North Carolina’s Safest Cities of 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. 

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.

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.

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. 

• 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.

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.

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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.