Best Places to Retire in North Carolina
Best Places to Retire in North Carolina
North Carolina offers a perfect blend of scenic beauty, mild seasons, and vibrant communities, making it an ideal retirement destination. Whether you prefer the tranquility of the mountains, the charm of small towns, or the energy of bustling cities, North Carolina has something for every retiree. Discover the best places to retire in North Carolina and find your perfect community.
Why Retire in North Carolina?
Retiring in North Carolina comes with numerous benefits that make it an attractive choice for retirees.
Mild Climate
North Carolina's climate is characterized by mild winters and warm summers, allowing you to enjoy outdoor activities year-round without extreme temperatures.
Affordable Living
With a lower cost of living and favorable tax policies, North Carolina is a budget-friendly option for retirees. The state offers affordable housing, low taxes, and a reasonable overall cost of living.
Scenic Beauty
From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Outer Banks, North Carolina boasts diverse and stunning landscapes. Enjoy hiking, boating, fishing, and exploring the natural beauty of the state.
Rich Culture and History
North Carolina is home to vibrant arts scenes, historic sites, and cultural events. Experience the state's rich history and cultural diversity through museums, festivals, and local traditions.
Top Cities to Retire in North Carolina
Asheville
Asheville, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is known for its vibrant arts scene, historic architecture, and beautiful natural surroundings. The city offers a mix of cultural experiences and outdoor activities.
Highlights:
- Stunning mountain views and hiking trails
- Thriving arts and music community
- Excellent healthcare facilities
Raleigh
Raleigh, the capital city of North Carolina, is known for its quality of life, top-tier healthcare, and educational institutions. The city offers a mix of urban amenities and southern charm.
Highlights:
- World-class medical facilities
- Numerous parks and green spaces
- Rich cultural scene with museums and theaters
Wilmington
Wilmington, located along the Atlantic coast, is a charming port city with historic downtown and beautiful beaches. It offers a relaxed lifestyle with plenty of recreational opportunities.
Highlights:
- Beautiful beaches and waterfront parks
- Historic downtown with shops and restaurants
- Mild climate with warm summers and mild winters
Charlotte
Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina, offers a vibrant urban lifestyle with access to world-class amenities, entertainment, and healthcare. It's a perfect blend of metropolitan convenience and southern hospitality.
Highlights:
- Top-notch medical facilities
- Diverse dining and entertainment options
- Numerous parks and recreational activities
Best Small Towns to Retire in North Carolina
Hendersonville
Hendersonville, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a charming small town known for its friendly community and scenic beauty. It's a great place for retirees who enjoy a slower pace of life.
Highlights:
- Beautiful mountain landscapes
- Vibrant arts and culture scene
- Friendly and welcoming community
New Bern
New Bern, situated along the Neuse River, is a historic town with a rich cultural heritage. The town offers a relaxed lifestyle with plenty of amenities for retirees.
Highlights:
- Historic downtown with beautiful architecture
- Scenic waterfront areas
- Active community with numerous events
Best Small Towns to Retire in North Carolina
For retirees looking to enjoy coastal living, these North Carolina towns offer beautiful beaches and a relaxed lifestyle.
Beaufort
Beaufort, one of North Carolina's oldest towns, offers charming waterfront living with a rich maritime history. It's perfect for retirees who love the sea and a relaxed coastal atmosphere.
Highlights:
- Scenic waterfront areas
- Historic downtown with unique shops
- Friendly and welcoming community
Southport
Southport, located at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, is a picturesque town known for its charming streets and beautiful coastal views. It's an ideal spot for retirees seeking a peaceful beachside retreat.
Highlights:
- Beautiful coastal scenery
- Quaint downtown with local shops and restaurants
- Numerous outdoor activities
FAQs about Retiring in North Carolina
Find Your Ideal Retirement Community in North Carolina
Cresswind Wesley Chapel
Cresswind Wesley Chapel is the Charlotte Area’s #1 selling active adult community. This gated 55+ community features an array of new ranch-style homes specifically designed for active adults. The community offers from 2- up to 5-Bedroom floorplans with hundreds of available structural and design options to help you build the ideal home to fit your lifestyle and needs. With a full-time Lifestyle Director and a wide range of resort-style amenities, classes and social clubs based around residents’ interests, our award-winning lifestyle program has been designed to help you live better, longer.
The new, resident-only Club Cresswind features amenities such as the Cresswind SmartFIT Training Center powered by EGYM, cardio studio, indoor and outdoor social spaces, art studio, resort-style pool, pickleball courts and more.
The Wesley Chapel area is one of the top-rated suburbs in Greater Charlotte, offering a relaxed, natural feel with a blend of modern conveniences and country charm. Located roughly 40 minutes from Charlotte City Center, Cresswind Wesley Chapel provides its residents with easy access to the Village of Wesley Chapel, Weddington, Waxhaw, SouthPark, Charlotte International Airport, Uptown and the many attractions that consistently rank the Queen City region among the nation’s top retirement destinations.
Carolina Colours
Carolina Colours brings to life the very best of small Carolina towns-past, present and future. A mere 30 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, the waters of the Trent and Neuse Rivers converge to surround the vibrant waterfront town of New Bern, NC. Community amenities include the 25+-acre Carolina Lake, a Harris Teeter grocery, parks, trails and sidewalks, an Activity Campus with golf, fitness, tennis, swimming, pickleball and-for those quiet moments-rocking chairs.
Located in New Bern, NC, perhaps North Carolina’s most desired small town retirement destination for the past 25 years, CAROLINA COLOURS offers a variety of living environments and lifestyle choices. While typical homesites are of a size that many modern communities consider over sized, these half acre and larger sites have proven popular and have allowed numerous custom homes to be constructed, giving the core of the community an eclectic but attractive architectural composition, with trees abundant.
With quality custom builders ready to help you design and build on any homesite you purchase and with three regional/national builders constructing dozens of homes for sale that will be ready for occupancy in the summer of 2022, your choices of location within the community are varied. Carolina Colours Realty, located on-site, sells only new and resale properties within Carolina Colours and is staffed with agents that know all there is to know about the many properties and activities within the community and the New Bern area. In this period of high inflation, Carolina Colours still provides one of the best values in the coastal plain of North Carolina for those that want an attractive, planned community with numerous amenities and activities to fit any lifestyle. And for golfers, the Carolina Colours course is widely considered the premier layout in the region.
The Carolina Colours Golf Course has been very well received. The course is considered by many one of the most attractive and fairest tests of golf in the region, with six teeing alternatives allowing players from scratch golfers to beginners the proper challenge, with sufficient variety for those that play four times a week. Unlike many new courses that create a setting, the Carolina Colours course, designed by Bill Love, the long time chairman of the environmental committee of the National Association of Golf Course Architects, fits into a wooded, rolling landscape as though it belongs. Even non-golfers love to ride or walk its paths.
What sets Carolina Colours apart, however, is its incredible sense of community. From Friday night gatherings for drink and food at the Pavilion, the 16,000-square-foot community clubhouse, to seemingly endless scheduled activities, both active and passive, neighborhood gatherings, walking and biking, organized trips and more, the community welcomes newcomers with a smile and an open invitation to join with others as frequently as one desires.
New Bern, North Carolina’s first capital city, has its historical districts and quaint shopping areas right downtown, where the Neuse and Trent rivers converge, giving many an Annapolis feel. With abundant local marinas and the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean only about 30 miles away, water activities abound. And with a commercial airport and close proximity to major highways, New Bern is easy to get to. Once there, the quality of medical care and the numerous regional cultural and festival type events allows for a life that can be as active or inactive as suits any chosen lifestyle.
River Landing
Tucked away near the coast of Eastern NC is a picture-perfect community, complete with world-class club amenities while still maintaining the charm and ease of a small hometown. River Landing’s two championship golf courses are ideal for working on your game. Or perhaps you prefer exploring the outdoors along the scenic walking and biking trails? Whether you are starting a family or starting your retirement, River Landing has something for everyone. From enhancing your golf game to exploring the outdoors, the River Landing community offers a wide variety of activities for residents of all ages. A grand Clubhouse, Outdoor Pool, and expansive homesites are just some of the things you’ll find to enjoy.
Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure
Dramatic bluffs and thick forests surround the idyllic Lake Lure, tucked within the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. Here you’ll discover Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure, a retreat for outdoor exploration and relaxation for all ages.
Although Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure is only about an hour from both Asheville, NC and Greenville, SC, with 3,000+ acres of property, it’s easy to truly immerse yourself in the wilderness. There’s plenty of hiking and biking opportunities, and just beyond the community is the towering Chimney Rock. Explore the 720-acre lake via kayak, canoe, or your personal boat. Spend the day on one of the two championship golf courses, or enjoy family time at the community pool (with lazy river) or the private white sand beach.
The Spa at Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure will promote further relaxation with a full-service spa menu, in conjunction with a dry sauna, steam room, and whirlpool. At the end of the day, there’s a selection of casual and fine dining options in the community, as well as a southern style kitchen.
The real estate options at Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure are just as varied as the ways to pass the time. Rent a two-to-four-bedroom condo, a two-bedroom villa, a studio perfect for couples, or a motor coach lot. Whole rental homes of varying price and sizes are available, with several golf packages to choose from. Additionally, a few undeveloped properties within Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure are available for purchase, as well as a select few homes for sale.
The area surrounding Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure is North Carolina’s version of a high Alpine lake village, with charming amenities and stunning views.
To learn more about life on the lake, sign up to receive information about Rumbling Bald’s discovery packages.
River Bluffs
A Unique Waterfront Community with New Homes from the $500s – $2.5M+ and available homesites starting at $150k.
Located just 10 minutes north of Downtown Wilmington, NC (by boat or car) sits River Bluffs, a gated community that overlooks the Northeast Cape Fear River. River Bluffs offers a wide variety of home plans, including affordable cottage-style homes for a growing family, single-level homes with retirement-smart features, low-maintenance townhomes, and even fully custom homes built by the area’s most prestigious builders. River Bluffs boasts a variety of luxurious amenities such as a 2,700-foot river walk with covered gazebos, 188 slip marina, miles of walking trails and parks, luxury pools, high-end fitness centers, tennis and pickleball courts, over 30+ resident clubs including kayaking, boating, an onsite restaurant, and much more.
Enhance Your Quality of Life by Moving to River Bluffs:
• No city tax and no traffic!
• Low county & state taxes. North Carolina residents enjoy some of the lowest cost of living expenses on the Eastern seaboard!
• Enjoy low HOA dues which include yard maintenance, trash service, recycling, and access to all community amenities.
• 4.75% flat income tax and 0% estate or inheritance tax.
Flowers Plantation
This award-winning community in Johnston County is located minutes from Raleigh, but still very much away from the urban bustle. Bordered by US Hwy 42, Buffalo Road, and the Neuse River in Clayton, this master-planned community was the first of its kind in Johnston County and was awarded North Carolina’s Community of the Year in 2013 and 2014 by the North Carolina Home Builders Association.
Flowers Plantation now features more than 40 unique neighborhood developments, over 10 miles of walking trails, 50 acres of lakes and two elementary schools. When complete, the development will total nearly 7,800 lots with prices starting at $150K to over $600K. Wherever you are on your housing and life spectrum, Flowers Plantation has a place for you to call home.
“You don’t need a car here. The streets are all golf-cart friendly,” says Reid Stephenson, Flowers Plantation’s Chief Executive. “You can get your kids to school, come home from work, enjoy our parks and recreation, and make convenient runs to the grocery store-all without leaving the community.”
Living in Flowers Plantation is ideal for homeowners who want a comfortable, relaxing lifestyle.
The Bluffs on the Cape Fear
Gated Riverfront Living, Boundless Joy in Nature
The Bluffs on the Cape Fear is a vibrant, master-planned community perched on a pristine stretch of the Cape Fear River. Just 15 minutes from the classic waterfront hometown of historic Wilmington, NC, The Bluffs is a private, coastal haven for the families who call it home.
The unique vision of The Bluffs is realized every day: natural woodlands and the unspoiled riverfront landscape are preserved and celebrated. Classically-styled coastal homes exist in harmony with lush woodlands, and the riverfront.
Our visionary developers created The Bluffs with access and abundance in mind. Accordingly, residents here enjoy a close-knit, active lifestyle with total access to the riverfront and an impressive collection of amenities. We invite you to experience the joy of our authentic riverfront community, The Bluffs on the Cape Fear, with our 3 day-2 night Discovery Package.
Amenity List:
– 50-Slip Marina with Scenic Boardwalk
– 2-Acre Riverfront Park with Boat & Kayak Launch
– Lakefront Clubhouse with Resort-Style Salt Water Pool
– Private Beach Club on Oak Island – with Full Ocean Access
– Winding Walking & Biking Trails
– Golf Cart Friendly Community
– Tennis & Pickleball Courts
– Fully-Stocked Lake
– Community Boat & RV Storage
– And soon, a New State-of-the-Art Fitness & Wellness Center
Compass Pointe
Located on the southeastern coast of North Carolina, only 10 minutes from Wilmington, Compass Pointe is a gated, private community that offers an unmatched resort lifestyle. Every day feels like a vacation where you can relax by our award-winning pool, float along the lazy river, join one of 100+ community clubs, or get some exercise at our fitness center, indoor pool, or golf club. Come see for yourself why Compass Pointe was honored with the 2020 Best Health & Fitness Community and America’s Best Places to Live 2021.
Amenities:
- Private, Gated Entrance
- The Grand Lanai
- Resort Oasis Pool
- Compass Pointe Golf Club
- Clubhouse (under construcion) & Pro Shop
- The Pointe Wellness Center & Spa
- Indoor Pool
- Lazy River
- Tennis & Pickleball Courts
- Recreation Lawn
- Putting Greens
- Latitudes Restaurant and Bar
- Dog Park
- Cardinal Lake with Canoe & Kayak Launch
- Outdoor Amphitheater
- Sidewalks Throughout for Walking and Biking
- Golf Cart Paths Throughout
Future Amenities:
- Club Member Pool & Bar
- Club Member Fitness Center
- Club Member Golf Simulator
Brunswick Forest
Brunswick Forest, the Coastal South’s fastest growing community, is located on North Carolina’s Cape Fear coast, just minutes from historic Wilmington. This 4,500-acre retreat features a wide features a wide array of
neighborhoods, architecture, and price points.
World-class amenities include:
• 18 holes of golf at Cape Fear National
• Clubhouse, Restaurant & Pro-shop
• Fitness & Wellness Center with Indoor & Outdoor Pools
• Hammock Lake Park, Pool, and Fitness Center
• Reflections Fitness Center & Pool
• Town Creek River Launch
• Nearly 100 Miles of Walking, Biking & Nature Trails
• Tennis & Pickleball Courts
• Community Town Center with Shopping, Medical & Restaurants
If you would like to learn more about this vibrant, coastal community in North Carolina, you can request more information and compare this community with many others to find your ideal lifestyle, all you have to do is request more information. Discovery packages are available.
St. James Properties
Southeastern NC’s shimmering coast is home to St. James Plantation. This uber popular community is nestled along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), near the charming seaside village of Southport and historic Wilmington. Residents enjoy our over 100 million dollars of completed first-class amenities, including a private oceanfront beach club, a 475-Wet Slip/Dry Stack ICW marina and marketplace, fitness clubs including a $4 million dollar Signature Wellness Center, 4 welcoming clubhouses, 81-holes of championship golf, 36+ miles of biking, walking trails, dining, Har-Tru tennis, pickleball, parks and community gardens as well as over 100 social clubs. Our residents also enjoy a mild Carolina climate as living here means four distinct seasons, perfect for enjoying the great outdoors and exploring nearby antiques, shops, boutiques, gourmet restaurants and historical landmarks dating back to the 1700’s. Moreover, our area boasts well- supplied adult educational institutions and first-class medical centers. Real estate options range from spacious custom homes to patio homes and condominiums. Single family homes range from the $500s to $1 million plus, and homesites range from the $200s.
Plan your visit right now! Call 800-245-3871 or visit our website: www.StJames-Properties.com.
Albemarle Plantation
Albemarle Plantation
On North Carolina’s Inner Banks
In the private, gated sound front community of Albemarle Plantation, the waterfront lifestyle abounds. Set on the pristine waters of North Carolina’s sparkling Inner Banks, Albemarle Plantation is the perfect blend of nature, big water, resort amenities, and beautiful homes.
The community is known for its vast waters, 166-slip Private Marina, acclaimed golf, and nature-centric lifestyle. Walking and biking trails ribbon past nature sanctuaries and waterways. Raised boardwalks wind along, perfect for a stroll to the marina. On the waterfront, Marina Park with its great views and manicured lawn is the ideal gathering place for friends and is home to many a community event. The grand, waterfront Clubhouse offers indoor and outdoor dining with incredible water and fairway views. Near the marina, Dockside Café offers outdoor dining and is home to the Albemarle Wine Shop.
Residents also enjoy daily amenities like a fully outfitted fitness center, resort-style Junior Olympic-sized swimming pool, bocce courts, gathering and activity spaces and even community garden plots. Winding through the community is the award-winning Dan Maples-designed golf course. Widely acclaimed, it offers world-class play for golfers of all levels and provides breathtaking views. Here, you can enjoy every amenity you would expect from a private waterfront community—plus, all amenities are complete and owned debt free by the Property Owner’s Association.
With a focus on nature’s beauty, Albemarle Plantation is a scenic and welcoming place to build the home of your dreams, too. With a large selection of home plans and a trusted group of preferred builders, creating your retreat at Albemarle can be easy and exciting. Living here offers a perfect balance: residents are wonderfully tucked away from the hustle and bustle of metro areas yet have easy access to Tidewater Virginia and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. At Albemarle, you can savor the small-town waterfront charm of Edenton and Hertford, and quickly access big city luxuries with Virginia Beach and Norfolk only about an hour north.
Whether setting out by boat to explore the Sound and nearby small towns, kayaking, going fishing with friends on the protected waters of the Sound or in the Intracoastal Waterway, jet skiing, sailboat racing, or just watching the sun go down over the water…living at Albemarle Plantation is a soul-stirring experience.
Homes from the $400,000.
Homesites from $30,000
The Barclay at South Park
The Sanctuary
The Templeton of Cary
Find Your Ideal Retirement Community in North Carolina
North Carolina is a fantastic state for retirees, offering a mix of vibrant cities, charming small towns, and beautiful landscapes. Whether you're looking for affordable living, safety, or a rich cultural scene, North Carolina has it all. Explore the best places to retire in North Carolina and find your perfect retirement community today.