CITY OF RALEIGH
City Offices
919-996-3070
https://raleighnc.gov/
Chamber of Commerce
919-664-7000
https://www.raleighchamber.org/
The vibrant city of Raleigh anchors the Triangle region, which continually earns accolades for being the best place to live and work in the nation. The list of national and international recognition includes leading publications like Fortune, Money, and Time magazines. Residents enjoy all of the amenities of a major metropolitan center without the high cost of living and heavy urban crowding associated with most big cities.
Services
Access to some of the finest healthcare services and facilities in the nation and in the world is one component of Raleigh’s appeal. Exemplary healthcare systems operate world-renowned research and teaching hospitals. WakeMed Health & Hospitals is based in Raleigh but extends its facilities and services through out Wake County. Centers of Excellence include the Heart Center, WakeMed Children’s, Women’s Pavilion and Birthplace, Emergency & Trauma, Rehab, and Center for Patient Safety. Rex Hospital is part of the UNC Health system, affiliated with the University of North Carolina, and offers clinical expertise in oncology, surgery, cardiac and vascular, obstetric and women’s care, diagnostics, geriatrics, urgent care, emergency medicine and wellness. Duke Raleigh Hospital is proud to be a part of the renowned Duke Medicine system, delivering advanced care through an entire network of facilities.
The opportunities for quality education are another feather in the city’s cap, underlined by the highly ranked Wake County Public School System and an impressive selection of private schools. With so many international companies operating in the Triangle area, Raleigh is also home to several international schools including the Raleigh Academy of Chinese Language and the Japanese Language School of Raleigh. Wake Technical Community College, a vital part of the North Carolina Community College System, is a valuable resource that provides nearly 55 degree programs and serves nearly 60,000 students. North Carolina State University in west Raleigh is one of the nation’s premier research institutions and a national leader in engineering, architecture, biotechnology, and veterinary medicine. The university maintains a close relationship with many of the region’s technology companies, and its work in signal processing, communication, and microchip technology remains at the forefront in national research. Other four-year colleges and universities in Raleigh include the private institutions of Meredith College and William Peace university, the private Shaw University affiliated with the Baptist Church, and the private St. Augustine’s College.
Lifestyle
Raleigh has been nicknamed the “Smithsonian of the South” for the wide variety of world-class museums that lead the South in size and quality. Because Raleigh is the Capital City of North Carolina, state museums are available for art, history, and the natural sciences. The Marbles Kids Museum is popular with families, although this venue provides exhibits and programs for residents of all ages. The Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts offers a number of fine venues that showcase the performing arts, while the star-studded stage of the Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek welcomes the biggest names in music. Some of the celebrated groups that regularly perform in Raleigh are the North Carolina Symphony, the Opera Company of North Carolina, the North Carolina Theatre, and the Carolina Ballet. The latter has earned critical acclaim from critics from the New York Times to the Washington Post. The city’s rich tradition of blues, jazz, gospel, and bluegrass keep the clubs and night spots alive with pulsating music.
North Carolina is known for its mild weather and breathtaking natural beauty, encouraging recreational activities and outdoor adventures both indoors and out. Spectacular golf courses, private sports clubs, tennis courts, sports leagues, recreation programs for all ages, and lush parks are scattered throughout the area. Beyond the city limits, Wake County is known for preserving an abundance of open space. Jordan Lake and Falls Lake are both outstanding recreational destinations, each one offering a park and other amenities. Miles of award-winning hiking trails and biking paths are available for active residents, while the professional and collegiate sports scene is one of the nation’s hottest. For “retail therapy,” Raleigh offers more than 15 million square feet of merchandise displays in indoor and outdoor malls as well as power centers with more than 350,000 square feet of space in each. Housing options are exceptionally attractive, with many enclaves canopied by towering trees and lush greenery with brilliant seasonal blooms. With all the city has to offer, many people feel that the friendliness of their neighbors is the ultimate crowning glory of life in Raleigh.
NEIGHBORHOOD PROFILES
East Raleigh
The section of the city designated as East Raleigh generally extends from Capital Boulevard near the Interstate 440 beltline to New Hope Road. Most of the development in East Raleigh is clustered along the primary corridors such as US Highway 1 (also known as Capital Boulevard), New Bern Avenue, Poole Road, Buffaloe Road, and New Hope Road. East Raleigh is bordered by the town of Knightdale in Wake County. The neighborhoods in this eastern area include Brentwood, New Hope, and Wilder’s Grove.
Midtown Raleigh
Once considered to be a part of North Raleigh, Midtown Raleigh is situated just to the north of the Interstate 440 beltline. Rapid growth in the city within the past decade has placed Midtown in a more centrally located section of the city, differentiating it from the neighborhoods of North Raleigh. The boundaries of Midtown are Lead Mine Road on the west, Wake Forest Road on the east, and Millbrook Road to the north. This convenient area is a shopping destination for many who live in Raleigh and the surrounding suburbs, as it is home to the recently renovated North Hills Mall and the Crabtree Valley Mall.
North Raleigh
This expansive and diverse section of the city is growing rapidly, encompassing a number of long-established neighborhoods to the south as well as contemporary subdivisions and new construction toward the northern fringes. The flavor is definitely suburban, blending large shopping centers and amenities with residential development. Some of the major neighborhoods and subdivisions in North Raleigh include Bedford, Bent Tree, Brookhaven, Crossgate, Falls River, North Ridge, Stonebridge, Stone Creek, Stonehenge, Wakefield, Windsor Forest, and Wood Valley. North Raleigh is primarily considered to be north of Millbrook Road and is served by several major transportation corridors including Glenwood Avenue (US Route 70), Wake Forest Road, Millbrook Road, Lynn Road, Six Forks Road, Spring Forest Road, Creedmoor Road, Leesville Road, and Strickland Road. The Interstate 540 Expressway is another important thoroughfare for North Raleigh residents.
Olde Raleigh
The section of the city that is “inside the beltline” is home to quaint vintage neighborhoods and historic buildings like the Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel. Other highlights in this area include the restored City Market and the Fayetteville Street business district. Many of Raleigh’s premier attractions are nestled in Olde Raleigh, including the North Carolina Museum of History, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the North Carolina State Capitol building, the campus for William Peace University, the Raleigh City Museum, the Raleigh Convention Center, Shaw University, and St. Augustine’s College. Some of the historic neighborhoods in this area include Cameron Park, Boylan Heights, Country Club Hills, Coley Forest, Five Points, Glenwood-Brooklyn, Hayes Barton, Moore Square, Mordecai, Belvidere Park, Woodcrest, and Historic Oakwood.
South Raleigh
The section of the city known as South Raleigh is situated along the US Highway 401 South toward the suburban town of Fuquary-Varina and along US 70 near suburban Garner. This area of the city is the least developed and least dense in population, which is understandable since much of it lies within the Swift Creek watershed district. The development around this area is strictly limited in terms of density and the types of allowable construction. South Raleigh is bordered by Cary on the west, by Garner on the east, and by Holly Springs to the southwest. Lake Wheeler, Swift Creek, Riverbrooke, and Enchanted Oaks are neighborhoods that are nestled in South Raleigh.
Southeast Raleigh
The section of the city designated as Southeast Raleigh is bordered by the downtown district on the west, the suburb of Garner on the southwest, and rural Wake County to the southeast. Southeast Raleigh also encompasses areas along Rock Quarry Road, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and New Bern Avenue. Diversity is the hallmark of this section of the city, encompassing everything from inner-city neighborhoods to beautiful new suburban developments. Some of the historic older neighborhoods actually date back to the closing of the Civil War era. Important neighborhoods include Chavis Heights, Raleigh Country Club, Southgate, and Biltmore Hills. The Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, located on Rock Quarry Road, serves as one of the Triangle region’s finest outdoor concert venues.
West Raleigh
The section of the city that is bordered to the west by the desirable suburban community of Cary is known as West Raleigh. Other borders include Hillsborough Street and Western Boulevard. West Raleigh is the proud home of North Carolina State University and Meredith College, although other famous landmarks include Pullen Park, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Cameron Village, Lake Johnson, the North Carolina Museum of Art, and the historic St. Mary’s School. In addition to Hillsborough Street, the main thoroughfares serving West Raleigh are Avent Ferry Road, Blue Ridge Road, and Western Boulevard.
