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Raleigh's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Raleigh.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Raleigh. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Raleigh neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Raleigh hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Raleigh area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Glenwood ranks way above the rest.
We examined 18 of Raleigh's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Raleigh's reputation.
The Worst Neighborhoods In Raleigh For 2022
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Raleigh for 2022? According to the most recent census data, South looks to be the worst neighborhood in Raleigh.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Raleigh that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Raleigh.
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Carolina
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Raleigh For 2022
/10
Population: 17,197
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $131,456 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $42,477 (5th worst)
More on South: Data
/10
Population: 22,629
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $132,067 (4th worst)
Median Income: $38,691 (4th worst)
More on Southwest: Data
/10
Population: 8,076
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $128,425 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $25,637 (worst)
More on South Central: Data
/10
Population: 11,665
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $175,225 (7th worst)
Median Income: $42,542 (6th worst)
More on East Raleigh: Data
/10
Population: 28,074
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $124,092 (worst)
Median Income: $43,932 (7th worst)
More on Southeast: Data
/10
Population: 5,240
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $247,500 (8th worst)
Median Income: $31,463 (2nd worst)
More on Central: Data
/10
Population: 87,424
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $154,814 (5th worst)
Median Income: $56,500 (11th worst)
More on Northeast: Data
/10
Population: 6,392
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $247,660 (9th worst)
Median Income: $35,632 (3rd worst)
More on North Central: Data
/10
Population: 37,998
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $161,100 (6th worst)
Median Income: $49,446 (8th worst)
More on West: Data
/10
Population: 2,801
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $287,625 (14th worst)
Median Income: $54,564 (10th worst)
More on Mordecai: Data
Methodology: How we determined the worst Raleigh neighborhoods in 2022
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Raleigh:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Raleigh, North Carolina for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Raleigh.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Raleigh to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 18 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Raleigh
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Raleigh with South landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Raleigh aren't all bad. Glenwood takes the cake as the best place to live in Raleigh.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In North Carolina
- Safest Cities in North Carolina
- Worst Places To Live In North Carolina
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Raleigh For 2022?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South | 17,197 |
| 2 | Southwest | 22,629 |
| 3 | South Central | 8,076 |
| 4 | East Raleigh | 11,665 |
| 5 | Southeast | 28,074 |
| 6 | Central | 5,240 |
| 7 | Northeast | 87,424 |
| 8 | North Central | 6,392 |
| 9 | West | 37,998 |
| 10 | Mordecai | 2,801 |
| 11 | Falls Of Neuse | 9,631 |
| 12 | Northwest | 81,974 |
| 13 | Six Forks | 10,549 |
| 14 | North | 76,649 |
| 15 | Hillsborough | 14,634 |
| 16 | Wade | 8,992 |
| 17 | Five Points | 8,393 |
| 18 | Glenwood | 7,562 |
