Best Counties for Families in North Carolina 2026

100 counties ranked with the Family lens of the County Fit Score.

Top 5 Family Counties in North Carolina

1Mitchell County

All 100 Family-Ranked Counties in North Carolina

Rank	County	County Fit Score	baseline CountyScore	Delta
1	Mitchell County, NC	67.7	70.9	-3.2
2	Yancey County, NC	64.2	68.3	-4.1
3	Hyde County, NC	63.6	61.1	+2.5
4	Jones County, NC	63	59.8	+3.2
5	Madison County, NC	62.2	65.6	-3.4
6	Stokes County, NC	58.2	62.4	-4.2
7	Caswell County, NC	56.5	59.6	-3.1
8	Gates County, NC	56	56.2	-0.2
9	Tyrrell County, NC	55.5	55	+0.5
10	Currituck County, NC	55.4	56.4	-1
11	Alleghany County, NC	55.1	59	-3.9
12	Wake County, NC	55	53.8	+1.2
13	Orange County, NC	54.5	49.6	+4.9
14	Avery County, NC	53.4	60.2	-6.8
15	Pamlico County, NC	53.1	52.6	+0.5
16	Macon County, NC	51.6	56	-4.4
17	Dare County, NC	50.5	51.3	-0.8
18	Clay County, NC	50.4	56.1	-5.7
19	Watauga County, NC	50.4	53.9	-3.5
20	Transylvania County, NC	50.3	56.4	-6.1
21	Alexander County, NC	50.1	56.6	-6.5
22	Jackson County, NC	49.3	55.5	-6.2
23	Polk County, NC	49.2	52.6	-3.4
24	Moore County, NC	48.1	48.6	-0.5
25	Beaufort County, NC	47.4	50.3	-2.9
26	Graham County, NC	46.9	55.9	-9
27	Pender County, NC	46.9	44.9	+2
28	Surry County, NC	46	50.3	-4.3
29	Nash County, NC	45.8	47.4	-1.6
30	Yadkin County, NC	45.5	50.3	-4.8
31	Ashe County, NC	45.1	52.7	-7.6
32	Union County, NC	45.1	46.1	-1
33	Chowan County, NC	44.9	48.1	-3.2
34	Catawba County, NC	44.6	49.3	-4.7
35	Henderson County, NC	44.6	48.1	-3.5
36	Johnston County, NC	44	43.5	+0.5
37	Swain County, NC	43.8	52.6	-8.8
38	Montgomery County, NC	43.6	46.5	-2.9
39	Northampton County, NC	43.6	45	-1.4
40	Perquimans County, NC	43.5	46.1	-2.6
41	Greene County, NC	43.2	43.5	-0.3
42	Cabarrus County, NC	41.8	42.2	-0.4
43	Lincoln County, NC	41.3	45.6	-4.3
44	Brunswick County, NC	41.1	45.9	-4.8
45	McDowell County, NC	40.8	47.8	-7
46	Pasquotank County, NC	40.5	45.2	-4.7
47	Wilkes County, NC	40.5	48.9	-8.4
48	Stanly County, NC	40.1	45.1	-5
49	Davie County, NC	39.4	43.2	-3.8
50	Iredell County, NC	39.2	42.4	-3.2
51	Buncombe County, NC	38.8	41.4	-2.6
52	Haywood County, NC	38.5	43.6	-5.1
53	Carteret County, NC	38.3	44.1	-5.8
54	Person County, NC	38.3	44.5	-6.2
55	Caldwell County, NC	38.2	45.5	-7.3
56	Chatham County, NC	38.2	40.7	-2.5
57	Rutherford County, NC	37.8	45.9	-8.1
58	Cherokee County, NC	37.1	46.9	-9.8
59	Onslow County, NC	36.8	39.3	-2.5
60	Columbus County, NC	36.5	40.7	-4.2
61	Cleveland County, NC	36.2	42.4	-6.2
62	Bertie County, NC	35.8	40.7	-4.9
63	Bladen County, NC	35.6	39.2	-3.6
64	New Hanover County, NC	35.6	39.6	-4
65	Camden County, NC	35.5	40.4	-4.9
66	Randolph County, NC	35.5	39.8	-4.3
67	Burke County, NC	35.4	41.4	-6
68	Rowan County, NC	35.4	39.2	-3.8
69	Scotland County, NC	35.4	37.4	-2
70	Hertford County, NC	35.3	39.1	-3.8
71	Granville County, NC	35.1	39.6	-4.5
72	Rockingham County, NC	34.3	39	-4.7
73	Franklin County, NC	34.2	38.2	-4
74	Craven County, NC	33.3	37.8	-4.5
75	Lee County, NC	32.6	35.9	-3.3
76	Warren County, NC	32.5	36.9	-4.4
77	Guilford County, NC	32.1	34.5	-2.4
78	Lenoir County, NC	31.6	38.1	-6.5
79	Durham County, NC	31.4	34.1	-2.7
80	Harnett County, NC	30.7	34.7	-4
81	Hoke County, NC	30.7	35.4	-4.7
82	Davidson County, NC	30.4	38.7	-8.3
83	Martin County, NC	30.1	34.3	-4.2
84	Alamance County, NC	29.9	35.6	-5.7
85	Anson County, NC	29.9	34.8	-4.9
86	Mecklenburg County, NC	29.5	33.2	-3.7
87	Pitt County, NC	29.4	33.6	-4.2
88	Forsyth County, NC	29.3	33.8	-4.5
89	Sampson County, NC	29.2	36.3	-7.1
90	Vance County, NC	29.2	33.8	-4.6
91	Washington County, NC	29.1	33.3	-4.2
92	Gaston County, NC	28.8	31.8	-3
93	Duplin County, NC	27.9	35.7	-7.8
94	Richmond County, NC	27.3	32.8	-5.5
95	Halifax County, NC	27.2	31.6	-4.4
96	Wayne County, NC	25.9	32.1	-6.2
97	Robeson County, NC	25.4	31.9	-6.5
98	Wilson County, NC	23.3	29.4	-6.1
99	Edgecombe County, NC	22.6	27.3	-4.7
100	Cumberland County, NC	22	25.9	-3.9

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for families in North Carolina?

Based on the Family lens, Mitchell County ranks as the top family county in North Carolina with a County Fit Score of 67.7. The baseline CountyScore remains visible for context.

How many counties in North Carolina are ranked for families?

We rank 100 counties in North Carolina with the Family lens, using independent importance values for schools, safety, affordability, health, income, taxes, and disaster risk.

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.