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When it comes to rankings, North Carolina cities frequently receive accolades for their health, safety, desirability and — believe it or not — traffic.

But which city is the best to live in?

Niche put together a list of the best places to live in North Carolina. Here’s which cities came out on top.

Eight cities in the Tar Heel State were included in Niche’s best cities to live in the U.S. ranking, with three cracking the top 50: Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte, respectively.

Here are the best cities to live in North Carolina, along with each city’s national rank:

The Niche ranking comes just weeks after WalletHub, a personal finance website, said Raleigh is the happiest city in North Carolina, coming in at No. 22 on their list of happiest cities in the nation, followed by Durham and Charlotte, ranked at No. 29 and No. 52, respectively.

Of the 182 total cities ranked, Winston-Salem came in at No. 110, Greensboro at No. 116 and Fayetteville at No. 150.

Recent rankings also show that the state’s capital is a prime destination for retirees. The U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Places to Retire ranking recently named Raleigh the sixth-best city to retire, The Charlotte Observer reported.

A recent study from personal finance website SmartAsset found that a North Carolina household needed to earn $47,198 to $141,608 to be considered middle class in 2023, the Observer reported — but for a few cities in North Carolina, those numbers are higher.

▪ To be considered middle class in Raleigh in 2023, households needed to earn $57,534 to $172,618, putting it at No. 1 in the state in terms of highest middle-class income range.

▪ Charlotte ranked second on the list of N.C. cities, with a 2023 middle-class income range of $53,715 to $161,162.

▪ Durham came in at No. 3, with an income range of $53,371 to $160,128.

However, the middle-class income range in a couple of cities was lower than the state average in 2023. Households in Greensboro needed to earn $41,161 to $123,494 to be considered middle class in 2023, for example, and those in Winston-Salem needed to earn $39,455 to $118,378.

Here are the 10 best cities to live in America, according to Niche’s report:

To determine the rankings, Niche analysts use a combination of their own surveys, public data from the U.S. Census, and insights from previous rankings. To identify the best places to live, they evaluate 15 key metrics:

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Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Opinion

By Paige Masten

College presidents across the country are standing up to Donald Trump’s bullying, with hundreds signing onto a statement raising concern about “unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.”

Among the signatories are the presidents of two North Carolina schools: Duke University and Davidson College. Notably missing, however, are leaders from the UNC System and its constituent institutions. Leaders from other public institutions, including the University of Virginia and UCLA, did sign onto the statement.

It’s good to see some university leaders taking a stand as Trump attempts to assert control over higher education and threatens academic freedom. Students at some N.C. schools have already seen their visas revoked by the Trump administration without explanation. Publicly resisting these attacks — and defending students and faculty — is exactly what leadership ought to look like. Those willing to take a stand have set an example that others must now follow.

So it’s disappointing that the UNC System — the state’s “crown jewel” — has backed away from the fight thus far. Now is not the time for cowardice and capitulation. By remaining silent, they’re playing right into Trump’s hands.

Opinion Contributor,

The Charlotte Observer

704-358-5027

Paige Masten is the deputy opinion editor for The Charlotte Observer. She covers stories that impact people in Charlotte and across the state. A lifelong North Carolinian, she grew up in Raleigh and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2021. Support my work with a digital subscription

Over a dozen Big Lots stores across North Carolina and South Carolina will reopen on May 1.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than 100 Big Lots stores are set to reopen next month, with dozens opening their doors as soon as next week.

Variety Wholesaler, which acquired more than 200 Big Lots stores as part of a deal last December, reopened nine stores in early April in the first wave of store reopenings.

Starting on May 1, the company will reopen 60 stores across several states. The company said on May 15, an additional 73 stores will open. This includes dozens of locations in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Additionally, more stores are expected to open through early June and in the months to follow leading up to a "grand celebration" in the fall, the company said in a press release.

Variety Wholesaler shared that it plans currently to reopen Big Lot stores in North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia, as well as other states.

Click here for a complete list of Big Lots stores reopening nationwide.

TEGNA's Central Content Team contributed to this article.

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On Earth Day, leaders highlight progress toward carbon reduction targets while balancing rapid population growth

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The city of Charlotte marked Earth Day by recommitting to its ambitious sustainability goals, with officials highlighting progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions despite the challenges posed by rapid population growth in the Queen City.

Charlotte's Strategic Energy Action Plan aims to power all city facilities and fleet vehicles with 100% zero-carbon sources by 2030, part of a broader effort to create a more environmentally sustainable community.

"We are taking bold steps to reduce our carbon footprint," said City Councilmember Dimple Ajmera, who chairs the Environment Committee. "We have made tremendous strides, where we have seen our carbon reduction by over 30%, and we are talking about our city's investment."

The sustainability push comes as Charlotte continues to experience substantial growth, with studies showing the Queen City welcomes up to 100 new residents daily.

"It can be difficult to balance it all," Ajmera acknowledged when asked about managing environmental goals alongside rapid development.

Local businesses have become key partners in advancing the city's environmental objectives. Birdsong Brewing Company exemplifies this collaboration, having implemented energy-saving measures including solar panels and a nitrogen generator.

"We've been able to reduce our energy costs by, I think, 40%," said Tara Goulet, co-owner of the brewery.

Birdsong's approach represents a growing awareness among Charlotte businesses about their environmental impact and opportunities for operational improvements that benefit both their bottom line and the planet.

"We use a lot of water. We use a lot of energy to produce our product," Goulet said. "What can we do to be mindful of that and take steps to be more responsible?"

Charlotte's long-term environmental vision extends beyond immediate energy goals to a community-wide objective of becoming a low-carbon city by 2050. Officials emphasize that these efforts are fundamentally about preserving the quality of life for future generations.

"This is about having clean air, having clean water, and healthy soil for generations to come," Ajmera said.

Environmental advocates note that the 30% carbon reduction achieved so far puts Charlotte on track to meet its 2030 goals, though continued commitment will be needed as the city navigates the balance between growth and sustainability.

The city plans to continue public engagement efforts throughout the year, encouraging residents and businesses to participate in sustainability initiatives from energy conservation to waste reduction.

Contact Myles Harris at [email protected] and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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In North Carolina, Lake Norman was ground zero for the invasive Alabama bass — a growing problem that threatens the state's native bass and ecosystems that depend on them.

“The problem really began a little over 20 years ago,” said Lawrence Dorsey, regional fisheries supervisor for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Duke Energy found the fish during a routine survey the utility conducts to comply with its permit for the McGuire Nuclear Station. “This fish moved downstream into Mountain Island and ultimately into Lake Wylie.”

Alabama bass have since spread across the entire state. Officials hope to measure and control the spread but acknowledge it's an uphill battle. To reduce the population, state regulators have lifted size and creel limits on Alabama and spotted bass.

Alabama bass is invasive because it outcompetes its smallmouth and largemouth cousins — a lose-lose for anglers and the ecosystem.

“Just from a pure angling perspective, the maximum size of an Alabama bass is never going to be as large as the maximum size for a largemouth bass or even a smallmouth bass,” Dorsey said.

The interlopers are smaller than North Carolina's native species and may not perform the same ecological functions that support other aquatic animals, such as freshwater mussels.

“We have a lot of freshwater mussel populations in those rivers and streams that rely on specific fish hosts,” Dorsey said. "Similar to how a flower may rely on a specific species of butterfly to pollinate it, mussels have a preference for different bass species to transport their larvae and continue their lifecycle. Smallmouth bass are native to those rivers and streams, and they perform an ecological function in those streams.”

However, hybridization may endanger that relationship. It occurs when the invasive bass fertilize the native fish’s eggs — a phenomenon that happens more frequently as Alabama bass populations grow. Over time, this hybridization can lead to Alabama bass completely replacing the smallmouth bass.

The bass can travel through free-flowing waters, but Dorsey said people are likely responsible for introducing it to new river basins.

“Some of these are probably folks that have good intentions that have done this,” Dorsey said. “You create long-lasting and, in this case, likely permanent changes to the fisheries.”

It may be too late to put Pandora back in the box, but Dorsey said he hopes the Alabama bass will serve as a cautionary tale for other anglers looking to take matters into their own hands. It’s also illegal to stock fish without a permit.

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