex gained five spots in the safety ratings, partly due to a drop in property crime rates. That came in at 8.8 for 2023.

This Raleigh-Durham suburb had a median income of $121,000 and almost 68,000 residents. It’s one of the fastest-growing suburbs in the state and one of the closest to Jordan Lake State Recreation Area. Apex is another Niche top-ten-ranked town to live in North Carolina. 

Waxhaw

Waxhaw dropped two spots, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s less safe. Its violent crime rate is still low at 0.8, and its property crime rates dropped from 2022 to 2023.

Just under 20,000 people live in this small town near the South Carolina border. It lies outside the Charlotte metro, about 23 miles from the Uptown core. Even though it still classifies as a small town, Waxhaw’s population has almost doubled since 2010. This long-time historic small town is concerned about the rapid development, as locals want to preserve the close-knit community feel that helps Waxhaw rank as a safe city to live, work, and play. 

Cary

The largest town in the top ten safest cities in North Carolina, Cary classifies as a true “city” with over 177,000 residents. It slipped two places, but only because its property crime rate was slightly higher than in 2022. Its violent crime rate has been at 0.7 for the last three years, and its property crime rate remains under 10 per 1,000 persons.

Cary is between Apex and Raleigh, the state capital. The Research Triangle Park is beside Cary, so don’t be surprised if many residents work with companies affiliated with the park. It has a highly educated population, with around 68% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor’s degree. Niche.com ranked it the best place to live in the state. Its high safety ratings definitely contributed, as did its top-ranked school system.

Fuquay-Varina

Following up is another Raleigh suburb, this one right off Highway 401. Fuquay-Varina had violent crime rates under one per 1,000 persons and property crime rates under 10. It’s been that way for the last three years.

Around 34,000 people live in this fast-growing suburb. It’s unique in that it has two historic districts, stemming from when it was two separate small towns. Attractions include its mineral springs, art galleries, and small-town events. 

Holly Springs

Next-door Holly Springs may have dropped two spots to no. 10, but it still has a violent crime rate under one per 1000 persons. What caused it to slip was an increase in property crime rates, reported at 10 per 1,000 persons.

Over 41,000 people live in this town, with a median income of $120,000. This Raleigh metro suburb grew 67% from 2010 and is considered a biomanufacturing hub. 

Safe living in North Carolina

These top-ranked cities have more than low crime rates to brag about. Each has a character that makes it unique, whether it’s the vibe created by small, local liberal arts colleges or the access to world-class outdoor recreation. Even though these are the top ten, even more cities and suburbs have high safety marks below state and national averages. So don’t let North Carolina’s above-average report dissuade you from buying a home in the Tar Heel state.