Safest Places to Live in North Carolina of August 2026
ElitePersonalFinance
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Living •
Last Update: August 20, 2026
Located on the East Coast, North Carolina borders its sister South Carolina to the south and Virginia to the north. With a population of over 10 million, it is the 9th most populous state in the US. The capital of North Carolina is Raleigh, whereas the most populous city is Charlotte. Charlotte is also the third-largest banking city in America, closely following New York City and San Francisco.
The landscape of North Carolina is rather interesting, the elevation spanning from the sea level in the east to 6,684 feet, which is the height of Mount Mitchell. This beautiful mountain is also the highest point in North America, east of the Mississippi River.
Ranking Criteria
ElitePersonalFinance extracted the latest data from the FBI crime statistics in the United States. We took violent crime as the main criteria. To get our score, we used this formula:
Crime Score = ( Total Number of Violent Crimes / Population ) * 1,000
This way, safer cities got the lowest score, and those more vulnerable to crimes got higher scores.
The cities that did not report crimes to the FBI and those under 5,000 residents were not included in the list.
30 Safest Places in North Carolina of August 2026
| Rank: | City: | Population: | Total Number of Crimes: | Crime Score: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | City:Morrisville | Population:28 796 | Total Number of Crimes:12 | Crime Score:0,42 |
| Rank:2 | City:Wake Forest | Population:46 145 | Total Number of Crimes:24 | Crime Score:0,52 |
| Rank:3 | City:Davidson | Population:13 193 | Total Number of Crimes:8 | Crime Score:0,61 |
| Rank:4 | City:Holly Springs | Population:38 577 | Total Number of Crimes:25 | Crime Score:0,65 |
| Rank:5 | City:Elon | Population:12 214 | Total Number of Crimes:8 | Crime Score:0,65 |
| Rank:6 | City:Cary | Population:172 525 | Total Number of Crimes:114 | Crime Score:0,66 |
| Rank:7 | City:Pinehurst | Population:16 522 | Total Number of Crimes:11 | Crime Score:0,67 |
| Rank:8 | City:Wendell | Population:8 096 | Total Number of Crimes:6 | Crime Score:0,74 |
| Rank:9 | City:Fuquay-Varina | Population:30 977 | Total Number of Crimes:26 | Crime Score:0,84 |
| Rank:10 | City:Winterville | Population:9 922 | Total Number of Crimes:9 | Crime Score:0,91 |
| Rank:11 | City:Apex | Population:56 276 | Total Number of Crimes:53 | Crime Score:0,94 |
| Rank:12 | City:Chapel Hill | Population:61 457 | Total Number of Crimes:58 | Crime Score:0,94 |
| Rank:13 | City:Black Mountain | Population:8 187 | Total Number of Crimes:8 | Crime Score:0,98 |
| Rank:14 | City:Concord | Population:96 138 | Total Number of Crimes:117 | Crime Score:1,22 |
| Rank:15 | City:Stallings | Population:16 173 | Total Number of Crimes:20 | Crime Score:1,24 |
| Rank:16 | City:Boone | Population:19 893 | Total Number of Crimes:26 | Crime Score:1,31 |
| Rank:17 | City:King | Population:6 878 | Total Number of Crimes:9 | Crime Score:1,31 |
| Rank:18 | City:Huntersville | Population:58 512 | Total Number of Crimes:79 | Crime Score:1,35 |
| Rank:19 | City:Kings Mountain | Population:10 965 | Total Number of Crimes:15 | Crime Score:1,37 |
| Rank:20 | City:Waxhaw | Population:17 203 | Total Number of Crimes:25 | Crime Score:1,45 |
| Rank:21 | City:Marion | Population:7 837 | Total Number of Crimes:12 | Crime Score:1,53 |
| Rank:22 | City:Boiling Spring Lakes | Population:6 238 | Total Number of Crimes:10 | Crime Score:1,60 |
| Rank:23 | City:Mooresville | Population:38 967 | Total Number of Crimes:65 | Crime Score:1,67 |
| Rank:24 | City:Clayton | Population:23 842 | Total Number of Crimes:40 | Crime Score:1,68 |
| Rank:25 | City:Matthews | Population:33 372 | Total Number of Crimes:58 | Crime Score:1,74 |
| Rank:26 | City:Oak Island | Population:8 244 | Total Number of Crimes:15 | Crime Score:1,82 |
| Rank:27 | City:Erwin | Population:5 148 | Total Number of Crimes:10 | Crime Score:1,94 |
| Rank:28 | City:Mint Hill | Population:27 776 | Total Number of Crimes:59 | Crime Score:2,12 |
| Rank:29 | City:Brevard | Population:7 928 | Total Number of Crimes:18 | Crime Score:2,27 |
| Rank:30 | City:Knightdale | Population:18 351 | Total Number of Crimes:42 | Crime Score:2,29 |
Crime Score in All Cities in North Carolina of August 2026
If your city didn’t make our list, you could see our full list of North Carolina cities.
We can’t compare crime rates in small and large cities. That’s why ElitePersonalFinance made a detailed analysis and narrowed the results according to population segments:
- Under 3,000 Residents
- 3,000 – 10,000 Residents
- 10,000 – 30,000 Residents
- Over 30,000 Residents
Under 3,000 Residents
| Rank | City | Population | Total Number of Crimes | Crime Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Beach | 119 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 2 | Bald Head Island | 182 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 3 | Sugar Mountain | 197 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 4 | Beech Mountain | 324 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 5 | Duck | 390 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 6 | Middlesex | 824 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 7 | Maysville | 955 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 8 | Cooleemee | 969 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 9 | Princeton | 1402 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 10 | Biltmore Forest | 1410 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 11 | Belhaven | 1567 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 12 | Drexel | 1849 | 0 | 0,00 |
| 13 | Southern Shores | 2940 | 1 | 0,34 |
| 14 | Columbus | 995 | 1 | 1,01 |
| 15 | Fair Bluff | 882 | 1 | 1,13 |
| 16 | Troutman | 2755 | 4 | 1,45 |
| 17 | Newland | 684 | 1 | 1,46 |
| 18 | Youngsville | 1365 | 2 | 1,47 |
| 19 | West Jefferson | 1311 | 2 | 1,53 |
| 20 | Carthage | 2524 | 4 | 1,58 |
| 21 | Cape Carteret | 2076 | 4 | 1,93 |
| 22 | Haw River | 2525 | 5 | 1,98 |
| 23 | Kenansville | 855 | 2 | 2,34 |
| 24 | Bunn | 377 | 1 | 2,65 |
| 25 | Four Oaks | 2224 | 7 | 3,15 |
| 26 | Holly Ridge | 2829 | 9 | 3,18 |
| 27 | Rockwell | 2151 | 7 | 3,25 |
| 28 | Sylva | 2742 | 9 | 3,28 |
| 29 | Snow Hill | 1513 | 5 | 3,30 |
| 30 | Manteo | 1453 | 5 | 3,44 |
| 31 | Biscoe | 1724 | 6 | 3,48 |
| 32 | Bailey | 560 | 2 | 3,57 |
| 33 | Pine Level | 2016 | 8 | 3,97 |
| 34 | Highlands | 974 | 4 | 4,11 |
| 35 | East Spencer | 1550 | 7 | 4,52 |
| 36 | Cleveland | 882 | 4 | 4,54 |
| 37 | Banner Elk | 1101 | 5 | 4,54 |
| 38 | Ocean Isle Beach | 644 | 3 | 4,66 |
| 39 | Warrenton | 837 | 4 | 4,78 |
| 40 | Fairmont | 2601 | 14 | 5,38 |
| 41 | Marshville | 2748 | 16 | 5,82 |
| 42 | Atlantic Beach | 1506 | 9 | 5,98 |
| 43 | Nags Head | 2963 | 18 | 6,07 |
| 44 | Hertford | 2109 | 13 | 6,16 |
| 45 | Robersonville | 1348 | 9 | 6,68 |
| 46 | Chocowinity | 794 | 6 | 7,56 |
| 47 | Rowland | 1002 | 8 | 7,98 |
| 48 | Murphy | 1657 | 15 | 9,05 |
| 49 | Enfield | 2288 | 23 | 10,05 |
| 50 | Maggie Valley | 1230 | 14 | 11,38 |
| 51 | Wrightsville Beach | 2550 | 30 | 11,76 |
3,000 – 10,000 Residents
| Rank: | City: | Population: | Total Number of Crimes: | Crime Score: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | City:Whispering Pines | Population:3 385 | Total Number of Crimes:0 | Crime Score:0,00 |
| Rank:2 | City:Rutherfordton | Population:4 047 | Total Number of Crimes:0 | Crime Score:0,00 |
| Rank:3 | City:Swansboro | Population:3 354 | Total Number of Crimes:2 | Crime Score:0,60 |
| Rank:4 | City:Wendell | Population:8 096 | Total Number of Crimes:6 | Crime Score:0,74 |
| Rank:5 | City:Granite Falls | Population:4 629 | Total Number of Crimes:4 | Crime Score:0,86 |
| Rank:6 | City:Winterville | Population:9 922 | Total Number of Crimes:9 | Crime Score:0,91 |
| Rank:7 | City:Black Mountain | Population:8 187 | Total Number of Crimes:8 | Crime Score:0,98 |
| Rank:8 | City:Weaverville | Population:4 013 | Total Number of Crimes:4 | Crime Score:1,00 |
| Rank:9 | City:Southport | Population:3 961 | Total Number of Crimes:4 | Crime Score:1,01 |
| Rank:10 | City:Long View | Population:4 921 | Total Number of Crimes:5 | Crime Score:1,02 |
| Rank:11 | City:Kitty Hawk | Population:3 563 | Total Number of Crimes:4 | Crime Score:1,12 |
| Rank:12 | City:King | Population:6 878 | Total Number of Crimes:9 | Crime Score:1,31 |
| Rank:13 | City:Newport | Population:4 666 | Total Number of Crimes:7 | Crime Score:1,50 |
| Rank:14 | City:Marion | Population:7 837 | Total Number of Crimes:12 | Crime Score:1,53 |
| Rank:15 | City:Boiling Spring Lakes | Population:6 238 | Total Number of Crimes:10 | Crime Score:1,60 |
| Rank:16 | City:Murfreesboro | Population:3 072 | Total Number of Crimes:5 | Crime Score:1,63 |
| Rank:17 | City:Oak Island | Population:8 244 | Total Number of Crimes:15 | Crime Score:1,82 |
| Rank:18 | City:Erwin | Population:5 148 | Total Number of Crimes:10 | Crime Score:1,94 |
| Rank:19 | City:Shallotte | Population:4 396 | Total Number of Crimes:9 | Crime Score:2,05 |
| Rank:20 | City:Creedmoor | Population:4 636 | Total Number of Crimes:10 | Crime Score:2,16 |
| Rank:21 | City:Hudson | Population:3 704 | Total Number of Crimes:8 | Crime Score:2,16 |
| Rank:22 | City:Brevard | Population:7 928 | Total Number of Crimes:18 | Crime Score:2,27 |
| Rank:23 | City:Gibsonville | Population:7 356 | Total Number of Crimes:17 | Crime Score:2,31 |
| Rank:24 | City:Bessemer City | Population:5 552 | Total Number of Crimes:13 | Crime Score:2,34 |
| Rank:25 | City:Lowell | Population:3 709 | Total Number of Crimes:9 | Crime Score:2,43 |
| Rank:26 | City:Kill Devil Hills | Population:7 268 | Total Number of Crimes:19 | Crime Score:2,61 |
| Rank:27 | City:Mocksville | Population:5 322 | Total Number of Crimes:14 | Crime Score:2,63 |
| Rank:28 | City:Cherryville | Population:6 062 | Total Number of Crimes:16 | Crime Score:2,64 |
| Rank:29 | City:Morehead City | Population:9 721 | Total Number of Crimes:28 | Crime Score:2,88 |
| Rank:30 | City:Burgaw | Population:4 176 | Total Number of Crimes:13 | Crime Score:3,11 |
| Rank:31 | City:Valdese | Population:4 435 | Total Number of Crimes:15 | Crime Score:3,38 |
| Rank:32 | City:Spencer | Population:3 238 | Total Number of Crimes:11 | Crime Score:3,40 |
| Rank:33 | City:Raeford | Population:5 001 | Total Number of Crimes:17 | Crime Score:3,40 |
| Rank:34 | City:Canton | Population:4 349 | Total Number of Crimes:16 | Crime Score:3,68 |
| Rank:35 | City:North Wilkesboro | Population:4 220 | Total Number of Crimes:16 | Crime Score:3,79 |
| Rank:36 | City:Zebulon | Population:5 814 | Total Number of Crimes:24 | Crime Score:4,13 |
| Rank:37 | City:Dallas | Population:4 787 | Total Number of Crimes:20 | Crime Score:4,18 |
| Rank:38 | City:Butner | Population:7 847 | Total Number of Crimes:33 | Crime Score:4,21 |
| Rank:39 | City:Wilkesboro | Population:3 491 | Total Number of Crimes:15 | Crime Score:4,30 |
| Rank:40 | City:Rockingham | Population:8 687 | Total Number of Crimes:39 | Crime Score:4,49 |
| Rank:41 | City:Carolina Beach | Population:6 437 | Total Number of Crimes:29 | Crime Score:4,51 |
| Rank:42 | City:Forest City | Population:7 116 | Total Number of Crimes:34 | Crime Score:4,78 |
| Rank:43 | City:Elizabethtown | Population:3 447 | Total Number of Crimes:17 | Crime Score:4,93 |
| Rank:44 | City:Hillsborough | Population:7 321 | Total Number of Crimes:38 | Crime Score:5,19 |
| Rank:45 | City:Aberdeen | Population:7 892 | Total Number of Crimes:41 | Crime Score:5,20 |
| Rank:46 | City:Windsor | Population:3 310 | Total Number of Crimes:18 | Crime Score:5,44 |
| Rank:47 | City:Troy | Population:3 326 | Total Number of Crimes:19 | Crime Score:5,71 |
| Rank:48 | City:Dunn | Population:9 768 | Total Number of Crimes:56 | Crime Score:5,73 |
| Rank:49 | City:Farmville | Population:4 679 | Total Number of Crimes:27 | Crime Score:5,77 |
| Rank:50 | City:Pittsboro | Population:4 359 | Total Number of Crimes:26 | Crime Score:5,96 |
| Rank:51 | City:Mount Olive | Population:4 652 | Total Number of Crimes:28 | Crime Score:6,02 |
| Rank:52 | City:Louisburg | Population:3 549 | Total Number of Crimes:23 | Crime Score:6,48 |
| Rank:53 | City:Roxboro | Population:8 299 | Total Number of Crimes:61 | Crime Score:7,35 |
| Rank:54 | City:Washington | Population:9 497 | Total Number of Crimes:71 | Crime Score:7,48 |
| Rank:55 | City:Pineville | Population:9 088 | Total Number of Crimes:68 | Crime Score:7,48 |
| Rank:56 | City:Selma | Population:7 018 | Total Number of Crimes:55 | Crime Score:7,84 |
| Rank:57 | City:Benson | Population:3 901 | Total Number of Crimes:31 | Crime Score:7,95 |
| Rank:58 | City:Siler City | Population:8 237 | Total Number of Crimes:67 | Crime Score:8,13 |
| Rank:59 | City:Edenton | Population:4 631 | Total Number of Crimes:39 | Crime Score:8,42 |
| Rank:60 | City:Oxford | Population:8 851 | Total Number of Crimes:91 | Crime Score:10,28 |
| Rank:61 | City:Plymouth | Population:3 400 | Total Number of Crimes:37 | Crime Score:10,88 |
| Rank:62 | City:Ahoskie | Population:4 772 | Total Number of Crimes:56 | Crime Score:11,74 |
| Rank:63 | City:Williamston | Population:5 217 | Total Number of Crimes:66 | Crime Score:12,65 |
| Rank:64 | City:Whiteville | Population:5 338 | Total Number of Crimes:78 | Crime Score:14,61 |
| Rank:65 | City:Red Springs | Population:3 341 | Total Number of Crimes:52 | Crime Score:15,56 |
| Rank:66 | City:Wadesboro | Population:5 228 | Total Number of Crimes:99 | Crime Score:18,94 |
10,000 – 30,000 Residents
| Rank | City | Population | Total Number of Crimes | Crime Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morrisville | 28796 | 12 | 0,42 |
| 2 | Davidson | 13193 | 8 | 0,61 |
| 3 | Elon | 12214 | 8 | 0,65 |
| 4 | Pinehurst | 16522 | 11 | 0,67 |
| 5 | Stallings | 16173 | 20 | 1,24 |
| 6 | Boone | 19893 | 26 | 1,31 |
| 7 | Kings Mountain | 10965 | 15 | 1,37 |
| 8 | Waxhaw | 17203 | 25 | 1,45 |
| 9 | Clayton | 23842 | 40 | 1,68 |
| 10 | Mint Hill | 27776 | 59 | 2,12 |
| 11 | Knightdale | 18351 | 42 | 2,29 |
| 12 | Havelock | 20128 | 52 | 2,58 |
| 13 | Kernersville | 24980 | 65 | 2,60 |
| 14 | Mebane | 16203 | 45 | 2,78 |
| 15 | Southern Pines | 14524 | 46 | 3,17 |
| 16 | Newton | 13153 | 46 | 3,50 |
| 17 | Hendersonville | 14234 | 61 | 4,29 |
| 18 | Lenoir | 17904 | 78 | 4,36 |
| 19 | Morganton | 16524 | 82 | 4,96 |
| 20 | Elizabeth City | 17424 | 89 | 5,11 |
| 21 | Smithfield | 12882 | 71 | 5,51 |
| 22 | Eden | 14773 | 88 | 5,96 |
| 23 | Waynesville | 10146 | 62 | 6,11 |
| 24 | Lexington | 18917 | 121 | 6,40 |
| 25 | Hope Mills | 15878 | 111 | 6,99 |
| 26 | Reidsville | 13959 | 105 | 7,52 |
| 27 | Roanoke Rapids | 14354 | 128 | 8,92 |
| 28 | Albemarle | 16134 | 146 | 9,05 |
| 29 | Laurinburg | 14928 | 160 | 10,72 |
| 30 | Henderson | 14883 | 242 | 16,26 |
Over 30,000 Residents
| Rank: | City: | Population: | Total Number of Crimes: | Crime Score: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | City:Wake Forest | Population:46 145 | Total Number of Crimes:24 | Crime Score:0,52 |
| Rank:2 | City:Holly Springs | Population:38 577 | Total Number of Crimes:25 | Crime Score:0,65 |
| Rank:3 | City:Cary | Population:172 525 | Total Number of Crimes:114 | Crime Score:0,66 |
| Rank:4 | City:Fuquay-Varina | Population:30 977 | Total Number of Crimes:26 | Crime Score:0,84 |
| Rank:5 | City:Apex | Population:56 276 | Total Number of Crimes:53 | Crime Score:0,94 |
| Rank:6 | City:Chapel Hill | Population:61 457 | Total Number of Crimes:58 | Crime Score:0,94 |
| Rank:7 | City:Concord | Population:96 138 | Total Number of Crimes:117 | Crime Score:1,22 |
| Rank:8 | City:Huntersville | Population:58 512 | Total Number of Crimes:79 | Crime Score:1,35 |
| Rank:9 | City:Mooresville | Population:38 967 | Total Number of Crimes:65 | Crime Score:1,67 |
| Rank:10 | City:Matthews | Population:33 372 | Total Number of Crimes:58 | Crime Score:1,74 |
| Rank:11 | City:Garner | Population:31 137 | Total Number of Crimes:79 | Crime Score:2,54 |
| Rank:12 | City:Raleigh | Population:477 828 | Total Number of Crimes:1 222 | Crime Score:2,56 |
| Rank:13 | City:Kannapolis | Population:50 725 | Total Number of Crimes:132 | Crime Score:2,60 |
| Rank:14 | City:Hickory | Population:41 040 | Total Number of Crimes:165 | Crime Score:4,02 |
| Rank:15 | City:New Bern | Population:30 187 | Total Number of Crimes:125 | Crime Score:4,14 |
| Rank:16 | City:Wilson | Population:49 344 | Total Number of Crimes:220 | Crime Score:4,46 |
| Rank:17 | City:Greenville | Population:94 193 | Total Number of Crimes:437 | Crime Score:4,64 |
| Rank:18 | City:Wilmington | Population:124 750 | Total Number of Crimes:759 | Crime Score:6,08 |
| Rank:19 | City:Durham | Population:280 282 | Total Number of Crimes:2 046 | Crime Score:7,30 |
| Rank:20 | City:High Point | Population:113 307 | Total Number of Crimes:828 | Crime Score:7,31 |
| Rank:21 | City:Salisbury | Population:33 877 | Total Number of Crimes:249 | Crime Score:7,35 |
| Rank:22 | City:Charlotte-Mecklenburg | Population:944 260 | Total Number of Crimes:6 982 | Crime Score:7,39 |
| Rank:23 | City:Asheville | Population:93 641 | Total Number of Crimes:695 | Crime Score:7,42 |
| Rank:24 | City:Goldsboro | Population:34 085 | Total Number of Crimes:267 | Crime Score:7,83 |
| Rank:25 | City:Rocky Mount | Population:53 827 | Total Number of Crimes:424 | Crime Score:7,88 |
| Rank:26 | City:Greensboro | Population:298 025 | Total Number of Crimes:2 440 | Crime Score:8,19 |
| Rank:27 | City:Burlington | Population:54 108 | Total Number of Crimes:460 | Crime Score:8,50 |
| Rank:28 | City:Fayetteville | Population:209 614 | Total Number of Crimes:1 835 | Crime Score:8,75 |
| Rank:29 | City:Monroe | Population:35 630 | Total Number of Crimes:332 | Crime Score:9,32 |
How safe do you feel?
Is your city safe enough? Are you worried because of the crime rate in your town? Do you have any thoughts on safety levels in the country?
If you want to share anything, feel free to leave a comment. That way, you can help us understand your perspective better.
Thank you!
Archives
- Safest Places to Live in North Carolina 2020
- Safest Places to Live in North Carolina 2019
- Safest Places to Live in North Carolina 2018
- Safest Places to Live in North Carolina 2017
- Safest Places to Live in North Carolina 2016
Sources:
