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U.S. News and World Report listed Apex and Cary in North Carolina as two of the best places to live in the country for 2026-27.
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The group uses value, desirability, job market strength and quality of life to identify good places to live. Huntersville was also listed among the best places to live in the United States.
U.S. News and World Report also ranks hospitals, including those in Raleigh and Charlotte.
Apex came in at No. 20. A part of the Raleigh suburbs and the Research Triangle, U.S. News and World Report identified Apex to have a better job market than the national average. It is also close to Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University.
Apex is also the 11th-best small city to live in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report, which has the following statistics for the town:
Apex recently landed on WalletHub’s report of the best small cities in the United States, highlighted for its economic health, affordability and quality of life, The News & Observer previously reported.
Cary came in at No. 11. Like other towns in the area, it has a healthy economy, especially in tech and healthcare. Cary also offers a lower cost of living compared to similarly sized cities, according to U.S. News and World Report.
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Cary is also the 5th-best medium-sized city in America to live in, according to the group, which has the following statistics for the town:
Cary was recently named the No. 1 place to live in the country by Niche, an organization that provides rankings on schools and places to live. The town was highlighted for its public schools and family life, The N&O previously reported.
Cary is home to several restaurants in The News & Observer’s Top 50, and it has also hosted major soccer, rugby and pickleball matches.
USA today ranked The Nest at Downtown Cary Park as one of the best playgrounds in the country in 2025. The park opened in 2023 and has drawn hundreds of thousands since, with amenities such as a skywalk and a dog park.
Apex and Cary border one another, and they are drivable to the cities of the Research Triangle. In 2024, Apex was high on a list of “boomtowns” seeing rapid shifts in population and income.
Portions of this article were previously published in The Charlotte Observer.
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This story was originally published August 17, 2026 at 8:00 AM.