As the capital of North Carolina and one of the anchor cities in the renowned Research Triangle, Raleigh, NC, has a thriving job market. But where are you starting your commute to work? New Home Inc. has suggestions for the best places to live for Raleigh commuters in 2024.

The Raleigh and Research Triangle commute

Raleigh is consistently ranked among the “Best Places to Live” in North Carolina and the entire United States. There’s no question it’s a great city. However, if your lifestyle preference is to put some distance between your home and urban life, you have plenty of choices. With major roadways and commuter rail, take your pick of some of the best Raleigh suburbs for commuters that offer a high quality of life and affordability.

With the completion of the I-540 loop around Raleigh, NC, you can get to the city from any direction and follow the loop to your city destination. So, if you’re living south of Raleigh but your job is on the eastern, western, or northern side of the city, get on the I-540 loop and it’s a quick trip.

Fuquay-Varina: 25 minutes

Living in Fuquay-Varina, NC—a Raleigh suburb that’s 18 miles from the capital—presents many advantages, including an easy commute. Fuquay-Varina is included as one of “7 Suburban Cities With Easy Commutes to Raleigh”, so it’s definitely worth a look.

Route 401 in Fuquay-Varina provides a direct road to Raleigh. Depending on what area of Raleigh, the drive can take 25 to 35 minutes on most days.

Why is Fuquay-Varina a great place to live for Raleigh commuters? Aside from the convenient location, this rapidly growing town has so much to offer residents. And all of these benefits are no secret, judging by the fact that the current Fuquay-Varina population is about 44,000 people, which represents nearly 28% growth just since 2020.

Best of the Best!

Fuquay-Varina, NC, has been reviewed by major media, including U.S. News & World Report, and has earned its place on many “Best Places” lists.

• Fuquay-Varina was ranked by Niche.com as one of the Best U.S. Suburbs to Move to in 2024 for Public Schools, Good for Families, Diversity, Nightlife, Housing, and Safety.  
• The Raleigh suburb earned a place high on the lists of “Best Places to Buy a House in North Carolina” ”Best Suburbs to Live in North Carolina”, Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in North Carolina”, and “Best Suburbs for Young Professionals in North Carolina”. 
• Safewise has acclaimed Fuquay-Varina as one of the safest places to live in North Carolina, and MoneyGeek ranks this Raleigh suburb as the safest town in the entire state!

Active, vibrant downtown community

Fuquay-Varina has two historic downtown districts, recognized as a Nationally Accredited Main Street and a North Carolina Main Street Community. There are so many things to do in Fuquay-Varina all year ’round.

• You can browse Fuquay-Varina’s wide variety of locally owned shops, dine at your choice of restaurants—from cafes to fine bistros to craft brewpubs—and explore a wide variety of cultural offerings at places like the Fuquay-Varina Arts Center. 
• Fuquay-Varina’s rich history is on display at the Fuquay-Varina Museums at Ashworth Park.
• Downtown Fuquay-Varina hosts special events throughout the year, one more reason to head downtown.
• Every Saturday from April through September, the Fuquay-Varina Growers Market presents the freshest produce, cheese, baked goods, flowers, plants, and artisanal specialties and creations. 

So, when you’re not commuting to Raleigh from Fuquay-Varina, you can take it easy or play as hard as you like!

Take in the outdoors

Do you need recreation in your hometown? Fuquay-Varina fulfills that wish, too. 

• Fuquay-Varina has a network of 20 parks, spanning 500 acres. 
• The wildly popular, multi-use South Park is the place to go on a hot day, so you can release your inner child in the park’s 6,000-square-foot splash pad. On the drier side, South Park offers several sports fields, a playground, walking track, and picnic area.

 The multi-use recreational area also gives the community three baseball fields, two multi-purpose fields, a playground, picnic area, a walking track, and access to the nearby Jeff Wells Memorial Trail. 

• Just up the road from South Park, the Fuquay-Varina Community Center features a fitness center and gymnasium.
• If you’ve got a canine companion, you’ll both appreciate the Fuquay-Varina Dog Park. Your pup can run free on 8 fenced-in acres from 7 a.m. to dusk.

New homes for sale in Fuquay-Varina, NC

New Home Inc. has a variety of choices of new homes for sale in Fuquay-Varina, offering both townhomes and single-family homes.

Sippihaw Springs

With 16 homes planned here, Sippihaw Springs is a quiet neighborhood that’s convenient to everything you need. Downtown Fuquay is minutes away, along with main thoroughfares to take you beyond Fuquay-Varina. Situated along 2 cul-de-sac roads, this neighborhood offers great privacy—like a village within the town.

New Home Inc. has selected a diverse portfolio of Sippihaw Springs floor plans, ranging from 1,871 to nearly 3,200 square feet. Each floor plan provides you with a variety of ways to personalize the layout and features to make it distinctly your own. 

New Home Inc. has several quick move-in homes for sale in Fuquay-Varina, NC, at Sippihaw Springs, so you could be one of the first people to move here! And with only 16 homes to be built in this community, the opportunities are limited.

Gardner Farms

When you set out to discover new homes for sale in Fuquay-Varina, NC, plan to include the area just beyond this Raleigh suburb. 

We’re building Gardner Farms in Willow Spring, a rural community that’s just 4 miles from Fuquay-Varina. To reflect the open spaces that attract people to Willow Spring, the Gardner Farms homesites give you more room—from 0.5 to 2.3 acres! And we’re limiting the community to 43 homes. The Gardner Farms floor plans present many variations that give you options to create the home you want while maintaining curb appeal throughout the neighborhood. Come for a tour of the furnished model and the quick move-in homes for sale in Fuquay-Varina, NC, at Gardner Farms.

Willow Spring has become a popular Raleigh suburb, and with only 43 homes in Gardner Farms, it’s a limited opportunity to have a modern home in this rural setting so close to Fuquay-Varina.

Springwood Townes

Springwood Townes is New Home Inc.’s townhome community within walking distance of Downtown Fuquay, including the dog park. We’ve designed this neighborhood for distinctive curb appeal, with each building having unique design features. 

The 3-story Springwood Townes floor plans offer 1,813 to 2,318 square feet of interior living space. Each 3-bedroom, 3-bath layout includes options to refine your chosen design to your liking. 

Quick move-in townhomes—brand new construction!—are ready right now. Take your pick of end or center units. Each has outdoor living spaces and the modern features that have made New Home Inc. stand out from other home builders in Raleigh, NC.

Smithfield: 33 minutes

With the Neuse River running through it, Smithfield, NC, is another growing Raleigh suburb. Just 30 miles and an average 33-minute drive separate the two destinations. From Smithfield, hop on Route 70 to Interstate 40, which takes you right into Raleigh.

Living in Smithfield gives you all the comforts and benefits of a small town (population: 12,829), with extras. Certified by Main Street America as a Main Street Community, Smithfield has also earned a slate of awards and recognition for its commitment to revitalization and community development. 

In addition to being a great location for commuting to Raleigh, consider these other reasons to live in Smithfield, NC.

Top-notch schools

Served by the acclaimed Johnston County School District, Smithfield’s schools provide a well-rounded, quality education, reflecting the town’s commitments to developing a thriving community.

• Johnston County Public Schools includes one of the largest concentrations of top-rated public schools in the entire state of North Carolina.
• Although it’s a small town, Smithfield’s schools—from preschool through high school—have kept pace with advances in technology, education, and culture.

Historic Downtown Smithfield is the place to go

More than 250 years of the town’s history comes together in Historic Downtown Smithfield. 

• Whether you’re craving a quick bite or a leisurely meal, the restaurants and cafes in Downtown Smithfield can satisfy your appetite. Several farm-to-table establishments pride themselves on supporting the local agricultural community in a tasty way.
• In Smithfield, a good brew can be coffee or tea at The Gilded Pear or a craft beer at one of the pubs.
• The locally owned shops in Downtown Smithfield present a great way to browse a diverse array of offerings.
• The historic Howell Theatre has been the town’s premier movie theatre for almost 90 years.
• Smithfield has earned awards for its special events. The town closes down the streets to traffic and invites visitors to festivals that include the very popular Ham & Yam Festival and the Downtown Smithfield Wine Walk. 

Smithfielders like to play outside

With all this gorgeous North Carolina weather, you probably want to get outside and be active. You can do that close to home when you’re living in Smithfield.

• The Smithfield Recreation and Aquatic Center offers a 50-meter, 8-lane indoor pool and indoor splash park. The facility also houses racquetball and basketball courts, indoor walking track, fitness center, and aerobics room.
• Between Smithfield Community Park and Smith-Collins Park, you’ll find sports fields, courts (tennis, basketball, horseshoes, bocce, shuffleboard), a batting cage, disc golf course, playgrounds, picnic shelters, and even a splash pad. 
• Smithfield also has a dedicated, fully fenced dog park.
• The Country Club of Johnston County in Smithfield offers members a 7,000-yard, 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, and swimming pool. 

New homes for sale in Smithfield, NC

New Home Inc. is building an exciting community of new homes for sale in Smithfield, NC. Location, big yards, modern homes—it’s waiting for you just beyond the town—and in an ideal location for commuting to Raleigh.

Hearon Pointe

If you’re interested in living in Smithfield, NC, look just beyond the town and you’ll discover a rare opportunity to have the luxury of a large yard and modern home in a quiet area, just minutes from the amenities you need and want.

Hearon Pointe is situated between 2 Raleigh suburbs—Smithfield and Clayton. Choose the direction and you have a downtown district minutes away from home. With only 24 homes planned here, New Home Inc. designed Hearon Pointe for privacy and solitude. 

The single-family homes planned for Hearon Pointe will be situated on homesites that offer just under an acre to more than 2 acres. This kind of spaciousness is hard to find. And at prices starting from $389,700, buying one of the 24 homes for sale at Hearon Pointe is a truly unique opportunity—and a limited one.

New Home Inc. has begun building at Hearon Pointe, and we have quick move-in homes for sale right now.

Lillington: 39 minutes

The town of Lillington, NC, is 31 miles south of Raleigh. You can make this commute in less than 40 minutes, following major roads that include NC 210, NC 55, and US 401. 

Lilllington is the quintessential small town, with about 4,600 residents, reflecting 35% growth in the past ten years. Still, don’t let the number fool you. Lillington is a small town with big plans to keep up with its growth. Downtown Lillington is undergoing a master-planned revitalization. 

Citytistics gave Lillington an “A+” for Livability, noting the tight-knit community and affordable cost of living, safety, and diversity. The site defined living in Lillington as a “sparse suburban feel, which can be a nice mix between rural areas and large suburban areas.”

New Home Inc. has a few more reasons to live in Lillington, NC.

Fun, food, and festivities in a revitalized downtown 

People who enjoy living in Lillington aren’t looking for the big box stores and busy nightlife that’s available in larger Raleigh suburbs. People here want a simpler, quieter way of life.

• Lillington has a charming downtown district, populated with shops, restaurants, cafes, markets, and services.
• The downtown’s renaissance is bringing a more contemporary atmosphere that welcomes pedestrians to wander the shops, enjoy outside dining, and take part in the special events planned.

From Raven Rock to raptors

How do you like your outdoor activity? In Lillington, you might discover some new favorites.

• Lillington sits on the banks of the famous Cape Fear River. From swimming, tubing, and paddle boarding to kayaking, canoeing, and even waterskiing, Cape Fear River is perfect for water sports.
• The trails of Raven Rock State Park in Lillington are a favorite for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. The park’s Lanier Falls and Fish Traps Rapids are open to backcountry camping and fishing. Spend a day or longer!
• Another favorite Lillington destination is Hawk Manor Falconry. Get up close with exquisite birds of prey—hawks, falcons, owls, and vultures.

New homes for sale in Lillington, NC

New Home Inc. is bringing new homes with large yards to this small town. We’ve begun building in two communities: Duncan’s Creek and Heritage at Neill’s Creek.

Duncan’s Creek

Duncan’s Creek is nestled in a scenic location just outside Downtown Lillington. 174 new construction single-family homes are planned, starting at $299,700. The homesites are at least a half-acre and as large as 1.3 acres—another benefit you won’t find in larger towns and cities.

Our curated portfolio of Duncan’s Creek floor plans includes ranch-style and two-story homes, with up to 5 bedrooms for the 174 homes to be built here. You’ll have a variety of exterior styles that have been designed to complement one another while also giving your home a unique style.

Ready to move right away? Check out these quick move-in homes at Duncan’s Creek.

Heritage at Neill’s Creek

Heritage at Neill’s Creek is a new community with just 24 homesites, offering generously sized lots from 0.5 to more than 2 acres. New Home Inc. designed the neighborhood with 2 cul-de-sacs, enhancing the privacy. Living here gives you the benefits of country living in a modern home!

Home prices start at $354,70, so affordable for brand new homes with such large yards. We’ve assembled Heritage at Neill’s Creek floor plans with choices that give you a multitude of options to stylize your new home. 

You can choose one of these floor plans and let New Home Inc. build your dream home. Or browse our quick move-in homes at Heritage at Neill’s Creek—brand new construction with New Home Inc.’s elevated standard for standard features.

Start your commute at New Home Inc.

New Home Inc. is building communities of brand new townhomes and single-family homes for sale in Raleigh and the surrounding Raleigh suburbs. We’ve explored each city and town to find appealing locations for homebuyers who want close proximity to the wide range of unique offerings, including an easy commute to Raleigh. 

But we’re more than just another builder with new construction homes for sale. New Home Inc. has developed a unique approach to homebuilding, a forward-thinking view we call “Future-Proof”.

Every New Home Inc. home and townhome reflects the Future-Proof concept. Your new home includes the latest in smart automation technology, healthy home and energy efficiency advances, and design features that many builders consider an upgrade. We start with a higher standard so you get the home you want without compromises.

Take a look at New Home Inc.’s communities and new homes for sale in Raleigh and the very commutable Raleigh suburbs of Lillington, Fuquay-Varina, Smithfield, and Willow Spring. Then contact us to learn more about the best places to live for Raleigh commuters.