This is not a list you want to see anywhere close to you included on. But unfortunately, one North Carolina city did rank in the top 10 for the highest homicide rates. Homicide rates have been increasing nationwide, and this problem seems to be the worst in major cities. You most likely have heard about the numerous shootings that occur seemingly every weekend in Chicago. And even living here in Charlotte and scouring news sites daily as I do, it seems there has been at least one a day for weeks now. Something has to be done to combat this problem, unfortunately, I don’t think anyone truly knows how to fix this. But it shouldn’t be that hard to just not kill someone. Just don’t do it. But what do I know?

This data come to us from our friends over at WalletHub who compared the largest 45 cities in the US to determine which have the biggest homicide problems. They looked at the number of homicides per capita in Q1 of this year. Additionally, they compared that data to the same time period in 2021 and 2022. From there they ranked each of those 45 cities, which is the information you’ll find below. I’ve included the top 5 cities nationwide as well as where the three North Carolina cities included ranked for homicide rates. The cities are Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham. Think you know where they ranked? Find out below. Want to read the full study and methodology? You can read that via WalletHub here.

The Top 5
Memphis, TN

New Orleans, LA

Richmond, VA

Washington, DC

Detroit, MI
6. Durham, NC
SeanPavonePhoto

I have found my visits to Durham to be enjoyable. But the city does have a bit of a reputation, and in this case, well the data backs that reputation. Here are the stats Durham has accumulated through Q1 of 2023.

Homicide Cases Per Capita: 4.66 (Calculated per 100,000 residents) This is 14th overall

Change In Homicide Cases Per Capita: 1.79, this ranked third nationally indicated Durham has seen a large increase in homicides in 2023 compared to 2022.
30. Charlotte, NC

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After the recent trends, I expect Charlotte will move up significantly higher when these statistics are pulled after Q2. It seems like we are hearing about homicides and shootings daily. But according to Q1 data, Charlotte ranked 30th.

Homicide Cases Per Capita: 1.97 (Calculated per 100,000 residents) This is 30th overall

Change In Homicide Cases Per Capita: -.23, this ranked 27th nationally indicating Charlotte actually saw a slight decrease in homicides.

Another interesting fact is ranked right above Charlotte- Anchorage Alaska. I’m not sure what that really says but it did stand out as interesting to me.
41. Raleigh, NC
Mark Howard

Coming in 11 spots behind Charlotte, is our state’s capital city. Only 45 cities were ranked in this study, so Raleigh came out pretty well. They had just .87 homicides per capita in Q1, which was a -1.51 decrease. Not bad Raleigh, keep it up. Let’s get that number all the way down to zero where it should be for every city in the country.
US News Ranks These Two North Carolina Cities Among The Nation's 10 Best Places To Live
We love a friendly rivalry between cities. And we love to see who comes out on top in those rivalries when publications put together different lists. This time it’s the Best Places To Live. And this list comes from a reputable source- US News and World Report. As North Carolina residents we know there are plenty of fantastic places to call home in North Carolina. Whether it’s the beaches the Piedmont, or the mountains. There is something for everyone. Each year US News ranks the best places to live in the US, and this year not one but two North Carolina cities made the top 10. Yes, the top 10 for the entire country. That’s big! And yes, it comes down to the two cities you’d expect Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham.

I know people have strong feelings about both, but I’ve called the two cities home though Charlotte for much more of my life, and love them both. I’ll give you a hint one city ranked number 3 and the other came in at number 8 on this list. You can read all the information on the methodology US News uses in ranking cities here. Below you’ll find the top 7 places to live in North Carolina. Why seven? It’s the cities that are among the nation’s 150 most populous. You’ll also see where they stack up overall against the rest of the United States. And below that, you’ll find the top places to live in the US.

You can read the full list from US News & World Report here.
7. Fayetteville
#135 Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 5.7

Quality of Life: 6.0

Value: 6.8
6. Greensboro
#72 Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 5.7

Quality of Life: 6.5

Value: 7.5
5. Winston-Salem
#41 Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.4

Quality of Life: 6.7

Value: 7.7

Kruck20
4. Asheville
#29 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.5

Quality of Life: 6.8

Value: 7.0

Kruck20
3. Hickory
#25 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.5

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 8.6

Jeff Yount
2. Charlotte
#8 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.7

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 7.0

Sean Pavone
1. Raleigh & Durham
#3 Best Places To Live Overall

Overall Score: 6.9

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 7.0

Sean Pavone