Best Small Towns of North Carolina: The Piedmont Region

Welcome back as we continue our trip through the best small towns and cities in the North Carolina Piedmont Region.

Hard to believe we have been on this road trip for four weeks now.   Wow, as spring rolls in, it is so beautiful here.

If you’ve been following along, you know we are highlighting the best places to live, relocate or retire to in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina that have populations of 30,000 people or less.

So far we’ve covered most of our favorite small towns and cities in the western Piedmont region, from Hendersonville, NC (What You Need To Know About The North Carolina Piedmont) to Morganton, NC (Did You See These Best Places Small Towns In North Carolina).

Today we head east to an area just south of Raleigh, NC also known as the Sandhill region.

When you enter the Sandhills you’ll notice the distinctive white sandy soil and line of sand dunes; remnants of what was once the shoreline of a vast prehistoric ocean but is now known as the geographic dividing line between the Piedmont and North Carolina’s coastal plain regions.

Long-leaf pines, golf courses and government military installations have all made a home here and we think this area might make it onto your list of the Best Places for you to live.

So now let’s take a look at three of the best small towns or cities you’ll find in this area:  Sanford, NC, Pinehurst, NC and Dunn, NC.

First up is Sanford, NC with a population 29,284.

The city of Sanford, NC is known for a number of things but the two that stand out in my mind include being known as the “direct center of the state of North Carolina”…it's right in the middle of the State. It also has a long history of brick manufacturing that earned Sanford, NC the moniker, “Brick Capital of the United States.”

Among the things that I love about Sanford, NC is a pleasant climate that makes it easy to spend almost all of your time outdoors year round.

The people of Sanford, NC must love it too because they’ve done things that have simultaneously enhanced the quality of life while increasing the aesthetic beauty of the city like building walking paths and greenways that connect downtown with the parks and nature areas on the outskirts of the city.

And if you’re not interested in hiking or golf, Sanford, NC has a local arts and theater scene that’s a lot of fun too.

Overall, you can expect housing in Sanford, NC to be a little more expensive yet still reasonable with the median home price of around $202,000.

If you decide to build you’re looking at $89 per square feet but the average monthly rental cost is very low at only $485.  You’re dollar still goes a long way in Sanford, NC especially compared to where you came from.

Pinehurst, NC is known for one thing: golf courses, golf courses and more golf courses.

With all the golfers flocking to the area, the population is still small at 12,331.   Okay golfing is not all there is but there is a definite love of outdoor activity in this area and an accommodating pleasant climate is one of Pinehurst’s biggest draws.

Interestingly enough, a Northeastern industrialist founded Pinehurst, NC to serve as a winter retreat and you definitely notice the New England style of much of the local architecture.

Pinehurst, NC has a median home price of $225,000; an average monthly rental price of $1,043 and if you’re interested in building your dream home, your average cost per square feet is $121.

Moving along to Dunn, NC while also located in the heart of golf country, it combines a wonderful small town with a population of 10,029 and an atmosphere with the hustle and bustle one gets being near two of the busiest interstates in the country.

In fact, Dunn, North Carolina is the halfway point between Florida and New York and is very close to several major cities in North Carolina.

Mobility, diversity and the great outdoors make Dunn, NC a wonderful place to live and a median home price of $112,300 and an  average monthly cost of a rental being only $437 ain’t bad either.

See you next week but in the meantime, check out our NC Best Places page if you want more information about some of the best places we’ve discussed and those yet to come.

About Bob Bencivenga

Bob Bencivenga is a professional site locator and location analyst for major corporations and has been researching the growth of NC and SC to find the Best Places to Retire or Relocate that are still affordable.

Visit his blog The Carolina Report and sign up for FREE updates by email,his FREE Affordable Best Places To Live Report and, get FREE Expert Advice on how to find Your Best Place to Retire or Relocate to in North Carolina and South Carolina, additional resources, and a lot more. Bob does not sell real estate.

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