Best places to live? This NC city ranks among the top destinations in the US
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- Niche studied the best cities to call home across the United States.
- Raleigh ranked No. 22, scoring high for family friendliness and attractions.
- Six other North Carolina cities made it into the top 100 on the national list.
North Carolina is home to one of the nation’s top places to live, a new report finds.
The results come from Niche, which publishes lists of top neighborhoods and schools. To determine the best places to call home, the website said it studied data from the U.S. government and other sources. For cities, it focused on 230 destinations with at least 100,000 residents.
“The Best Places to Live ranking provides a comprehensive assessment of the overall livability of an area,” Niche wrote. “This grade takes into account several key factors of a location, including the quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics, and access to amenities.”
Raleigh ranks No. 22 on a list of cities boasting job opportunities, entertainment options and other perks that make them attractive for residents, according to results published Monday, March 23.
Why Raleigh was named a top city
Raleigh earned a top spot on the list, as Niche gave it a nod for offering residents a blend of urban and suburban characteristics. But the city didn’t score too well when it came to affordability and safety. Here’s a breakdown for each category:
- A grades: public schools, good for families, diversity, nightlife, outdoor activities, health and fitness
- B grades: jobs, commute, weather, housing
- C grades: cost of living, crime and safety
“Raleigh was ranked #22 in 2025 and 2026, holding a strong mix of diversity, high resident satisfaction, and a well-educated population,” Zach Chatham, a spokesperson for Niche, told The News & Observer in a Friday, March 27 email. “It also stands out for being especially family-friendly, with great schools and easy access to parks and outdoor activities.”
It’s not the first time North Carolina’s capital city has been recognized as an ideal place to settle down.
Last year, Raleigh ranked No. 6 on a similar list from U.S. News & World Report. And the Raleigh suburb of Apex ranked among the best small cities in the United States, The Charlotte Observer and The N&O previously reported.
Which other cities rank high?
This time around, Raleigh was the only city in North Carolina to rank in the top 25. Here are the other destinations across the state that landed in the top 100:
- Durham at No. 50
- Charlotte at No. 55
- Greensboro at No. 62
- Winston-Salem at No. 83
- Wilmington at No. 88
- High Point at No. 93
Across the country, Niche said the No. 1 most livable city was the Chicago suburb of Naperville, Illinois. Here are the other spots rounding out the top five:
- Cambridge, Massachusetts, at No. 2
- The Woodlands, Texas, at No. 3
- Arlington, Virginia, at No. 4
- Bellevue, Washington, at No. 5
The full list of winners is available at niche.com.
This story was originally published March 27, 2026 at 11:40 AM.
