Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Raleigh, NC

    Is Raleigh a good place to live?

    Watch Raleigh

    Raleigh ranks #25 of 43 North Carolina cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (46/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 1.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $377,800
    +8.9% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,468
    per month
    Household income
    $82,424
    median
    Unemployment
    4.5%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Raleigh

    The median home value in Raleigh is $377,800 and median rent is $1,468 a month, against a median household income of $82,424. Homes cost about 4.6× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Raleigh crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across North Carolina the 2025 rate was 331 violent and 1,811 property crimes per 100,000 people — #15 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Raleigh, NC

    Raleigh has about 470,763 residents, 4.5% unemployment and 33% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Raleigh with

    Raleigh vs CharlotteRaleigh vs GreensboroRaleigh vs DurhamRaleigh vs Winston-SalemRaleigh vs FayettevilleRaleigh vs CaryRaleigh vs WilmingtonRaleigh vs High Point

    More: Where to move in North Carolina · Best counties in North Carolina

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report