Raleigh

Most affordable Raleigh suburbs

Ranked on what a household actually pays: the in-house cost-of-living index at 55%, the median home value against the metro at 25% (lower is better here), and the share of households already stretched by housing costs at 20%.

Updated Sep 2026·14 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
Fuquay-Varina Town Hall located at 401 Judd Parkway, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.
Fuquay-Varina$452k median · 33.1 min commute
Cost of living B+Housing CEmployment C+
68
Affordability
overall 64 C+
2
A photo of downtown Wendell, North Carolina, taken from the corner of West Campen St. and North Main St. on March 24, 2023.
Wendell$331k median · 29.0 min commute
Cost of living BHousing D+Employment B−
67
Affordability
overall 59 C
3
Southwest corner of Third and Market Streets in Smithfield, North Carolina; camera is looking generally northward, obliquely across Third. From left to right ar
Smithfield$243k median · 24.1 min commute
Cost of living A−Housing FEmployment F
66
Affordability
overall 48 D+
4
This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America. Its reference number is 7700
Durham$393k median · 22.3 min commute
Cost of living B+Housing DEmployment C
65
Affordability
overall 62 C
5
Row of buildings down White Street in Downtown Wake Forest, North Carolina, USA.
Wake Forest$475k median · 30.9 min commute
Cost of living B−Housing CEmployment B−
65
Affordability
overall 66 C+
6
Historic downtown Knightdale
Knightdale$380k median · 24.0 min commute
Cost of living BHousing D+Employment B−
64
Affordability
overall 65 C+
7
Morrisville, North Carolina.
Morrisville$519k median · 21.8 min commute
Cost of living B−Housing CEmployment B+
64
Affordability
overall 71 B−
8
Garner, NC Water Tower and Historic distric. Oct 2013
Garner$355k median · 26.2 min commute
Cost of living BHousing DEmployment D
64
Affordability
overall 61 C
9
East Main Street in Clayton, facing northwest from the intersection with Barbour Street
Clayton$330k median · 31.1 min commute
Cost of living BHousing DEmployment C+
61
Affordability
overall 56 C−
10
Cary, NC Town Hall
Cary$580k median · 22.5 min commute
Cost of living B−Housing C+Employment B
61
Affordability
overall 74 B
This list's weighting
Cost of living 55%Median home value (lower is better) 25%Cost-burdened households 20%
Other Raleigh lists
Best Raleigh suburbs for familiesBest Raleigh suburbs for schoolsShortest commutes to Downtown RaleighMost walkable Raleigh suburbsBest Raleigh suburbs for young professionalsHow we score Raleigh suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Fuquay-Varina (Fvman · Public domain); Wendell (Johnson524 · CC0); Smithfield (Ammodramus · CC0); Durham (Maria Miracoli · CC BY-SA 4.0); Wake Forest (Rysnap1024 · CC BY-SA 4.0); Knightdale (Indy beetle · CC0); Morrisville (Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0); Garner (Mikeiamunion21 · CC BY-SA 3.0); Clayton (Indy beetle · CC0); Cary (Zajohnso · CC BY-SA 3.0).