North Carolina's Most Affordable Cities Are A Secret 

We found Hendersonville 9 years ago, bought a lot and built our dream home. We moved in 4 years ago, migrated from Nashville and couldn't be happier.

I am glad you missed several of the best towns to live in NC. People don't really know the true value of peace, quietness and the ability to leave your door unlocked at night without worries. So keep following the money. Most of the problems in life tend to go that route,

Exactly right on the nose with Hendersonville. Great town and very nice people. Would definitely be my choice in NC

I was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock, right next to New Bern. New Bern's a nice city and its the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola! Very important city :)

Please make a video about affordable, secret, cities or towns that you can mostly do without a car such as walkable and bikeable and relatively safe at least.

Bro it's so crazy you posted this because I'm literally looking for somewhere to live in North Carolina and I'm actually taking a bus there tom and wow I just saw you uploaded. My mind is blown. Thank you for everything ! Keep being amazing!

Here's my entire North Carolina playlist: ru-vid.com/group/PLq-_cmf3H6ypqFmmckN4kY1VMZDi23IsR And if you need help finding a place to move, I do consulting. I can help you pick where to move and get you a real estate agent, too. Email me! NickJohnsonNC18@gmail.com

Fewk•way not "Fook•way". It's never been "rough", just small. In the past 30 years we have gone from having 3 thousand residents to 30 thousand.

As a Tarheel whose Family has been on the same farm in Harnett County since 1780, I SMITE you Nick Johnson. We used to have these people in a containment area. Better know as C.A.R.Y. "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees" When we had them all in Cary N.C. everybody was Happy. Now you're telling them to come and live all over the State. You should have a date with the Woodshed boy. Stop it

People moving here ruined Cary

In October, 2021, my wife and I sold our home in California and drove across the country to Asheville. We found, luckily, a short term rental and set out where we wanted to live. We ended up buying a home in December 2021 in Hendersonville. We LOVE IT HERE!!!! I had never even heard of the town. So glad our Realtor in Asheville suggested it as Asheville, for us, was a bit too busy. We do visit there regularly, however. Nature, amenities, small town vibe, and wonderful accepting people here. You get a lot of home here for the price, especially by California standards. California is not the state my wife and I grew up in. Hendersonville is perfect for us retirees!!!

I grew up in New Bern, live in Raleigh now. Every time I go to see family I love crossing the bridge and seeing the city on the water. Stay away from Havelock it's a jenky trash military town. It seems safe, but a major drug problem with young people.

as an NC local have a love hate relationship with your videos, Nick. You're so fun to watch!!!

I’ve lived in the Wake Forest area most of my life and it is very overpopulated now. Definitely not the small town it was. The traffic is getting pretty crazy as well. There are some amazing spots downtown like Shorty’s though that are worth it to visit! Also I don’t believe it’s all that affordable for housing anymore. Constantly throwing up new developments making Wake Forest become Wake De-Forest 😭

I've lived in New Bern for almost a year and a half now. Came from Tennessee and love it here. So many fun water activities. Great area for beach-hopping to the Crystal Coast or going out on a kayak. Temperatures are pretty reasonable too for the most part. Side note, it's also a great place to drive a minimoto (Honda Navi in my case) around town throughout the streets of the area.

I have actually heard of these places in NC from the STARZ Outlander series / Diana Gabaldon books. They’re the homesteads of families who migrated to Colonial America from the Scottish Highlands.

Fuquay is pronounced Fewquay…just FYI from a resident! Great video!

I am never disappointed. I love Morganton... I can't believe you exposed her.....I wonder if Sunshine made it... daughter just moved from New Bern to Wilmington. Marine Life. Hooorah! ♡.....

The issue of living in coastal towns is the hurricanes. New Bern is a nice town; however, it got flooded pretty bad not too long ago. Boone is nice town to visit, but doesn't have a very good job market. My dad from the foothills of NC. I always enjoy passing by Hickory and Morganton. They are very nice towns nearby the mountains, country folks, and great food. Overall, agree with your picks!

These small towns usually have low job opportunities if you're expecting a high paying jobs. Also, hard drug use and petty theft can be rampant depending on the small town you decide to move to. Also, the areas listed are about 1200 to 1400/month rent now, so unless you think that's cheap or are some salaried remote worker making over 60k a year, this information in this video is moot. Clearly the guy who made this doesn't know anything about NC.

You never mentioned bookstores, readers, music venue, or any brain activity. I've lived in Boone and it offers so very much for all kinds of people!

I think a decent chunk of the masses that have come to places like Charlotte and Raleigh are going to start spreading out. So this video should be really helpful for them.

I moved to Asheville when I retired. Got here after housing costs jumped, but still a bargain compared to living in the DC area. You are correct about Hendersonville, if we move again it would be Hendersonville. Otherwise, it might be living the expat life in Mexico.

Great video! I do have to say I love WNC because of its mountains, trails, springs and nature. I currently live in Leicester which is like a "suburb" of Asheville and really like it. You get the nature and tranquility oppose to Asheville which has grown tremendously. Actually, it's to much. Traffic has become a problem plus the homeless community is another. Don't get me wrong, I have sympathy toward them but the trash, drugs and disorder they cause has escalated big time in the last couple of years, sad. But if you what peaceful living try one of Asheville's suburb.

Hey Nick!!! You do such a great job on these videos...ALWAYS well done....thank you!!

Hey Nick happy Monday, I have visited Morganton it is a lovely town.... As well as hickory, I do enjoy Black mountain and swannanoa... I really appreciate your videos it gives me direction as I am close to making a lifestyle change from New York State to the Blue ridge mountains... Thank you

I grew up in Western NC, and this video has made me a little bit homesick!

I lived in Morganton while going to school at WPCC. I'd move back if we had more family out that way!

Ha! I’ve lived in Fuquay for 12 years having moved from Wale Forest where I was raised with a brief residence in Asheville. Love Fuquay but I’d move back to WF in a hot minute :). Great video!

love nc. My gf and I visited my aunt in hickory and fell in love with the mountains. So we bought 4.5 acres in Ferguson. In a place called leatherwood to build our home. Such a quiet tranquil place. Can’t wait to be there

NC State taxes would prevent me from living there.

G'day from Australia 🇦🇺 Nick, I love watching your videos... Adelaide, South Australia is nice, worse for serial Killers, but they're all in jail now, Cheers 😊

Nick what do you think about a video on best climate cities and small towns? Best place to live with allergies and sinus pressure. Elevation maps series. Mappy can help. Lol We live in Providence RI now but we are from Colorado and Alabama. Been watching you since day 1 . Thank you for your information. Providence RI is extremely humid with high dew points. Also include weed legal and weed free states. That should keep you busy .😂 Also if you know if upper Maine is comparative to Colorado. Denver was nice but the crime took over. Providence RI has proven to be way to humid. last winter was nothing to us though. Anyway thanks again Nick you seem like a fun guy. A household name here. We depend on you and Briggs for constant information.❤

I got something for you Nick. Myself including a few other women, we're looking for property for a quarter of that more like 50K or 60K and that's home included yet in a safe area. I know they're out there cause I myself found a little treasure but I'm ready to move...a different state...a whole new view.. Yet I know those are out there! Instead of the 200K or 150K let's see you go down a little bit and still find good areas... I know you can do it. I have faith in you...you're the man😎❤️‍🔥

Heyyyyy my hometown of New Bern made the list and it's a beautiful town guys great place to raise kids

You’re a goofball! Can’t thank you enough for your NC updates on places to live. We will be relocating to NC in the next couple years and all your guidance is coming in very handy. Thanks so much

I love that you gave a shout out to Duck N Good , but tho Hickory is affordable compared bigger cities surrounding you have to mention that the city just wasted 750,000 dollars on wooden arches for decorations on a pedestrian bridge that fell down within a couple weeks. Your better bet would be Bethlehem , Granite Falls , Taylorsville, and Newton-Conover .

YOU FORGOT ABOUT MAYBERRY NC

Great job! As a North Carolina resident, it's nice to know there are other parts of the state that might be potential less expensive retirement options in the near future. Thanks.

Native to the state so I know town names can be hard. Fuquay-Varina is one of them. Few-quay not foo-quay is what the locals call it. Also the traffic there is getting to be a huge headache.

I don't know if someone making $58k can really 'afford' a $420k house at today's rates. Even with a 20% down, the payment would be over 50% of take home pay. Maybe it was doable 4-5 months ago when rates were still around 3%.

Thank you. I had to watch 5 videos before finding your video. Non of them showed the areas and talked about prices. That’s what we want to know. Thank you.

Near the coast is better. Just go about 20 miles inland and its usually cheaper. I lived in Jacksonville, NC and was only 17 minutes away from the ocean. It was cheaper to live there and I like the community and all the little communities near the ocean that not to far to drive to. Up and down the coast from Atlantic Beach, NC to Emerald Isle, NC. Which are my favorite spots. But love it all North Topsail Beach and more.

I moved from the outer suburbs of Chicago to Kernersville last year. Kernersville seems like a nice place. Its safe, diverse, and within 25 minutes of whatever services you would want. Its also nice to get an 80 percent drop in property taxes and comparatively competent state government with the move out of IL.

Southeast NC🤘🏻 Beaches, Swamps, Creeks, Woods, Farmland and close to Myrtle or Wilmington

Can't wait to watch this one! Great job again, Nick.

Asheboro, especially if your an artist/craftsman I would suggest also.

Southern Pines and Pinehurst are very nice towns. If you're a local or live near by (i.e Robeson County), you know they're similar to Fayetteville though. I'd still choose Moore County over Cumberland County ANY day of the week. Better doctors, love the downtown area, and some of the best small shops and restaurants and as you said, a lot of retirees. But at least you can walk your dog in peace.

Wake Forest traffic is really bad if you need to go south to commute into Raleigh. Capital BLVD is notorious for getting backed up for miles north of 540 during rush hour. They're planning on turning it into a freeway eventually, but that got delayed a few more years.

Wake Forest is getting expensive FAST. People already fleeing to Youngsville and Franklinton for better prices. I'm a big fan of Liberty NC and Davidson as nice places to live

Several people have mentioned Ashville. Ashville is very expensive and not a lot in the ways of job opportunities. You almost have to have a job in the medical or education field if you do not arrive with a job. Otherwise Ashville relies heavily on tourism which doesn't pay well. A growing number of celebrities own homes here now. Unless your lucky enough to have been here for a number of years before it became so expensive to live here, you will need to live outside of Ashville.

Great video! I am not currently looking for a home. I live in North Carolina, it is a beautiful, and amazing state. I agree with all the points you had. Nature here is fantastic. I have a friend who was stationed in Jacksonville, originally from California. He moved back to California, but he always says the beaches here, are better than cali. I am fond of the wilmington beaches, they happen to have a nice blue tint for the ocean water.

I live 10 mins from morganton in the small town of hildebran. it's a nice area, but not much to do around here. it does have nice beautiful spots, but has its fair share of sketchy areas as well.

I live in morganton.n.c. There's a lot happening here.its a beautiful town to live in.

I moved from New Jersey to Kernersville in 2012. Our youngest flourished in the schools here. East Forsyth high school is home to a state championship football program. It’s a growing town with cheaper taxes than some areas. Some quaint restaurants and brew pubs as well.

Nick, Love following your videos! I was wondering if you have ever done anything on Murphy, North Carolina? My wife and I have property there and are planning to retire there in the spring of 2023. We have plans to import a Log Home Kit from a New Hampshire Company, Coventry Log Homes, and we are still waiting on a few modifications that we have requested but are hoping to be ready to go with a walkout basement foundation. I researched this town for about a year and a half before even visiting, but from the moment we arrived, it just felt like the right place! If you have any info, I would love for you to point it out for us!

Thanks 😊 I want Mappy to be my Pappy 😂

Moved to Greenville NC from Chicago 10 years ago and still here. Though, we’re now looking to move to the West side of NC or Tennessee. Beware of the very very humid summers of on the east side of NC. It’s like getting slapped in the face with a wet towel as soon as you step outside. Other than that, it’s great. New Bern’s downtown is super cute

Amazing video!! I’m excited to explore North Carolina.

Dang, almost got a home in Morganton last summer. Now you let the secret out before we could try again this summer...

Yes! Western part of NC is much better. CHARLOTTE, RALEIGH-DURHAM,GREENSBORO+DURHAM are crime ridden cities.. Fuquay-Varina looks like congested Nassau County Long Island, NY....suburban congestion.

Nick I watch most of video s. Your information is awesome especially my home state North Carolina..Thank for mentioning a town in North Carolina. Any info on Newton, Maiden or Lincolnton? Keep up the awesome work

Thanks. Great video.’ Love Boone and Blowing Rock.

Buncombe Co native here and Hendo (Hendersonville) is a huge retirement community.

Raised in a small town right outside hickory. As adult I moved all over the country we’ve now been living in hickory for years and plan to stay.

There's also Morgantown in nearby WV.

Love! Love! Love! North Carolina! You’re pretty cute, too, Nick!

Thanks for the vid, subbed!.. only a part of the way in the vid, but I'm interested in north or SC, within an hour of Tryon, NC.

Up the 85 corridor in Granville County is the next big thing. It sit above North Raleigh and The city of Durham. There you have Butner, Creedmoor, Stem and the hidden gem of Oxford, NC. The Historical houses and Churches are a must see. A quick walk or drive into town to where theres, Pubs, Ice Cream palors, and Restaurants. House are sitting on acres of land.

A lot of those Cities you mentioned are pretty expensive, and its impossible to find reasonable priced apartments in all of those cities!!

I've heard of Hendersonville. it's about an hour away from my former home Spartanburg. ❤ ❤❤. I miss it soo much. I need a hug.

We used to enjoy taking a day trip to Hendersonville or Asheville but the last 3 years it has become so congested and crowded that we no longer enjoy going. It's hard to find a place to park and the traffic is getting bad. The town stays packed every weekend. I enjoy the same restaurants and shops but it's not as enjoyable as it it was with all of the crowds. Of course, our home town, Spartanburg SC, has become a boom town and we are experiencing ungodly traffic, crowds, building and soaring real estate prices just in the last 3 years too. We just sold our house on the outskirts of town and moved back in the city limits in an established neighborhood so we can be near our haunts without dealing with as much traffic. Driving across town is getting to be such a hassle now with traffic that we wanted to be near everything so our driving is less. Greenville is even worse although we are quickly meeting in the middle and will be one vast metropolis within 5 yrs. Our realtor said so many are moving in from Democrat led states because our taxes are less, cost of living is less and industries moving in to take advantage of it too. In fact the couple that bought our house will be living double lives. She and the children living more cheaply and nicer here while husband commutes to his job up north at least for the time being. Believe it or not it must be cheaper to commute and rent up north while having their primary residence here in SC! That's gotta be tough but that is what these states have done to themselves. With crime, unbelievably high taxes, soaring inflation, urban flight, loss of industries... people, who can, are leaving and trying to find cheaper and better pastures. I don't blame them. But unfortunately they are bringing crowds and higher real estate prices with them.

Morganton is pretty nice....but when you say there isn't much to do, that needs a.bit of qualification. It's a quiet family oriented town. Social activity, and social contacts, revolve entirely around church and school. Go to church and get involved in your kids school PTA, and you'll have friends and a full calendar. Non churchgoers will be kept at arms length, however. And since most people are married with kids, or raising grandkids, and since most people here have family roots for four generations, this is not a place for non-families and definitely not a place to be unless you intend to fit yourself in and realize that your grandkids will be accepted here but you will always be a bit of an outsider. Do not think you will change the way things are done here. Nobody cares how things were in the place you came from, and if you talk too much and act high and mighty, you will be told to go back where you came from.

Nick don't forget about Duplin County and Pender County nc

Recently visited hickory I was very impressed, lake front property is relatively attainable on a good income there, and being less than an hr from Charlotte you have easy access to Charlotte’s amenities (intl. airport, hospitals, jobs, attractions etc) a doable place, even on a partial work from home schedule it’s commutable to Charlotte, Winston Salem, and Asheville

Thank you, excellent video. I've subscribed and will share this.

You gotta be careful - Hendersonville - OK, Henderson County - OK, the city of Henderson - RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! That Henderson guy really got around.

Hendersonville did the gas prices just say $1.79 a gallon??!!!! Watching this from Los Angeles where gas is currently $6 a gallon! Time to move!

I wish Halifax, Nash, Warren, and Franklin county had more job and business growth. It just like fast food, dollar stores, and Walmarts are the only thing people can rely on. It needs to be some better paying jobs and more trades around to inspire some growth. It feels like these 4 counties are stuck in the mud.

Rutherfordton NC should have been in your list for sure. It is AMAZING.

I lived in Fuquay-Varina for over 20 year🎉s, and it was great, but northerners started moving here, and rental prices went sky high. They are use to paying high prices up north, causing prices here to sky rocket.

My uncle retired to hendersonville, seems very nice.

For price and location, I’d say hickory or Morganton would be my #1 picks. Places like fuquay are expensive right now because of the economy. Not much there really but really nice place.

Havelock is nice too.Moorhead used to have a restaurant called" Captain Bills" You go out of there hungry that's your fault.

Use to live close to new Bern for about 6 years. Now trying to move back

great video. Thanks Nick.

Awesome and informative. Thanks!

Stop moving to NC. Prices are going to high everywhere.

When I move to NC I’m moving in with you Nick!

I am surprised you didn't mention Angier. It is a pretty small town not too far from Raleigh, located in Harnett County.

you left out the best town in nc, to me anyway...Spruce Pine, a very small town located in the mountains of nc! it is centrally located between asheville boone and johnson city tn, with average 45 min drive to each city!! we have great schools, great people and lots of peace and quiet!!

I love your videos. Hilarious and accurate

New Bern is lovely but it's been badly hit by hurricanes. So, insurance rates are high, esp on the home you bought that might've been flooded.

Thank you Captain Johnson!

My family from Fuquay and Holly springs .

My husband and I relocated to New Bern and absolutely love it here!

I worked for the Pinehurst resort and would drive into town about 40 mins each way instead of moving down there. The rich live in Southern Pines while everyone else under $100,000 households live right next to it in 'the sandhills' If you are not ultra rich living here is miserable, it's a huge in-club and you will be pegged as 'a poor' on just an off glance of your car and clothes and excluded from pretty much everything other than being their servers. Public schools are way underfunded and often times dangerous. They are overlooked because anyone with money sends them to private schools. It's actually a part of trying to make friends with other parents. oh you DONT pay $40,000 a year for private school? Then we are not friends and your kid can not play with mine. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING We call it 'The Sand trap' because it's soo isolated and costs so much to leave that working class people end up trapped down there after being tricked to move there. You have been warned.

They take a portion of ones pension though, yes? THAT’S not good, right Mappy? I am quite impressed with NC, though. Bailed outta Myrtle early last summer-awful. Headed up the coast and ended up in Wilmington. Loved it; enjoyed Carolina Beach

Thx. Good info. NC is nice. Great Folks.

Thank you! I am moving here in August and am excited to start the next chapter in my life!