Pro #1 – Appreciation Opportunities

For being as far from Raleigh as Pittsboro is, it’s still not the cheapest place to buy a home, but there is no doubt home values will rise even more in the coming years.

Pittsboro is building neighborhoods and shopping centers at a very rapid pace.  There are soon to be many high end neighborhoods as well as master planned communities like Chatham Park with amazing amenities, and these additions are destined to drive up the price of the whole area.  And this will be especially the case once Disney’s new Asteria community is built!

The current average home value is just under $500k according to Redfin, and the price per square foot is just under $240/SF as well.  This puts it right in the middle of Raleigh’s major suburbs, giving it plenty of runway for future appreciation (see our blog on the state of Raleigh suburbs in 2024 for more information).

So purchasing the right property in Pittsboro NC could provide some excellent appreciation opportunities if you’re willing to hold onto the house for 5-10 years. 

Pro #2 – Great Neighborhoods

Moving on to the next pro of living in Pittsboro NC, it’s hard not to notice all of the incredible neighborhoods in Pittsboro.

From established, wooded neighborhoods to brand new construction communities with a master planned concept, Pittsboro NC has it all and is continuing to expand. 

The food, entertainment, and amenities that will be included in these communities are top notch, and will help to create a sense of community.

And for those with a higher end budget, there are quite a few neighborhoods with 1+ acre properties that provide excellent spacing and privacy from your neighbors.

Having great neighborhoods is definitely a major pro of living in Pittsboro NC, especially if you prefer newer homes.

Pro #3 – Historic Downtown

Next up, Pittsboro NC has a historic downtown that has the small town charm you’d expect from a suburb.

While there are some newer establishments making their way into the downtown area, the main street of downtown Pittsboro remains in-tact and has maintained its’ vintage feel. 

You’ll find all local eateries and plenty of local stores to shop in, making it a great place to spend an afternoon and support small business.  

Pro #4 – Local Food & Drink

This brings us right into the next pro of living in Pittsboro NC, is the variety of local restaurants and bars.  

As it stands today, Pittsboro does have most of the major fast food chains represented, but there are really only one of each.  The vast majority of Pittsboro’s restaurants are locally owned and operated small businesses, many of which have been in business for years.

So there are numerous places around town to try, such as Al’s Diner and S&T’s Soda Shoppe, that each provide a unique menu and atmosphere.

The Plant is also a really cool collection of local eateries, breweries, and shops that essentially operates like an outdoor food court, and offers a great atmosphere as well.

Pro #5 – Outdoor Offerings

The last pro that I’ll highlight of living in Pittsboro NC is the vast number of outdoor activities nearby.  

If you enjoy hiking or jogging through trails in the woods, Pittsboro is for you.  There are several parks around with both paved and unpaved trails through the woods, and the Haw River trails provide beautiful scenery to enjoy.

The Haw River itself has multiple canoe launches as well, but do beware the Haw River is a little more challenging to traverse than your typical river. 

Jordan Lake is also nearby, a massive lake that has multiple beaches to enjoy on a sunny afternoon, as well as plenty of space for boating.

Alright, those are some pros of living in Pittsboro NC, but let’s take a look at some of the cons as well.

Con #1 – Small Town Entertainment

First up, Pittsboro is a small town, and despite the rapid development, it will remain a small town for quite some time.  

Pittsboro has a slower pace overall to its’ general way of living, and its’ entertainment is really limited to the previously mentioned restaurants, breweries, and outdoor offerings.

Now, the master planned developments are adding more restaurants and even some event spaces that will no doubt provide more to do, but, plan to travel into at least Cary and Apex, if not Raleigh, for major entertainment options. 

Con #2 – Location

This leads us right into the next con, which is its’ location in proximity to Raleigh.

Roughly 45 minutes west of Raleigh, getting into other main areas of the Triangle from Pittsboro will feel like a long drive, especially during rush hour.  

This may be a pro for some people who enjoy the slower pace of life and living on the outskirts of town, but because its’ on the west side of Jordan Lake, you have to get on the other side of the lake to start getting back into major development.  

It’s also a 35-40 minute drive without traffic to RTP, so if you do have to commute for work, think carefully about your travel time.

Con #3 – Loss of Trees

Moving on, the significant development in the area has led to a significant number of trees being cut down.

Most neighborhoods and develops are going to essentially be clear cut, and are going to take some time for plantings to grow in.  This may be a pro for some people who don’t want the mess of trees in their yard, but don’t count on getting the shade and privacy from them either.

Now I will caveat this by saying the luxury neighborhoods actually have done a really great job of keeping trees in and around their communities, but not everyone is able to purchase homes $1M+ homes.  And Disney’s Asteria community is planned to celebrate nature and expected to keep many of its’ trees as well.

Con #4 – Lack of Playgrounds

Next up, with the projected population increase over the next 5-10 years, Pittsboro could really use more playgrounds.

The Knights Farm Community Park in Chatham Park is very nice, but not overly large, and outside of a few smaller parks, there really isn’t a large, marquee park for kids to play.

I do believe newer communities will continue to build parks, but it would definitely benefit the town to add more themselves for general public access.

Con #5 – Water Quality Concerns

Alright, the last con of living in Pittsboro NC is also the most concerning, and that involves contaminated drinking water. 

The Town of Pittsboro gets its’ drinking water from the Haw River, which for years has been subjected to upstream manufacturing companies dumping pollutants such as PFAS and 1,4-Dioxane, which are relatively known carcinogens.  For years, irregular spikes of these chemicals in the Haw River have overwhelmed the Town’s filtration systems, contaminating the Town’s drinking water.  

This is obviously a problem, but it is one that the Town is aggressively working to resolve.  First off, the town spent millions on a state-of-the-art filtration system, which has already drastically improved their ability to keep the spikes of these chemicals within safe limits and has worked incredibly well thus far.  Beyond significant spikes, Pittsboro has actually reported having some of the best drinking water in the whole state.

But the Town is going after the source, as they have worked with upstream Greensboro and Burlington to identify sources of the contaminants, and have entered into litigation with these companies to get them to stop the pollution as well as pay for additional water treatment upgrades.  This has already paid dividends, as contaminant levels in the Haw River have reportedly been down as of late.  

Despite these significant strides, the fight to achieve clean water 100% of the time is still on-going, but a solution feels imminent. 

Due to fear of the past reputation, many still do not drink straight from the tap.  Many drink bottled water or have individual water filtration systems installed at their house.  

So, you absolutely can have safe drinking water in Pittsboro, it just may take extra steps to get there than most areas, and with the Town’s aggressive approach, this will hopefully soon be a problem of the past.

For those wondering, the Town of Pittsboro is the only town in the general Triangle area that gets its’ water from the Haw River.  The majority of the area get their water supply’s from either Falls Lake or Jordan Lake, which do not experience these type of contamination problems.

I hope this blog helped you learn more about what it’s like living in Pittsboro NC, and up and coming town just outside Raleigh.  

Check out our other blog on the best neighborhoods of Pittsboro NC (coming soon), and our blog explaining the suburbs of Raleigh NC as well. 

If you need any real estate assistance in Pittsboro, or the greater Raleigh area in general, please don’t hesitate to reach out as our team 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