The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Raleigh For 2022


We used data and science to identify the neighborhoods in Raleigh that are the real pits.

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.

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:

Worst Neighborhoods In Raleigh

The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Raleigh For 2022

Overall SnackAbility

4
/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

Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Overall SnackAbility

6
/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

Overall SnackAbility

5
/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

Overall SnackAbility

7
/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

Overall SnackAbility

6
/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

Overall SnackAbility

8
/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

Overall SnackAbility

7
/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

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/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

Mordecai Raleigh, NC

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:

Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Raleigh For 2022?

Rank Neighborhood Population Home Value Median Income
1 South 17,197 $131,456 $42,477
2 Southwest 22,629 $132,067 $38,691
3 South Central 8,076 $128,425 $25,637
4 East Raleigh 11,665 $175,225 $42,542
5 Southeast 28,074 $124,092 $43,932
6 Central 5,240 $247,500 $31,463
7 Northeast 87,424 $154,814 $56,500
8 North Central 6,392 $247,660 $35,632
9 West 37,998 $161,100 $49,446
10 Mordecai 2,801 $287,625 $54,564
11 Falls Of Neuse 9,631 $267,200 $59,730
12 Northwest 81,974 $279,428 $78,719
13 Six Forks 10,549 $374,150 $76,056
14 North 76,649 $266,389 $80,005
15 Hillsborough 14,634 $256,791 $50,986
16 Wade 8,992 $387,250 $86,021
17 Five Points 8,393 $516,550 $107,650
18 Glenwood 7,562 $619,129 $128,078

Editor's Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don't freak out we updated this article for 2022. This is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Raleigh.
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.