Where are the best places to live in North Carolina? See if your town made Niche’s list

A new list from Niche ranks the best places to live in North Carolina. Western NC was slighted, but the Triangle is well-represented. Check it out.

Western North Carolina didn’t rank well on Niche’s list of best places to live in North Carolina. In fact, the first WNC location to make the list wasn’t even in the top 50.

Niche, a website popular for its college rankings, also ranks K-12 schools, graduate schools and places to live. When ranking livability, Niche assesses “several key factors,” including quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics and access to amenities.

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On Niche’s list of 509 “best places to live in North Carolina,” Boiling Springs in Cleveland County was the first Western N.C. location to make the list, placing at No. 69. Here’s how other cities ranked, plus the top 10 best places to live in the Tar Heel State and the U.S.

Where are the best places to live in North Carolina?

Niche’s full top 10 list of best places to live in North Carolina included:

1. Cary (suburb of Raleigh)
2. Morrisville (suburb of Raleigh)
3. Apex (suburb of Raleigh)
4. Davidson (suburb of Charlotte)
5. Dilworth (suburb of Charlotte)
6. Fourth Ward (suburb of Charlotte)
7. Rolesville (suburb of Raleigh)
8. Provincetowne (suburb of Charlotte)
9. Cherry (suburb of Charlotte)
10. Chapel Hill

Is Asheville, NC a good place to live?

Asheville was ranked No. 157 of 509 NC cities with an overall A- grade. Its individual grades in Niche categories included:

• Public schools: A-
• Crime and safety: C-
• Housing: C
• Nightlife: A
• Good for families: B+
• Diversity: A-

“Living in Asheville offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes,” the website said of Asheville. “In Asheville, there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Asheville and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Asheville are highly rated.”

Best places to live in the U.S.

1. Colonial Village (neighborhood in Virginia)
2. Atlantic Station (neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia)
3. Chesterbrook (suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
4. Harbour Island (neighborhood in Tampa, Florida)
5. City Center (neighborhood in Santa Monica, California)
6. South Lake Union (neighborhood in Seattle, Washington)
7. Carmel (town in Indiana)
8. Midtown (neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia)
9. Madison (suburb of Huntsville, Alabama)
10. Johns Creek (suburb of Atlanta, Georgia)

Reporting by Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times / Asheville Citizen Times

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect