It’s one of the most important questions when buying your first home: “Where will I get the most value for my money?”
Even if you know the Raleigh area by heart, you might not realize the hidden factors that make each neighborhood a good—or bad—choice when it comes to life’s biggest financial decision.
That’s why Movoto Real Estate has put together the following ranking. It’s not an opinion; it’s a analysis of factors we think are important to new home buyers: Affordability, convenience, and safety.
We applied the same sort of methodology to this question that we’ve used in nationally-recognized rankings to determine the 10 best Raleigh neighborhoods for new home buyers:
1. Six Forks
2. Five Points
3. Wade (tie)
4. Hillsborough (tie)
5. Northwest Raleigh (tie)
6. Mordecai (tie)
7. Falls Of Neuse
8. North Raleigh (tie)
9. North Central Raleigh (tie)
10. Glenwood
To arrive at this list, we ranked Raleigh’s neighborhoods from one to 18 in the categories of affordability (median household income to median home price ratio), amenities within one mile, and violent crimes per person. These ranks were averages into an overall score, and the lower the score, the better.
The data used came from the U.S. Census’ 2009-2012 American Community Survey, the 2012 FBI Uniform Crime Report, and business listings.
Now that you know how we made this ranking, let’s take a look at the top 10.
1. Six Forks
Rankings Affordability: 10th • Amenities: 8th • Safety: 1st (tie)
It’s not the most affordable spot in Raleigh—in fact, it’s the 10th most affordable—but Six Forks offers the best mix of that criterion with convenient amenities and safety of any neighborhood we looked at.
For the price, you get more than 100 stores, dining options, schools, and more within a one-mile radius, including great Mexican food from the likes of Dos Taquitos and local hangouts like Jubala Village Coffee.
This upscale neighborhood is mostly medium to large single-family homes and apartment complexes and offers a nice mix of suburban-style living and lots of big name shopping.
2. Five Points
Rankings Affordability: 13th • Amenities: 7th • Safety: 1st (tie)
This quiet, family oriented neighborhood situated between Mordecai to the south and North Hills to the north was the 13th most affordable we found.
Similar to Six Forks, it’s conveniently adjacent to plenty of amenities—including Lilly’s Pizza and Hayes Barton Cafe—and shares the major plus of tying for safest in terms of violent crimes.
3. Wade
Rankings Affordability: 16th • Amenities: 5th • Safety: 1st (tie)
Located just a mile from the North Carolina Museum of Art, this quiet residential neighborhood isn’t chock-a-block with businesses, but it is adjacent to the fifth-most amenities within one mile. Places like the Fried Turkey Sandwich Shop, where it’s Thanksgiving all year round.
Like the rest of our first five neighborhoods (in case you’re sensing a trend), Wade tied for first in terms of safety (again classified as violent crimes per resident).
3. Hillsborough
Rankings Affordability: 18th • Amenities: 3rd • Safety: 1st (tie)
Hillsborough may have tied for third overall but also came in third for another important category: amenities. It has the third-most overall at 169, which is the second highest number within one mile for our entire top 10.
This wealth of things to do (and places to eat) probably has to do with the fact that Hillsborough is immediately adjacent to North Carolina State University. This relaxing neighborhood is safe, secure, and offers lovely tree-lined streets to stroll along when you’re not enjoying everything else the area has to offer.
5. Northwest Raleigh
Rankings Affordability: 5th • Amenities: 17th • Safety: 1st (tie)
If you’ve been looking for something more affordable, Northwest Raleigh is for you. In fact, it was the fifth most affordable neighborhood that we found overall.
The only catch: While this neighborhood is affordable and safe (tied for first in terms of the latter), its nearby amenities are slim compared to the others we’ve told you about so far.
It tied for last place with 23 within one mile—that’s not to take away from great places like House of Hops and New World Coffee House.
5. Mordecai
Rankings Affordability: 11th • Amenities: 4th • Safety: 8th
Tied for fifth place, Mordecai is a historic district of Raleigh—in fact, its oldest neighborhood— that includes a lovely park and quaint architecture.
While not among the safest neighborhoods, ranking eighth out of 18 we looked at, it’s by no means dangerous.
In fact, residents should feel at ease walking to the more than 160 amenities, including Tyler’s Restaurant & Taproom, conveniently located within a mile of the neighborhood’s center.
7. Falls Of Neuse
Rankings Affordability: 6th • Amenities: 9th • Safety: 9th
Like the already-mentioned Wade, Falls of Neuse is a primarily residential area of Raleigh that anyone looking for a suburban vibe would appreciate.
Although not exactly the epicenter of activity in Raleigh, it’s nevertheless convenient to at least 95 different amenities within one mile, and, like Mordecai, enjoys a fairly middle-of-the-road violent crime rate.
8. North Raleigh
Rankings Affordability: 4th • Amenities: 15th • Safety: 7th
Convenient to the North Ridge Country Club and North Regional Library, this area of Raleigh is the most affordable in our top 10 based on the ratio of median household income ($75,916) to median home value ($266,251).
While it placed near the bottom of the list in terms of nearby amenities, it still has its share of local attractions, including an outdoor shopping center.
It’s also home to Raleighwood, a unique combination of movie theater and restaurant where you can enjoy a full meal while taking in current flicks on a full-size silver screen.
8. North Central Raleigh
Rankings Affordability: 14th • Amenities: 1st • Safety: 11th
You’d never be left wanting for things to do, places to shop, or new things to eat in North Central, which placed first in our ranking for nearby amenities with a whopping 183 within one mile.
The downside here would be crime; North Central Raleigh had the poorest rating for this category in our top 10, placing 11th overall in terms of violent offenses.
10. Glenwood
Rankings Affordability: 15th • Amenities: 12th • Safety: 1st (tie)
Rounding out our top 10, Glenwood is located near Fred Fletcher Park and Broughton High School and offers quick access to Route 70.
In terms of amenities, it’s conveniently close to nearly 70, including Cameron Village Shopping Center and its regional library.
Home prices here are the highest in our top 10, with the median home value during the period we looked at coming in at nearly $600,000. Still, if you can afford it, this is a quality neighborhood with a very low crime rate to boot.
Making The Right Choice In Raleigh
In putting together this ranking, we spoken with Raleigh area Movoto Certified Agent Aimee Anderson, who offered some insight into the local market.
According to Anderson, the number of available homes in Raleigh is at an all-time low, with many buyers negotiating within hours of homes coming on the market.
“It’s hard to get under $175,000 nice in a good area,” she added. “Northeast Raleigh is the up-and-coming trendy area, and you can still get a good price point there.“
If you’re after new housing, Anderson suggested downtown. “It’s really becoming a good example of what urban living is all about,” she said. “There are tons of new housing projects coming downtown.”
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