Raleigh

Shortest commutes to Downtown Raleigh

Ranked on distance to Downtown Raleigh at 50% and the mean commute time residents report to the Census at 50%. The mean commute includes people who work locally, which is why the two numbers do not always agree.

Updated Sep 2026·14 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
The Raleigh skyline as viewed from Dorothea Dix Park.
Raleigh$416k median · 23.0 min commute
Commute B+Housing DCost of living B
89
Commute score
overall 68 B−
2
Morrisville, North Carolina.
Morrisville$519k median · 21.8 min commute
Commute A−Housing CCost of living B−
81
Commute score
overall 71 B−
3
Cary, NC Town Hall
Cary$580k median · 22.5 min commute
Commute A−Housing C+Cost of living B−
80
Commute score
overall 74 B
4
Historic downtown Knightdale
Knightdale$380k median · 24.0 min commute
Commute C+Housing D+Cost of living B
80
Commute score
overall 65 C+
5
Garner, NC Water Tower and Historic distric. Oct 2013
Garner$355k median · 26.2 min commute
Commute CHousing DCost of living B
73
Commute score
overall 61 C
6
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
Commute A−Housing DCost of living B+
71
Commute score
overall 62 C
7
Photo of downtown Apex in 2025
Apex$576k median · 25.2 min commute
Commute B−Housing B−Cost of living C+
68
Commute score
overall 70 B−
8
Row of buildings down White Street in Downtown Wake Forest, North Carolina, USA.
Wake Forest$475k median · 30.9 min commute
Commute D+Housing CCost of living B−
60
Commute score
overall 66 C+
9
Rolesville, NC Main Street Park
Rolesville$535k median · 31.5 min commute
Commute D−Housing CCost of living C+
59
Commute score
overall 59 C
10
The Christmas parade travels through downtown Holly Springs, NC
Holly Springs$536k median · 28.8 min commute
Commute C−Housing B−Cost of living C
58
Commute score
overall 66 C+
This list's weighting
Distance to downtown 50%Mean commute time 50%
Other Raleigh lists
Best Raleigh suburbs for familiesMost affordable Raleigh suburbsBest Raleigh suburbs for schoolsMost walkable Raleigh suburbsBest Raleigh suburbs for young professionalsHow we score Raleigh suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Raleigh (Abhiram Juvvadi · CC BY-SA 4.0); Morrisville (Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0); Cary (Zajohnso · CC BY-SA 3.0); Knightdale (Indy beetle · CC0); Garner (Mikeiamunion21 · CC BY-SA 3.0); Durham (Maria Miracoli · CC BY-SA 4.0); Apex (Pithon314 · CC0); Wake Forest (Rysnap1024 · CC BY-SA 4.0); Rolesville (Mkrpowers · CC BY-SA 3.0); Holly Springs (me · Public domain).