Here we go.  We’ll start with Morrisville and work our way around counter-clockwise. 

Morrisville NC

Morrisville NC is a small town located just northwest of Raleigh, and right above Cary.  Residents love Morrisville for its’ location, as it’s very convenient to not only the Research Triangle Park, Downtown Raleigh and Downtown Durham, but you can also quickly take advantage of Cary’s offerings as well.  

Morrisville is a little pricy though, and the neighborhoods will typically not provide very large yards.

Cary NC

Cary NC is next, the largest and most popular suburb of Raleigh.  Cary’s home prices are THE most expensive of Raleigh’s suburbs as it combines great neighborhoods with great locations.  Many of Cary’s homes are on the older side, but there are newer options on the northern and western edges of town.

Like Morrisville, Cary is located probably the BEST location in the whole triangle area.  It also has arguably the best park system in the area, has a really great downtown area, and some of the best schools around.

Apex NC 

Apex NC is just south of Cary, and was formerly named the best place in America to live.  Also in an incredible location with an amazing park system, Apex is a very popular place to live.  It has a charming, historic downtown, and has a great mixture of both established and new construction neighborhoods.  

Like Cary though, Apex is expensive, as the demand to live in Apex is pretty high.

Holly Springs NC

South of Apex is Holly Springs NC, which has greatly risen in popularity over the past 10 years and is poised to be the next Apex and Cary.  It’s not quite as expensive as Cary and Apex, and has a healthy mix of established and new construction.  

The theme of Holly Springs is it has many newly built parks and shopping centers, as well as its’ downtown, so it has a new vs historic feel.  But be careful of buying near the landfill, as you will smell it downwind, as well as the rush hour traffic.  

Fuquay-Varina NC

Even further south is Fuquay-Varina NC, which is a historic town with a great atmosphere, and even better breweries.  There are neighborhoods popping up left and right in Fuquay as it’s growing rapidly, and given its location being further away from Raleigh, you will get great value in Fuquay.  

Garner NC

Immediately south of Raleigh is Garner NC, which despite its’ incredible location, has failed to gain as much popularity as many other suburbs.  But, that has allowed it’s price per square foot to remain low relative to the area.  

Garner is starting to expand now with new neighborhoods, but relies mostly on Raleigh for shopping and entertainment, as there isn’t much outside of the massive White Oak shopping center along Hwy 70.  

Clayton NC

Southeast of Raleigh is Clayton NC, another up and coming suburb.  Clayton is currently known to provide great value in the housing market, and provides more opportunity to find a home with more land.  It also has incredible schools leading many families to move here. 

Clayton does have a decent commute to Raleigh and especially RTP during rush hour, but it is just 2 hours from the beach.  There are enough small town restaurant and entertainment options to get by for now, but there is a significant amount of development going on that will change its’ offerings over the next 5-7 years.

Knightdale NC

On the east side of Raleigh is Knightdale NC, which like Garner, has not gained the popularity as other suburbs.  Knightdale is very affordable in comparison to the area, and has recently added some new construction communities, parks, and some great restaurants and breweries.  As other suburbs continue to increase in price, Knightdale will be another suburb to keep an eye on.

Wendell NC

Wendell is on the eastern side of Knightdale, and is another smaller town that is rapidly increasing for its’ size.  It has a small, historic feeling downtown with some local restaurants and bars, and like Knightdale, is also relatively affordable.  And the Wendell Park neighborhood has incredible amenities and has become very popular.  

It has very few entertainment options outside its’ downtown, but it’s still just a short drive into Raleigh to enjoy its’ offerings.  

Zebulon NC

Zebulon NC is even further east, and is equally more affordable with an even smaller, rural town feel than Wendell.

Rolesville NC

Rolesville NC is northeast of Raleigh, and is another small town that is just starting to grow and develop.  Being next to Wake Forest has caused its’ home prices to be higher than you would initially think given its’ small size, but it also offers a more rural feel overall.  For entertainment, plan to spend much of your time in Wake Forest.

Wake Forest NC

And lastly, Wake Forest NC is just north of Raleigh and has some of best combinations of price and neighborhood offerings in the whole area.  There are quite the variety to choose from, with many of the higher end homes having larger lots with plenty of trees.  

Wake Forest itself has a beautiful, historic downtown, a really great park system, and is developing quickly.  But, it’s commute into downtown Raleigh can take a while if travel during rush hour.

That’s a quick breakdown of Raleigh NC suburbs.  Check out our more detailed blogs to learn more about each area, such as the best suburbs of Raleigh NC or the pros and cons of Cary NC.

If you need any real estate assistance, reach out via the contact information below as we would love to help you!

Please reach out via our contact information below:

Phone:  919-504-5265

Email:  alison@thewgroupraleigh.com

Website:  www.thewgroupraleigh.com