Are you reading this article on a slow Monday morning, wondering how you will make it through another long work week? Well, you should take a look at these cities in North Carolina for retirement.
Retirement is a time in life when you can pursue your hobbies in greater depth. For example, you open a small bike shop in Boone as a hobby, or you can bike on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
North Carolina has the best of everything. Great weather, access to beaches and mountains, affordability, and great community involvement. But where in North Carolina is the best to retire?
We crunched the numbers to determine the places that offer retirees safety, affordability, and things to do. It’s the kind of criteria you can count on — this is the tenth time we’ve ranked the best places to retire in the Tarheel State. And many of these places appear on our other lists of best places for families and safest cities in North Carolina.
So grab a biscuit and a good cup of coffee, and read on.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In North Carolina For 2024
What is the best place to retire in North Carolina? The best place to retire in North Carolina is Newton.
Newton is a small town sandwiched between Charlotte, Statesville, and Black Mountain in North Carolina that is perfect for any retiree. You can spend weekends swimming Lake Norman or camping in the mountains.
North Carolina is a state that constantly comes up on lists of great places to live in the U.S., so why not move here for retirement?
Why did Newton take the top spot? And where are Raleigh and Greensboro?
For more North Carolina state reading:
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
- Best Places To Raise A Family In North Carolina
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In North Carolina For 2024
/10
Population: 13,173
Median Income: $57,918
Median Home Price: $237,137
Median Rent: $923
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Newton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 11,527
Median Income: $37,000
Median Home Price: $283,417
Median Rent: $618
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Smithfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 21,712
Median Income: $46,176
Median Home Price: $181,135
Median Rent: $844
Distance to Closest Airport: 34 miles
More on Shelby: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 11,246
Median Income: $45,301
Median Home Price: $218,463
Median Rent: $847
Distance to Closest Airport: 23 miles
More on Kings Mountain: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 18,301
Median Income: $44,802
Median Home Price: $187,671
Median Rent: $656
Distance to Closest Airport: 57 miles
More on Lenoir: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 19,704
Median Income: $35,653
Median Home Price: $129,381
Median Rent: $800
Distance to Closest Airport: 71 miles
More on Kinston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,349
Median Income: $43,607
Median Home Price: $135,635
Median Rent: $741
Distance to Closest Airport: 68 miles
More on Eden: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 16,444
Median Income: $51,673
Median Home Price: $230,975
Median Rent: $863
Distance to Closest Airport: 43 miles
More on Albemarle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 17,457
Median Income: $47,715
Median Home Price: $233,341
Median Rent: $793
Distance to Closest Airport: 55 miles
More on Morganton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 19,595
Median Income: $36,868
Median Home Price: $243,908
Median Rent: $827
Distance to Closest Airport: 55 miles
More on Lexington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Tar Heel State for 2024
To create our ranking of the best places in North Carolina to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Tar Heel State — 736 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 78 places from across the state.
For these 78, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 78, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Newton, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2024. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in North Carolina.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In North Carolina Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in North Carolina goes to Newton.
The best places to retire in North Carolina are Newton, Smithfield, Shelby, Kings Mountain, Lenoir, Kinston, Eden, Albemarle, Morganton, and Lexington.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Hope Mills
- Havelock
- Spring Lake
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In North Carolina
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newton | 13,173 | $57,918 | $237,137 | $923 |
| 2 | Smithfield | 11,527 | $37,000 | $283,417 | $618 |
| 3 | Shelby | 21,712 | $46,176 | $181,135 | $844 |
| 4 | Kings Mountain | 11,246 | $45,301 | $218,463 | $847 |
| 5 | Lenoir | 18,301 | $44,802 | $187,671 | $656 |
| 6 | Kinston | 19,704 | $35,653 | $129,381 | $800 |
| 7 | Eden | 15,349 | $43,607 | $135,635 | $741 |
| 8 | Albemarle | 16,444 | $51,673 | $230,975 | $863 |
| 9 | Morganton | 17,457 | $47,715 | $233,341 | $793 |
| 10 | Lexington | 19,595 | $36,868 | $243,908 | $827 |
