State rankings

Best Counties to Live in North Carolina

Compare counties in North Carolina by overall score, affordability, economy, schools, safety, taxes, and peace & quiet. Rankings are public-data estimates for comparison and research.

#1 in NC

Union County

76.5

Overall score

Open county report

#2 in NC

Camden County

75.8

Overall score

Open county report

#3 in NC

Wake County

Overall score

Open county report

#4 in NC

Davie County

71.9

Overall score

Open county report

#5 in NC

Johnston County

71.3

Overall score

Open county report

Category highlights

Quick entry points for common county search priorities.

National rankings

Best overall

Union County

Overall score 76.5

Most affordable

Bertie County

Affordability 90.6

Best schools

Orange County

Schools 99.2

Safest

Gaston County

Safety 99.5

Lowest taxes

Avery County

Taxes 90.4

Best peace & quiet

Camden County

Peace & Quiet 86.2

All North Carolina counties

Showing 100 counties ranked by the default generated overall score.

Rank	County	Overall	Economy	Afford.	Schools	Safety	Taxes	Peace & Quiet	Typical home	Income
1	Union County FIPS 37179	76.5	87.7	50	98.6	78.6	75.6	59.5	$451,672	$102,900
2	Camden County FIPS 37029	75.8	79.8	52.3	92.2	81.4	78.3	86.2	$393,333	$91,078
3	Wake County FIPS 37183	73	87.6	40.2	96.4	95.8	64.2	20.1	$479,727	$105,768
4	Davie County FIPS 37059	71.9	70.5	55	90.2	-	78.5	76.2	$321,975	$75,057
5	Johnston County FIPS 37101	71.3	82.7	56.4	66.1	84	74.7	64.4	$343,005	$83,384
6	Lincoln County FIPS 37109	70.8	77.5	41.9	94.2	73.3	78.9	65.3	$401,881	$80,016
7	Iredell County FIPS 37097	70.2	74.3	43.1	84.5	86.7	76.4	65.2	$386,377	$81,419
8	Polk County FIPS 37149	70.1	66.7	47.5	98.5	-	74.3	77.7	$316,133	$67,758
9	Jones County FIPS 37103	70	58.9	90	54.4	-	71.4	85.6	$136,422	$59,641
10	Moore County FIPS 37125	69.8	77.2	42	76	86	80.6	77.1	$413,086	$86,080
11	Surry County FIPS 37171	69.2	57.3	57.6	89.8	-	81.2	80.8	$231,798	$55,656
12	Stokes County FIPS 37169	68.5	68.1	58.1	73	-	81.8	78.6	$258,748	$62,969
13	Cabarrus County FIPS 37025	68.4	79.5	48.9	68.2	93.5	65.6	40.6	$384,693	$89,005
14	Person County FIPS 37145	66.9	60.7	57.5	71.6	76.2	77.2	77	$253,001	$63,300
15	Yadkin County FIPS 37197	66.6	65.8	62.3	67.2	62.5	79	77.5	$241,129	$62,932
16	Chatham County FIPS 37037	66.3	83.7	26.4	74.6	84.3	72.2	80	$550,018	$94,317
17	Yancey County FIPS 37199	66.1	51.4	34.8	91.2	93.2	85.7	75.9	$321,488	$58,709
18	Mitchell County FIPS 37121	65.6	44	57.5	72.2	92.3	79.4	79.4	$231,962	$57,602
19	Cleveland County FIPS 37045	64.9	53	66	72.5	-	72.4	73.5	$209,383	$58,534
20	Burke County FIPS 37023	64.8	58	54.7	79.2	59.8	78.7	79.2	$255,518	$58,592
21	Currituck County FIPS 37053	64.8	85.3	20.7	75.8	74.3	87.8	65.1	$541,876	$93,511
22	Craven County FIPS 37049	63.8	61.9	53.3	65.9	67.5	76.4	81.7	$273,661	$65,873
23	Ashe County FIPS 37009	63.2	63.2	25.2	90.4	70.5	85.7	76.8	$346,186	$56,866
24	Carteret County FIPS 37031	62.9	70.7	11.6	94.1	74.3	88.5	70.1	$470,748	$72,322
25	Catawba County FIPS 37035	62.8	61.6	52.9	68.5	-	79.4	62.5	$292,677	$67,864
26	Dare County FIPS 37055	62.8	68.8	10.7	91.4	86.8	79.8	73.4	$600,596	$88,994
27	Haywood County FIPS 37087	62.7	60	33.8	89.9	64.7	77.4	76.8	$341,225	$61,912
28	Henderson County FIPS 37089	62.7	70.5	24.5	91.4	-	78.6	68.4	$422,833	$68,187
29	Caldwell County FIPS 37027	62.5	57.7	57.2	64.5	60.4	79.5	76.7	$237,081	$56,425
30	Franklin County FIPS 37069	62.5	77.2	45	45.1	78.2	76	72.5	$362,848	$74,240
31	Stanly County FIPS 37167	62.5	66.5	43.8	53.6	83.6	79.4	75.1	$303,694	$60,704
32	Gates County FIPS 37073	62.3	60.5	62.8	51.6	-	78	79.9	$246,167	$66,333
33	New Hanover County FIPS 37129	62.3	72.4	21.3	87.3	85.4	75.6	20.9	$444,936	$75,166
34	Pender County FIPS 37141	62.3	79	33.1	65.7	-	80.2	75.9	$436,167	$80,396
35	Alexander County FIPS 37003	61.9	61.3	58	67.8	43.5	80.2	78.6	$263,714	$65,354
36	Gaston County FIPS 37071	61.9	63.7	49.9	49.4	99.5	65.7	41.7	$297,720	$67,478
37	Orange County FIPS 37135	61.7	73.7	24.5	99.2	-	48.6	64.8	$505,612	$90,089
38	Davidson County FIPS 37057	61.6	61.2	54.5	60	-	79.5	68.8	$273,745	$64,172
39	Transylvania County FIPS 37175	61.6	63.3	15.8	88.3	79.6	82.8	79.8	$474,865	$66,184
40	Rockingham County FIPS 37157	61.4	52.1	68.6	43	77.8	71.3	77.3	$197,299	$57,053
41	Onslow County FIPS 37133	60.3	63.6	48.5	47.6	77.1	76.9	70.8	$289,956	$68,148
42	Guilford County FIPS 37081	60.2	56.9	53.1	56.9	92	58.9	32.6	$278,467	$68,642
43	McDowell County FIPS 37111	59.7	57.9	52.7	51.9	58.2	88.4	81.7	$260,303	$57,168
44	Alamance County FIPS 37001	59.6	62.4	48.1	42.3	85.4	77	59.6	$294,316	$65,651
45	Madison County FIPS 37115	59.6	62	19.8	73.5	82.2	84.3	73.3	$392,633	$58,531
46	Rutherford County FIPS 37161	59.3	46.2	53.1	70.7	-	75.9	77.3	$222,162	$51,410
47	Buncombe County FIPS 37021	59.2	61.4	17.6	85	81.5	73.8	56.6	$454,250	$74,436
48	Wilkes County FIPS 37193	59.2	52.8	53.5	61.3	53.8	82	81.2	$225,624	$51,721
49	Lee County FIPS 37105	59	67.7	50	51	-	69.5	72	$292,369	$65,387
50	Avery County FIPS 37011	58.8	57.8	20.8	73.3	77.9	90.4	74.4	$384,557	$61,428
51	Mecklenburg County FIPS 37119	58.8	74.7	36.1	75.3	-	62.6	20.1	$421,452	$87,005
52	Granville County FIPS 37077	58.4	64.2	52.2	27.5	82.1	75.9	78.1	$317,382	$71,111
53	Cherokee County FIPS 37039	58.3	58	43.9	64.9	50.5	84	77.1	$269,305	$53,628
54	Randolph County FIPS 37151	58.2	61	56.6	42.4	-	77	77.6	$253,645	$61,022
55	Graham County FIPS 37075	57.7	58.9	51.4	46.9	-	81.7	78	$220,118	$49,684
56	Sampson County FIPS 37163	57.6	49.4	75	56.7	29.4	66.8	81.8	$152,823	$52,432
57	Macon County FIPS 37113	57.1	62.3	21.6	57.2	79.7	89.4	76.5	$360,444	$59,061
58	Brunswick County FIPS 37019	57	70.6	33.9	56	-	78	66.5	$405,145	$77,024
59	Alleghany County FIPS 37005	56.5	52.5	29.9	66.8	73.4	77.9	74.8	$269,503	$47,172
60	Watauga County FIPS 37189	56.3	49.1	5.8	96.6	75.8	84.4	68.9	$506,670	$51,693
61	Perquimans County FIPS 37143	56	61.4	53.6	35.3	-	79	76.9	$277,278	$67,917
62	Pasquotank County FIPS 37139	55.9	62.2	56	21.4	73.6	72.5	74.8	$265,168	$66,589
63	Cumberland County FIPS 37051	55.4	49.3	57.1	44.6	74.5	59	56.4	$231,841	$61,291
64	Duplin County FIPS 37061	55.4	60	67.2	16.1	-	80.1	81.4	$186,278	$55,148
65	Wayne County FIPS 37191	55.3	55.4	69.2	19.5	62.4	70.4	76.1	$186,089	$59,733
66	Beaufort County FIPS 37013	55	53.1	55	40.5	-	74.9	81.7	$233,490	$58,357
67	Chowan County FIPS 37041	55	50.8	53.5	37.5	74.7	62.1	80.4	$232,683	$53,864
68	Pitt County FIPS 37147	55	51.5	51	36.4	80.9	63.3	73	$243,762	$58,188
69	Rowan County FIPS 37159	54.8	60.7	55.1	18.2	75.8	73.9	68.6	$276,269	$65,725
70	Montgomery County FIPS 37123	54.6	55.6	62.8	25.4	-	78.9	76.2	$196,637	$57,766
71	Pamlico County FIPS 37137	54.6	50.6	47.9	43.2	61.5	81.3	79.4	$273,404	$59,717
72	Caswell County FIPS 37033	54.1	55.7	65.2	19.9	-	77.9	79.6	$213,219	$59,755
73	Harnett County FIPS 37085	53.9	66.5	54.9	23.5	-	73.4	67.5	$294,554	$71,287
74	Hoke County FIPS 37093	53.2	58.7	55.3	25.7	-	76.2	78.4	$277,587	$64,912
75	Columbus County FIPS 37047	52.8	41	62.9	37.9	-	72.3	81.1	$183,768	$49,442
76	Forsyth County FIPS 37067	52.6	57.1	51	50.3	-	64.3	23.6	$285,372	$67,165
77	Martin County FIPS 37117	52.1	40.6	80.1	21.2	-	56.7	84.2	$126,740	$48,578
78	Bertie County FIPS 37015	51.7	40.6	90.6	10	-	49	84	$65,559	$48,750
79	Anson County FIPS 37007	51.3	47.1	76.2	9.3	55.7	62	82.1	$141,108	$47,302
80	Clay County FIPS 37043	51.2	64.2	26.5	42	-	85.6	77.4	$340,068	$56,971
81	Scotland County FIPS 37165	51.2	33	69.5	34.1	53.6	65.9	81.5	$145,231	$45,730
82	Nash County FIPS 37127	51.1	54.6	58.7	18.9	-	74.4	77.9	$237,062	$62,426
83	Northampton County FIPS 37131	50.6	41.7	82.5	16.9	-	47.2	76.9	$111,077	$50,086
84	Wilson County FIPS 37195	50.5	39.1	56.4	42.1	-	67.6	76.5	$221,170	$56,423
85	Greene County FIPS 37079	49.7	58	66.7	6.6	36.3	75.9	82.8	$182,392	$53,244
86	Lenoir County FIPS 37107	49.6	44.6	63.9	20.1	-	70	79.7	$153,995	$45,143
87	Hyde County FIPS 37095	47.5	29.9	49.8	42	-	82.9	74.4	$222,154	$53,713
88	Vance County FIPS 37181	47.1	41.9	60.7	28.7	35.1	67.5	74.5	$183,619	$50,465
89	Tyrrell County FIPS 37177	47	26.7	58.6	20.5	80.9	58.1	73.2	$167,041	$41,685
90	Jackson County FIPS 37099	46.4	55.5	8.7	53	-	89.8	76.5	$444,171	$55,815
91	Bladen County FIPS 37017	46.2	35.8	62.4	15.2	57	60.6	79.6	$157,231	$42,422
92	Richmond County FIPS 37153	46	41.9	73.4	24	15.7	58.9	82.7	$132,397	$44,883
93	Hertford County FIPS 37091	45.8	38.4	77.4	6.1	40.4	54.2	82.8	$122,055	$45,537
94	Edgecombe County FIPS 37065	45	34.5	77.1	3.9	-	53.8	82.9	$135,073	$51,265
95	Halifax County FIPS 37083	44.6	30.8	81.4	7.3	-	43.4	81.6	$103,624	$45,590
96	Swain County FIPS 37173	44.4	53.9	21.9	33.9	37	90.4	82.5	$324,622	$52,349
97	Washington County FIPS 37187	43.7	32.9	79.7	4.7	-	41.5	77.3	$106,837	$41,813
98	Robeson County FIPS 37155	39.9	30.1	71.4	5.7	13.1	74.3	80.3	$135,502	$41,978
99	Durham County FIPS 37063	39.3	77.2	38	17.3	2.7	55.7	21.9	$397,038	$82,316
100	Warren County FIPS 37185	39	39	41.2	7.3	37.9	80.4	74.3	$242,861	$50,638