Living in Raleigh

Are you moving to Raleigh, North Carolina? You are going to love living in our state’s capital. Raleigh has received numerous accolades for its outstanding quality of life. In fact, U.S. News & World Report in 2021 ranked Raleigh and Durham collectively as the #2 Best Place to Live.

Raleigh received the prestigious “Leading the Way Award” from ETC Institute in 2021 for being ranked in the top 10% of local governments in the US with regards to resident satisfaction with government services and customer service.

Plus, a poll at Men’s Health ranked Raleigh as the 3rd Happiest City in America.

In this post, we are going to share all you need to know about what it is like to live here. We’ll start out by going over some geography, and then we will discuss cost of living, employment, education, and more.



Triangle of North Carolina

The Triangle of North Carolina

In the heart of North Carolina is the region we call “the Triangle.” Why is it called the Triangle?

The answer is the presence of three prestigious academic institutions. North Carolina State University is located in Raleigh, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, and Duke University is located in Durham. If an imaginary line were drawn from each of these locations to the next, it would form a triangle.

The Lay of the Land in North Carolina

The Lay of the Land

Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, and is located in Wake County. In Wake County there are several cities, townships and unincorporated communities.

There is, of course, Raleigh itself, which is mostly in Wake County, though a small part is in Durham County. There is also Durham, which is mostly in Durham County, with a small part in Wake County. Another community to know is Cary, which is located largely in Wake County, but with a small section in Chatham County.

Additional communities include Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville (mostly in Wake County with a small part in Durham County), Rolesville, Wake Forest (mostly in Wake County with a small part in Franklin County), Wendell, and Zebulon (mostly in Wake County with a small part in Nash County).

Adjacent counties are: Granville County (to the north), Franklin County (to the northeast), Nash County (to the east), Johnston County (to the southeast), Harnett County (to the southwest), Chatham County (to the west), and Durham County (to the northwest).

Cost of Living in Raleigh NC

What is the Cost of Living in Raleigh?

We turn to Sperling’s Best Places for data on cost of living in Raleigh. Sperling’s has an index that places the USA average cost of living at 100. Values above 100 are higher than average costs, and values below 100 are lower than average costs.

On that scale, the site gives Raleigh an overall score of 102.3. That is extremely affordable considering that you are living in the state’s capital city. For most metropolitan areas, you will have to pay steep costs to enjoy what the city has to offer. But that is not so in Raleigh.

Costs that are lower than the national average in Raleigh include utilities, transportation, health and miscellaneous expenses. Grocery costs are close to average.

Housing Cost in Raleigh

What Does Housing Cost in Raleigh?

Housing is the only area with a significant increase over the US average. The median home cost in the USA is $291,700. In Raleigh, it is $346,600. Again, that is quite affordable for a vibrant city like this.

Employment Opportunities in Raleigh

Employment Opportunities in Raleigh

According to WalletHub in 2021, Raleigh is among the best cities for starting a career. That same year, Milken Institute rated the city’s economy as the 5th highest performing nationwide.

The USA median household income in 2019 was $68,703. The Census reports that between 2015 and 2019, the median household income for Raleigh was $67,266. So, that is really close to the national average.

Some of the top employers in Raleigh include the State of North Carolina, WakeMed, North Carolina State University, Wake County Public School System, UNC Rex Healthcare, the City of Raleigh, and Wake County.

Education in Raleigh NC

Raleigh Education

As you might have guessed based on the list of top employers above, education is a big deal in Raleigh and the Triangle.

If you have younger children, they will likely attend the aforementioned Wake County Public School System. A number of magnet schools, alternative high schools, and early college high schools are available as well. There are also a variety of charter schools and private schools. So, there are considerable options.

For higher education, students in this area may attend North Carolina State University, Wake Technical Community College, Meredith College, William Peace University, St. Augustine’s University, Skema Business School, Strayer University, ECPI College of Technology, Duke University, the University of North Carolina, and others.

Crime in Raleigh NC

Crime in Raleigh

On a scale ranking low crime at 1 and high crime at 100, Sperling’s sets the US average violent crime rate at 22.7. Violent crime in Raleigh is lower than average on that scale at 20.3.

Getting Around Raleigh NC

Getting Around Raleigh

It is easy to get around Raleigh and the Triangle using the system of interstates and US Routes that traverse the area.

If you want to use public transportation, you can take the bus operated by GoRaleigh or the GoTriangle commuter bus.

The city is also a welcoming place for cyclists and pedestrians.

There is more good news in the form of low commute times. Sperling’s says that the US average one-way commute time is 26.4 minutes. But the average time to commute one direction in Raleigh is only 23.4 minutes.

According to Sperling’s, 78.5% of people in Raleigh drive to work alone, and 8.9% carpool. 7.1% work from home, and 2% use public transportation. It is likely work at home figures have increased since the pandemic.

Weather in Raleigh NC

How is the Weather in Raleigh?

Living in Raleigh, you can expect summertime highs of around 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and winter lows dropping to around 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are about 46 average annual inches of rain and about 4 inches of annual snow. So, four distinct seasons await you.

The site has a comfort index where the most comfortable locations score a 10. The US average is 7. Raleigh’s score is 7.5, so it is a more comfortable climate than the US average.

Leisure and Entertainment in Raleigh NC

Leisure and Entertainment in Raleigh

Even though Raleigh is not a major tourism hotspot, it easily could be. There is so much to see and do, no matter what you are interested in.

If you are into museums, just a few to check out include the African American Cultural Complex, the Contemporary , and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Love sports? Some local teams to follow include the Carolina Hurricanes, North Carolina FC, North Carolina Courage, and Carolina Mudcats.

If the outdoors are more your thing, there are more than 8,100 acres of park land in Raleigh alone, and even more beyond.

You also can enjoy delicious local eateries, boutique shops, and nightlife.

Move Into Your Raleigh Dream Home

Can’t wait to call the highly rated city of Raleigh or the surrounding region your home? The Martini Mortgage Group is waiting to welcome you and help you find a suitable home loan. To begin, please call at (919) 238-4934 to schedule your consultation. We work with homebuyers and homeowners throughout North Carolina as well as the states of South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia.

See What Our Clients Are Saying About Us

Carolyn M
Carolyn M
15:29 07 Jun 23
Kara Bennett
Kara Bennett
15:56 05 Jun 23
Kevin Martini has been extremely helpful with any questions we have regarding our home and insurance/loan. We are first time home buyers and working with them has been a breeze! Logan Martini was also an exceptional partner to have going through the loan application and approval process.
Brendan Derr
Brendan Derr
19:34 01 Jun 23
Maggie Strickland
Maggie Strickland
11:03 18 May 23
The Martini Mortgage Group is hands down the best group to work with when you are thinking of buying a home. Logan, Keith, and Kevin were so great to work with! As first time homebuyers, we knew very little about the process but their team was always quick to respond to all 100+ questions we had and help us through the transaction. We are so thankful we chose to work with the Martini Group and will continue to use them in the future as well! They are all very knowledgeable in this industry and always willing to hop on a phone call to talk through any questions we had. We are lucky to have worked with them and so thankful to have such an amazing team to help us buy our first home!
Michael Druga
Michael Druga
18:58 17 May 23
Super easy to work with and a nice automated process. Our actual closing took less than 30 minutes after all the work was done ahead of time digitally. Very seamless.
Ellen Frost
Ellen Frost
17:19 17 May 23
Kevin was extremely helpful every step of the way during our home buying process. He made sure we understood all the information coming to us, and found us the best options on how to finance our home. He was attentive and his staff was always friendly and available. I could not recommend them more!
Elise Krankoski
Elise Krankoski
20:17 12 May 23
Logan & team were extremely helpful while purchasing our first home. He was always quick to respond to our 1 million questions & got us the best deal he could in these crazy times. I would 100% use him again for our next home!
Peter Roley
Peter Roley
22:25 05 May 23
Candace Depp
Candace Depp
18:31 30 Apr 23
Followed a recommendation from our realtor and she did not steer us wrong! Kevin and team made the lending process easy and stayed in great communication throughout. We definitely plan to utilize their services again for future purchases.
Logan Martini is the epitome of a superb mortgage professional. Knowledgeable, flexible, totally accessible 24/7, a creative problem solver. Also just a top notch human being: ethical, hardworking, empathetic, kind, charming, efficient, understanding, caring. I have bought many homes but never had such a smooth, seamless, & pleasant experience. Everyone at Martini Mortgage was exceptional to deal with. Logan Martini is my mortgage professional for life. I was treated like family. He is at the top of his game. Proud to know him and recommend him to anyone in the Triangle.
Betty Nguyen
Betty Nguyen
23:41 17 Apr 23
HIGHLY RECOMMEND Kevin and his team! Super communicative, reliable, and professional from start to finish. No hiccups whatsoever, such a smooth process! Will use them again for our second home in North Carolina. Wish everything in my life was this easy, too.
OWAIS PATEL
OWAIS PATEL
11:40 13 Apr 23
I have known Kevin for over 17 yrs and have recommended his service to several friends!! He has always been my go to ‘mortgage guy’. His enthusiasm and personality.. oh and service are exceptionally top notch!!
Kathie Martin
Kathie Martin
23:54 12 Apr 23
Kevin and his team were great to deal with. They made the process of buying a home for the first time easy and smooth. Thank you!
Haley Bidgood
Haley Bidgood
16:02 31 Mar 23
Using Martini Mortgage group was an incredible experience for me during the process of buying my first home. They worked hard for me and took away the stress of buying a home. Their knowledge of the market was clear from the beginning as well as their attention to detail. I was always informed on what was going on, they were quick to respond to anything I needed and answering questions in detail so there was no confusion. I also appreciate the resources that Martini Mortgage Group made available to me even after closing on my home so that I may stay knowledgeable of the market and the value of my home. I highly recommend working with these wonderful and hardworking people!
Diana Jassmann
Diana Jassmann
17:48 24 Mar 23
I highly recommend the Martini Mortgage group! They are extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer every question I had about buying my first house! I called them several times throughout the process with questions and they were always very quick to answer and willing to help. Kevin, Logan, Katie, and Keith all treat you like family throughout the entire process. I recommend talking to them even if you are just starting to consider buying a house! They will walk you though everything!
Pete Maierhofer
Pete Maierhofer
16:33 22 Mar 23
The Martini mortgage group was fantastic throughout our entire home buying process. Their knowledge of the industry helped answer all of the questions we had going into the process and as a first time home buyers allowed us to feel comfortable during each stage of the home buying experience. Katie and Logan were available at all times to take care of anything we needed. We were blessed to be able to work with their great team!My wife and I highly recommend the Martini mortgage group.
Mallory Fredericks
Mallory Fredericks
21:46 06 Mar 23
This was our second time working with Logan and he continues to be the best of the best. We truly do not have one bad thing to say about our experience and only wish more people would work with Logan and his team! He treats you like family and makes the process effortless. If I could give 10 gold stars I would!!
Bobby Gaskins
Bobby Gaskins
16:19 01 Feb 23
Martini Mortgage did a great job for us. We are very satisfied.
Ross Hertzler
Ross Hertzler
18:32 01 Dec 22
Treats their clients like their own family!
Michael Seyller
Michael Seyller
04:12 07 Nov 22
Every need, concern, question was given serious, professional attention. I was well informed about mortgage loan processes, about current and future plans of additional homeownership. All Martini's staff were friendly, jovial and most helpful. Thanks to Kevin and all staff.
Heather Lewis
Heather Lewis
20:09 03 Nov 22
I cannot speak highly enough of Martini Mortgage Group. Everyone we dealt with were extremely knowledgeable and very professional and personable. As first time homebuyers, we had absolutely no idea how any if the process worked. Logan, and his team made everything almost effortless. I recommend them to anyone and everyone. You can’t go wrong with such an A+ team on your side!
Josh Wells
Josh Wells
19:37 01 Nov 22
Super knowledgeable and very helpful during the entire mortgage process. Was able to quickly get answers (via email, text, and phone) and definitely put my mind at ease. Highly recommend working with the team!
Brianna Gold
Brianna Gold
20:10 30 Oct 22
Kevin and his team are the best! They are always willing to answer any questions you might have and quick to respond. Will be recommending them to everyone!
Valerie Dilley
Valerie Dilley
17:16 14 Sep 22
My husband and I highly recommend the Martini Mortgage Group at Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group. We found them to be very knowledgeable, experienced and trustworthy; pleasant and easy to work with. We greatly appreciate how well they handled our escrow in an efficient timely manner, while sharing their professional expertise, so we could make decisions that were in our best interests. You would do well to choose them as your lender.
Stephanie Ehrets
Stephanie Ehrets
20:10 12 Jun 22
Martini Mortgage Group has been nothing but the absolute best to work with! Katie and Keith helped make every step of the mortgage process a breeze. Being first-time home buyers and having little to no knowledge of anything that goes into getting a mortgage, the Martini Mortgage Group has made the process smooth & simple while instilling confidence in us every step of the way. Their mobile app is extremely user-friendly and communication was flawless, whether via the app, email, or phone calls. While we expected stress buying our home during the pandemic and housing crisis, we can honestly say we felt comfortable at every turn because of THIS team. We could not recommend MMG enough, and truly thank each and every team member for making our home buying experience fun, easy, and as stress-free as possible!!
Casie and Alex Gray
Casie and Alex Gray
00:34 03 May 22
Kevin and his team (Logan and Keith) helped us every step of the way and it was like having your uncle and cousins help you. They were very personable and would call and answer any question we had. We just moved here from Georgia and we're thankful to have such warm, professional friends help us through the stressful process of buying a house. 10/10 ❤️
SOUTH FLORIDA SPEED
SOUTH FLORIDA SPEED
15:04 02 May 22
Amazing job. Helped me so much. Was very professional, friendly, and fast!
Robert Gallo
Robert Gallo
20:54 19 Apr 22
Blane McElreath
Blane McElreath
02:45 17 Apr 22
I was highly impressed with the professionalism that Logan and his team carried throughout my home buying process. Looking back, I am so relieved I was able to find and work with him throughout my purchase. He acknowledged all of my questions/concerns and treated them with importance and timeliness. Ultimately making one of my dreams come true in a skillful fashion.
Nikki Sage
Nikki Sage
14:14 12 Apr 22
As a first time home buyer, I wasn't sure what to expect and the whole team at Martini Mortgage Group was very helpful, friendly, and walked me through the entire process. They were quick to answer all my questions and made it so simply and easy!!
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