North Carolina is a unique and diverse state. From urban sophistication to quiet country living, NC has it all. Here are 11 North Carolina Neighborhoods You’ll Love to Call Home.
Best Neighborhoods in Raleigh, North Carolina
Many of the North Carolina neighborhoods with the fastest growth-rate are clustered together in the Research Triangle area near the center of the state.
The Triangle, as locals call it, is anchored by the capital city of Raleigh where Redhat, Citrix, and a number of other major tech and design firms have major offices.
Along with a few other North Carolina neighborhoods, Raleigh was recently ranked number one in the United States, and number three worldwide among cities with the best quality of life.
The many different districts and neighborhoods within the Raleigh metro area offer every imaginable style of housing and run the gamut from picket-fence suburbia to sophisticated high-rise condos.
Downtown Raleigh
Twenty years ago, Downtown Raleigh would not have been found on anyone’s list of best North Carolina neighborhoods. Aside from the occasional public concert, or music festival, the streets of North Carolina’s capital city were largely deserted after 5 pm when the State government employees ended their workday.
Today, Downtown Raleigh is one of the fastest-growing urban centers in the country.
This lively district is home to the North Carolina Capitol Building, the NC Symphony, Red Hat Amphitheater, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Marbles Kids Museum, and the NC Museum of History. Downtown also sports a lively nightlife with some of the best bars, restaurants, and music venues in the Southeast.
With several high-end luxury condo buildings along Fayetteville and Wilmington Streets, and tons of new residential complexes being added in the next few years, Downtown living is booming.
If high-rise condos aren’t your thing, Oakwood, Boylan Heights, Glenwood-Brooklyn, and the rapidly revitalizing Hargett Street corridor are some of the best Raleigh, North Carolina neighborhoods within easy walking distance of the city center.
Boylan Heights
Perched on a hill just to the West of Downtown is the historic Boylan Heights neighborhood.
With elegant homes dating back to the early 20th-century and beautiful skyline views of Downtown, this neighborhood offers the perfect combination of urban convenience and quiet charm.
Downtown is a five-minute walk to the East. The stunning 300-acre Dorothea Dix Park is about a 10-minute walk to the South, and the vibrant Glenwood South, Cameron Village, and Hillsborough Street shopping and entertainment districts are each about 1 mile to the North and West.
Oakwood Park
If you want to be nearby Downtown, but you’re looking for something a little less pricey than upscale Oakwood or Boylan Heights, the Oakwood Park area just to the East of Downtown is a great option. Housing prices are a bit lower than the neighboring Oakwood, but you’re only a few blocks from the same great shopping and amenities.
Bedford
With average home prices around $384,000, Bedford is in the higher range for North Carolina neighborhoods. With construction completed in 2012, this suburban oasis is one of the most well-established of Raleigh’s newer communities.
Bedford hosts numerous pocket parks, a pleasant central shopping area, and a recreation center with tennis, a swimming pool, and basketball courts. The neighborhood is bordered on the North side by the Neuse River, and the 38-mile scenic Neuse River Greenway is easily accessible from several points throughout Bedford’s quiet streets.
North Hills
Ten minutes North of the city center, 15 minutes from RDU International Airport, and 25 minutes from the heart of the Research Triangle Park, North Hills is Raleigh’s most popular suburban center.
Formerly a mid-sized indoor mall, North Hills has been transformed in the last ten years into an open-air mixed-use community offering high-end shopping, luxury hotels, and residential towers.
North Hills sits on the Northernmost border of Raleigh’s Midtown, which stretches from Cameron Village on the South to Crabtree Valley Mall on the West and Five Points to the East.
Best Neighborhoods in Durham, North Carolina
Serving as the Northernmost point in the Research Triangle, Durham is a beautiful city with a diverse and exciting cultural background. Many of the most walkable North Carolina neighborhoods can be found in Durham.
Home to Duke and NC Central Universities, Burt’s Bees, Counter Culture Coffee, and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, Durham’s diverse neighborhoods are the heart of arts and culture in the Triangle area.
Downtown Durham
Formerly the headquarters of the American Tobacco Company, Durham’s downtown commercial district is perhaps the most vibrant of all North Carolina neighborhoods.
Once a major hub for tobacco storage, processing, and transport, Downtown Durham is now a bustling urban center with tons of locally-owned restaurants, retail shops, breweries, and entertainment venues.
The former tobacco warehouses on the West End have been converted into luxury condos and shopping malls dotted with high-end dining options and coffeehouses.
Trinity Park
Between Downtown’s West End and Duke University’s East Campus, Trinity Park spans 40 square blocks of beautiful tree-lined residential streets.
One of the first established neighborhoods in Durham, Trinity Park is on the National Register of Historic Districts.
Old West Durham
Anchored on its Eastern edge by the original campus of Duke University and the eclectic shopping district along Ninth Street, Old West Durham sprang up from a settlement older than the city itself.
Now known as East Campus, Duke University’s original campus remains part of the university, but the grounds also serve as a popular neighborhood park.
Duke’s West Campus is just across the train tracks to the South of the historic Ninth Street shopping district; and quiet, comfortable residential streets stretch to the North.
Old West Durham offers the best combination in the city of urban convenience, neighborhood charm, and cultural history.
Best Neighborhoods in Charlotte, North Carolina
As the largest urban center in North Carolina, neighborhoods in Charlotte are also some of the most diverse.
The city serves as the headquarters for national and international companies like Bank of America, LendingTree, Honeywell. It is also the home of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and LemonBrew Abstract!
Fourth Ward
With a median home value of around $304,000, the Fourth Ward’s proximity to the central business district, along with its stately Victorian houses and quiet streets, has caused this Uptown district to be named as one of several North Carolina neighborhoods on the National Register of Historic Places.
If you’re looking for a neighborhood feel that’s easily walkable to the city center, Fourth Ward is the place to be in Charlotte.
Just a few blocks from the junction of Trade and Tryon Streets at the heart of Uptown, the Fourth Ward offers the best combination of urban life and residential convenience of all North Carolina neighborhoods.
Easy access to shopping, bars and nightlife, a 3-acre urban park, and the Discovery Place Museum and IMAX theater make the Fourth Ward an ideal location for comfortable city living.
Ballantyne
“I live in the Ballantyne area of Charlotte and I’ve lived here for about 20 years (crazy how time flies). Ballantyne encompasses the 28277 zip code which has been one of the fastest growing zip code populations in the last 2 years, nationwide! Benefits to living in Ballantyne is the ability to work in “uptown” but live in the suburbs with a reasonable commute. There is also the Charlotte Light Rail expansion that is slated to bring the Light Rail into the Ballantyne area in the near future,.” shared Ballantyne resident, Jason Campbell.
“There are a number of world class golf courses in the Ballantyne area along with numerous restaurants, bars and miles of greenways for hiking and biking. Ballantyne is extremely family friendly.” – Jason Campbell, Local
NoDa
An abbreviation of “North Davidson,” NoDa is Charlotte’s up-and-coming arts district. Just about a 20-minute ride away from the city center on the Lynx light rail, NoDa is home to art galleries, breweries, and a tight-knit community feel.
Plaza Midwood
“After moving to Charlotte nearly 6 years ago, I set my sights on a neighborhood east of Uptown, Plaza Midwood, also known as “Plaza” by the locals. This eclectic part of town is full of energy and home to numerous Charlotte staples like Soul Gastrolounge (get the pork belly tacos – you will not regret it!) , Thomas Street Tavern, Common Market (the original), Central Coffee (my favorite coffee in town), YogaOne, Lunchbox Records, and most recently the highly anticipated restaurant, Snooze (a high pace Midwestern brunch chain that has chosen Plaza for its first east coast expansion),” stated Charlotte Local, Ryan Rutten.
“This neighborhood is conveniently located minutes from Uptown, the 277 Beltway, and East Independence Blvd, which makes this a very appealing place to call home!”
Davidson
About 20 miles due North of Charlotte on the shores of Lake Norman, Davidson is not technically a Charlotte neighborhood.
This small college town is a beautiful haven outside the city. With only a 40-minute drive (in light traffic) to Uptown, or about an hour on the 77x express bus, Davidson is a popular option for commuters.
Davidson College is one of the top elite colleges in the country, and the town of Davidson is wholly intertwined with its campus and academic community.
The picturesque downtown area offers an excellent specialty coffee shop and roastery, several art galleries, over 30 restaurants, and plenty of options for shopping.
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