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By Melissa Howsam
Having charted record growth as one of the fastest-growing U.S. markets, today’s Raleigh is a vibrant hub for hospitality, entertainment, art, culture, tech, research, medicine—and a top draw for booming brands and newbies alike. As Raleigh continues to tear up the ranks, it’s a lot to keep track of. Here we break down the most significant stats to keep you in-the-know.
- ⬆️ SECOND Best performing large city—ranked in top 20 for 12th year in a row and up one spot from last year, second only to Austin (which rose from No. 2 to No. 1). Previous top-performing city Provo, Utah, fell four spots. Raleigh is the only large U.S. city to rank in the top quartile for every indicator—think job and wage growth, housing cost, broadband access, community resilience and more.
- ⬇️ #6 Best place to live, down from No. 3, but remains a top 10 grab as a “young, friendly, diverse and educated” area with a vibrant f&b scene, green spaces, art and music, and Southern charm. Naples, Florida, now tops the list, followed by Boise, Idaho; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Greenville, SC; and (gasp) Charlotte.
- 🚗 #1 City to drive in the U.S. based on 30 key indicators for driver-friendliness—ranging from average gas prices to annual hours in traffic congestion to auto thefts. Boise, Idaho; and Corpus Christi, Texas, round out the top three.
- 👨🍳 33 James Beard Award nods Raleigh chefs, restaurants and hospitality titans have garnered, including four this year.
- 📖 1 of 7 U.S. metropolitan regions to house three tier-1 research universities, including Atlanta, Boston, NYC, LA, DC and Chicago.
- 👥 487,942 People now live in Raleigh.
- ✈️ 19.1M Visited Downtown Raleigh
- 🐷 TWO Take a hike, Texas! Southern Living named a pair of Raleigh ’cue joints as best new BBQ joints.
- 👍 2nd Safest large metropolis in U.S.
- 🏡 #1 Quality of life on the U.S. East Coast: “Though home prices [have] climbed significantly… and housing costs may continue to rise as more people flock to the area, relatively low property taxes make homeownership in Raleigh easier than in some other major U.S. cities.” —U.S. News & World Report
- 🤢 1 of 3 NC cities among the worst in the U.S. for bed bugs at No. 24. Charlotte and Greensboro are worse, with Chicago, NYC and Philly “taking it to the mattresses!” See you tonight.
- 🤰 72nd City for women’s health care and safety out of 182 U.S. cities (Durham and Charlotte trailed at 74th & 88th, respectively). Do better, NC. Alternatively, Raleigh ranks 35th when it comes to the economic and social well-being of women (Durham, 21st; Charlotte, 14th).
- No. 4 Rental market in U.S. for recent college grads looking to lay down roots, topped only by Austin; Bloomington, Minnesota; and Pittsburgh.
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