This NC town ranks as the No. 1 most ‘in-demand’ suburb in US. Why it’s special
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- The website moveBuddha studied the most “in-demand” suburbs and cities.
- Wake Forest ranks No. 1 in the nation on the two lists.
- The North Carolina town was found to have more people wanting to move in versus move out.
North Carolina is home to a place so desirable, it was crowned a winner two separate times, new rankings show.
Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, was named the nation’s No. 1 hottest suburb. It also topped a separate list of the most attractive U.S. cities overall, according to results last updated in mid-February.
The lists come from moveBuddha, an online resource for moving and storage. To determine the top places people have considered calling home, the website said it studied housing costs on Zillow for destinations across the country. It also focused on searches potential movers made on its platform over the following time spans:
- “Best suburbs:” Feb. 1, 2025, to Jan. 31, 2026
- “Best cities:” July 1, 2025, to Jan. 31, 2026
“While not every search turns into a move, search behavior offers an early signal of where interest is building,” the website wrote in its report. “We won’t know for sure where today’s movers really go until the 2026 Census data estimates are released in 2027, but their interest can tell us a lot about their dreams and plans for the coming year before they even move.”
Wake Forest is drawing new residents
Wake Forest, home to roughly 56,000 people, was found to have an average home price just over $508,000. The town reigned supreme after data showed more people were interested in settling there compared to those who wanted to move away.
“Wake Forest, NC ranks as the most in-demand suburb in the country, with nearly 5 people searching to move in for every one leaving (4.65 ratio),” moveBuddha wrote in a news release.
Similarly, Wake Forest boasted an “in-to-out ratio” of 4.77 on the top cities list, results show.
It’s not the first time the Triangle-area town has made its mark on a national scale. In 2024, it landed on a similar list of the nation’s top “booming” suburbs for job growth and desirability, The News & Observer previously reported.
And it seems that potential movers are taking the plunge. In 2025, moveBuddha named Wake Forest one of the nation’s most popular places to move to as it highlighted the town’s growing population.
“This recognition confirms what we have always known — Wake Forest is a wonderful place to live, work, play, and raise a family,” then-mayor Vivian Jones told The Charlotte Observer in August.
“Our ranking also reflects what our residents say they love about Wake Forest — our charming people, safe neighborhoods, strong sense of community, and exceptional quality of life,” Jones said at the time.
The News & Observer reached out to moveBuddha for more information about how it distinguishes suburbs and cities. A spokesperson didn’t immediately share additional information on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
This story was originally published February 24, 2026 at 4:08 PM with the headline "This NC town ranks as the No. 1 most ‘in-demand’ suburb in US. Why it’s special."
