Places › North Carolina › Fuquay-Varina

Living in Fuquay-Varina, NC

Suburb in North Carolina

Fuquay-Varina is a suburb in North Carolina, home to about 38,000 people, with 1.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Fuquay-Varina a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Safe: violent crime is 0.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Dog-friendly: 21 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Strong healthcare: 6 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Fuquay-Varina ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
38,000
1.5 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
54°F / 86°F
Average daily highs · 5″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$477k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,200/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
98
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,615
State income tax per resident · 0.7% property tax
Safety
0.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
6
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Good
Tests above US average · 17 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
53%
3 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
RDU
20 mi away

Living in Fuquay-Varina: common questions

What is the cost of living in Fuquay-Varina?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $477k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,200 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 98, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Fuquay-Varina?

North Carolina collects about $1,615 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.7% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Fuquay-Varina safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Fuquay-Varina?

Public schools in Fuquay-Varina test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 17 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Fuquay-Varina?

Fuquay-Varina has cool winters: winter days average around 54°F and summer days around 86°F, with roughly 5″ of snow a year.

Does Fuquay-Varina get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.24 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Fuquay-Varina?

The nearest major airport is RDU, about 20 mi away.

How Fuquay-Varina scores

Each bar compares Fuquay-Varina with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietSuburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureCulture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAverage cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityFriendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingHouses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingAverage
💸Low taxesExcellent
💼Job marketAverage
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsGood
🎓EducationGood
🧸Kids & familyExcellent
🐕Dog-friendlyExcellent
⛰️OutdoorsBelow average
🎭CulturePoor
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyAverage
🌤️Mild summersGood
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Fuquay-Varina

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Holly Springs, NCSuburb68 $420k$2,200/moVery safe Fort Mill, SCSuburb70 $403k$2,080/moVery safe Huntersville, NCSuburb72 $431k$2,080/moVery safe Wake Forest, NCSuburb72 $389k$2,200/moVery safe Peachtree City, GASmall city67 $421k$2,180/moNo crime data Mount Juliet, TNSuburb64 $484k$2,210/moVery safe

Nearby

Holly Springs, NCSuburb · 5 mi away68 $420k$2,200/moVery safe Apex, NCSuburb · 11 mi away70 $459k$2,200/moVery safe Garner, NCSuburb · 11 mi away67 $346k$2,200/moSafe Cary, NCSuburb · 13 mi away72 $484k$2,200/moVery safe Morrisville, NCSuburb · 17 mi away73 $399k$2,200/moVery safe Raleigh, NCMid-size city · 18 mi away64 $369k$2,200/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in North Carolina.

Is Fuquay-Varina right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.