North Carolina’s Safest Cities of 2024

Alina Bradford
Apr 08, 2024
Icon Time To Read3 min read
SafeWise is pleased to release the 10th annual Safest Cities report.

Here are the 10 Safest Cities in North Carolina for 2024

See crime rates for the safest cities.

In our latest State of Safety survey, half of North Carolinians (50%) said they worried about their safety, which is more than the average American (47%). This may be because of the high levels of property crime and violent crime in the state. While not the worst, North Carolina ranks fourteenth for the highest violent crime and property crime rates. 

In this report

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NOTE: If your city is missing from our full report, it means that it was below the population threshold or didn’t submit a complete crime report to the FBI in 2022.

2024 North Carolina crime rates

Image: SafeWise

North Carolina's violent crime rate went up for the second consecutive year—going from 4.3 incidents per 1,000 people to 4.7. The state's property crime rate saw a slight dip,  from 22.4 incidents per 1,000 to 21.6.

Despite a statewide rise in violent crime and higher reports of experience with crime, survey respondents in North Carolina reported lower concern about crime and safety in general.

Property crime in North Carolina: Fear vs. reality

North Carolina residents in our survey reported more personal experiences with property crime year over year. This doesn't align with the downward trend in the state's property crime rate over the year.

  • North Carolinians reported 4% more personal experiences with property crime this year (24%) compared to last year (23%).
  • Worry about property crime dropped 12% year over year, from 49% to 43% (US 52%).
  • 29% of participants reported experiencing package theft, putting North Carolina below the US average of 35%.
  • 8 in 10 survey participants (80%) in North Carolina use some form of property protection—higher than the national average of 75%.
  • The top forms of property protection in North Carolina this year were security cameras (40%) and guard dogs (37%)
  • 41% of respondents in North Carolina say they increased their security measures in the 12 months prior to the survey.

What security measures do North Carolinians use most?

Security measures used most in North Carolina: security cameras, guard dogs, firearms.

Image: SafeWise

How to stay safe in North Carolina

North Carolina is #14 in the US for its higher-than-average property crime rate.

Protect your property

North Carolina is #11 in the US for its reported experiences with gun violence.

What crimes are North Carolina residents concerned about most?

Bar chart showing percentages of how concerned state residents are about crime compared to the national averages for violent crime, property crime, package theft and gun violence.

Image: SafeWise

Violent crime in North Carolina: Fear vs. reality

North Carolina’s violent crime rose for the second consecutive year, from 4.3 incidents per 1,000 people to 4.7. North Carolina has the fourteenth-highest violent crime rate in the country.

  • 40% of residents in North Carolina reported feeling safe in their state—a 22% decline year over year.
  • 15% of North Carolinians reported having a personal experience with violent crime in the 12 months prior to the report—up from 13% last year.
  • 44% of residents in North Carolina report using some form of personal protection—above the US average (36%).
  • 48% of those who carry personal protection said they use a pocket knife and 41% said they use pepper spray or a concealed firearm for protection. 

Attitudes about gun violence in North Carolina

  • 54% of North Carolina residents cited gun violence as a safety concern—above the US average of 51%.
  • 16% of survey respondents reported experiencing gun violence in the 12 months prior to the survey, an increase from 13% last year.
  • 41% of respondents say they use a concealed handgun as a form of protection (US 41%).
  • 34% use a firearm to help protect their property (US 28%).
  • There were 33 mass shootings in North Carolina in 2023—a 57% increase from 21 incidents in 2022.

A closer look at the safest cities in North Carolina

For the purposes of this report, the terms “dangerous” and “safest” refer explicitly to crime rates as calculated from FBI crime data—no other characterization of any community is implied or intended.

  • 111 cities qualified for ranking this year.
  • Every safest city reported 2.0 or fewer violent crimes per 1,000 residents.
  • 12 of the 20 safest cities reported no murders.
  • Pinehurst climbed to the number-one spot this year.
  • Whispering Pines is brand new to the list this year, and Clayton and Gibson broke into the top 20 for the first time.
  • Rolesville is the only city to report zero robberies.
  • All safest cities reported fewer than 13 property crimes per 1,000 (US 20.7).
  • Whispering Pines is the only city to report zero vehicle thefts.
  • Cary is the most populous city on the list with over 178,000 residents, making its ranking as the thirteenth safest city in the North Carolina even more impressive.

The 20 safest cities in North Carolina

Image: SafeWise

Pinehurst, NC
#1
Pinehurst
(
+2
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    18,426
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.2, 0.6, 1.1
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    4.2, 6.2, 7.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#2
Whispering Pines
(
New
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,235
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.6, N/A, 0.3
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    3.4, N/A, 4.1
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Davidson, NC
#3
Davidson
(
+1
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    15,189
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.3, 0.7, 0.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    4.7, 6.0, 7.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Waxhaw, NC
#4
Waxhaw
(
+3
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    22,613
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.6, 0.8, 0.5
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    7.7, 7.6, 9.4
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Elon, NC
#5
Elon
(
-3
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    11,369
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.9, 0.7, 0.8
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    6.7, 4.2, 4.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Rolesville, NC
#6
Rolesville
(
-5
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    10,549
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.9, 0.4, 0.5
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    7.1, 5.2, 4.0
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Fuquay-Varina, NC
#7
Fuquay-Varina
(
+2
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    39,037
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.7, 0.9, 0.7
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    8.9, 9.0, 9.4
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Winterville, NC
#8
Winterville
(
-3
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    10,725
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.6, 0.7, 0.9
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    5.5, 6.7, 6.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Holly Springs, NC
#9
Holly Springs
(
+1
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    45,406
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.6, 0.8, 0.8
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    10.5, 10.0, 9.3
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Mint Hill, NC
#10
Mint Hill
(
+8
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    26,728
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.8, 2.1, 2.1
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    9.8, 9.9, 12.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Stallings, NC
#11
Stallings
(
-0-
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    16,758
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.9, 1.2, 0.5
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    9.6, 9.7, 10.5
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Apex, NC
#12
Apex
(
-6
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    66,024
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.5, 0.6, 0.5
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    11.5, 8.8, 11.2
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Cary, NC
#13
Cary
(
-5
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    178,600
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.8, 0.7, 0.7
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    10.6, 9.6, 9.5
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Concord, NC
#14
Concord
(
-2
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    109,660
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.1, 0.8, 1.2
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    9.8, 12.0, 14.0
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Wendell, NC
#15
Wendell
(
-1
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    13,408
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.7, 1.2, 1.3
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    8.2, 10.3, 11.6
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Wake Forest, NC
#16
Wake Forest
(
-3
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    51,385
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.1, 1.4, 1.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    10.9, 9.3, 10.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#17
Clayton
(
+9
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    30,036
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.1, 1.6, 1.5
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    12.7, 17.6, 22.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#18
Cornelius
(
-3
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    31,781
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.5, 1.1, N/A
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    11.1, 11.4, N/A
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Huntersville, NC
#19
Huntersville
(
-2
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    62,105
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.3, 1.6, 1.7
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    12.1, 12.2, 14.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Gibsonville, NC
#20
Gibsonville
(
+4
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    9,049
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    2.0, 2.5, 2.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    10.9, 12.4, 12.0
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime

How we determined the safest cities

Learn how we identified the safest cities on our methodology page.

How to make a safe home anywhere

Over 6 in 10 Americans surveyed don't have a home security system, despite over 50% of all burglaries being residential. Unfortunately, a majority of people who have a security system added it after they had a break-in. One of the best ways to stop a burglary before it happens—and get immediate help if a break-in is detected—is to add a monitored home security system.

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Endnotes and sources

Find all endnotes and sources in our full methodology.

FBI Crime Data Explorer, "Documents & Downloads." Accessed March 18, 2024.

  • 2022 and 2021 Crime in the United States Annual Reports
    • Offenses Known to Law Enforcement
  • 2022 NIBRS Estimation Tables

Bureau of Justice Statistics, "National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)." Accessed March 18, 2024.

Gun Violence Archive, "Mass Shootings." Accessed March 18, 2023.

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Alina Bradford
Written by
Alina Bradford
Alina is a safety and security expert that has contributed her insights to CNET, CBS, Digital Trends, MTV, Top Ten Reviews, and many others. Her goal is to make safety and security gadgets less mystifying one article at a time. In the early 2000s, Alina worked as a volunteer firefighter, earning her first responder certification and paving the way to her current career. Her activities aren’t nearly as dangerous today. Her hobbies include fixing up her 100-year-old house, doing artsy stuff, and going to the lake with her family.

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