Best Neighborhoods in Cary NC

Cary, centered in the heart of the Raleigh-Durham Metro, is the gold standard for suburban living. This guide, focusing on the “best neighborhoods in Cary NC,” provides a comprehensive look at the top areas, including house sizes and other key details.

Lochmere, Cary NC

Living in Cary

Cary Homes for Sale

Best Neighborhoods in Cary NC: A Detailed Overview

Amberly: $300k – $1.5m

Amberly is an incredible master planned community in west Cary. It’s a convenient drive to Research Triangle Park and other locations in south Durham such as the Southpointe area. It is about 25 minutes from Downtown Cary and 30 minutes from Downtown Raleigh.

Amberly is made up of multiple different neighborhoods within the community. And most of these were built by different builders, so there is quite a bit of variety in the type of homes available in Amberly. Amberly is known for it’s resort style amenities. There are also two stocked ponds for fishing, community playgrounds and miles of walking trails.

Pool and Recreation Center at Amberly, a master-planned community in Cary, NC — The pool at Amberly!

There are many sub-communities within Amberly in Cary, NC — One of many sub-communities within Amberly

The town of Cary greenway system runs through Amberly. — One of many sub-communities within Amberly

Nearby shopping include Parkside Town Commons and there are several grocery stores including Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, Publix and Aldi. Find homes for sale in Amberly.

Housing Types: Attached, single family homes
House Sizes: Typically range from 1390 to 5,555 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from .1 to 1 acre
Amenities: Clubhouse, fitness center, indoor & outdoor pool, pottery studio, library, billiards, sport courts, lawn care included
HOA Fees: $200/month
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 2005 through 2020
Walkability: Includes sidewalks

Carpenter Village: $300s – $1.1m

Carpenter Village is a close-knit, master planned community in Cary. There are many styles of homes in Carpenter Village but some of the most unique are the low country, southern style homes with generous front porches and architectural details that look like they came out of a Southern Living magazine.

Yellow home with white picket fence in Carpenter Village, Cary NC — Beautiful Streetscapes in Carpenter Village

Pool at Carpenter Village in Cary NC — The pool

Private Lake in Carpenter Village in Cary, NC — The pool

The neighborhood is centered around a community lake with walking trails and there are quite a few amenities, including a clubhouse, pool, tennis and volleyball courts and a playground. There is also a village square with a few shops and restaurants.Carpenter Village is also adjacent to Carpenter Park, a town of Cary maintained park, with a community garden, large fields for playing ball, and playgrounds. Find homes for sale in Carpenter Village.

Housing Types: Attached, single family homes
House Sizes: Typically range from 1,330 to 4,056 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from .04 to .3 acres.
Amenities: Clubhouse, pool, tennis, volleyball, community park and lake, walking trails, playground
HOA Fees: $217/quarter
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 1997 through 2007.
Walkability: Walking trails, community park, and sidewalks

Cary Park: $200s – $1.5m

Cary Park is another master planned community. Located in west Cary, this gorgeous neighborhood has incredible access to the Cary Greenway system. Cary Park Lake is the focal point of the neighborhood and the community also has a clubhouse with two pools, a soccer field, basketball, and a playground. Find homes for sale in Cary Park.

Housing Types: Single family, condos, townhouses
House Sizes: Typically range from 760 to 4,800sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from 0 to .3 acres.
Amenities: Clubhouse, pool, playground, lake, biking & walking trails
pics of clubhouse amenities if useful
HOA Fees: $135/month
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 2001 through 2018.
Walkability: Includes walking trails and sidewalks

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Lochmere: $300s – $2.2m

Lochmere is one of the first master planned communities in Cary. Within Lochmere are two lakes, a boat ramp, many great amenities and a recreation club that hosts many neighborhood activities and events. In addition to the numerous community amenities, Lochmere is also a golf community, anchored by Lochmere Golf Club.

Java Jive Coffee Shop at the entrance to Lochmere subdivision in Cary NC — Java Jive

Lochmere subdivision in Cary NC centered around Lake Lochmere — Java Jive

Lochmere is walkable to quiet a lot! There is a shopping center right at the entrance to the community with a great coffee shop (Java Jive), a really good Italian restaurant, Bocci Trattoria (I loved this place before I had to stop eating gluten!) and a wonderful hair salon, plus many other little shops. Find homes for sale in Lochmere.

Housing Types: Single family, condos, townhouses
House Sizes: Typically range from 1,214 to 6,042 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from .2 to 2 acres.
Amenities: Clubhouse, pool, tennis, 3 lakes , pickleball, volleyball, golf club with additional membership, walking and biking trails
HOA Fees: $64/month
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 1985 through 2009.
Walkability: walking trails throughout neighborhood. Walkable to neighborhoods shops.

MacGregor Downs: $500s – $4.4m

Every community has that one neighborhood where everyone wishes they could live. In Cary, that community is MacGregor Downs. This well established neighborhood is known for it’s stately homes on large, wooded lots. The Macgregor Downs golf course winds it’s way through the neighborhood, giving the whole community a park-like feel. Find homes for sale in MacGregor Downs.

Housing Types: Attached, single family homes
House Sizes: Typically range from 1,790 to 7,069sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from .06 to .7 acres.
Amenities: Lake, country club with golf, pool, clubhouse, sports courts (membership not included), walking trails
HOA Fees: $355/month
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 1971 through 2016.
Walkability: sidewalks, walking trails

Preston: $250k – $3.4m

Preston is a large master planned golf community in Cary. It was originally founded in the 1990’s by SAS, a local software development company, presumably for their executives. It is made up of many small neighborhoods. Part of the community is in Morrisville and part of it is in Cary. Preston is made up of 35 subdivisions with 1291 homes. It is managed by the Preston HOA, Find homes for sale in Preston.

Housing Types: Single family homes, attached
House Sizes: Typically range from 1,501 to 7,645 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from .4 to .8 acres.
Amenities: Lake, playground, park (Prestonwood Country Club not included- pool, golf, tennis)
HOA Fees: $36/month
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 1988 through 2001.
Walkability: Sections are walkable to restaurants and Publix

Kildaire Crossing: $725k – $1.1m

Located in beautiful south Cary, Kildaire Crossing is ideally situated just minutes Cary’s beautiful Hemlock Bluffs nature preserve and walkable to numerous shops, restaurants, coffee shops and grocery stores. With larger homes and even an occasional basement lot, this neighborhood is a winner! Find homes for sale in Kildaire Crossing.

Housing Types: Single family homes
House Sizes: Typically range from 2,845 to 5,800 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from .2 to .35 acres.
Amenities: Pool, playground
HOA Fees: $320/quarterly
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 2016 through 2018.
Walkability: Sidewalks

Downtown Cary: $220k – $1.6m

Downtown Cary is a collection of neighborhoods that have developed over the years since Cary’s inception. There are a few historic homes, a large number of mid-century homes and a growing number of upscale new construction homes with lots of variety in between. Being in this coveted spot allows you walkable access to just about anything you could need, including a robust arts center with many classes and performance opportunities. A historic theatre that shows indie films and features comedy shows. Multiple coffee shops, breweries and restaurants. And a creatively designed urban park with lots of firepits to spend time with friends and family. All this in a quaint, village like atmosphere. Find homes for sale in Downtown Cary.

Housing Types: Townhouse, condo, single family
House Sizes: Typically range from 835 to 5,343 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from 0 to 1 acres.
Amenities: Walking distance to downtown
HOA Fees: N/A
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 1972 through 2023.
Walkability: Retail, restaurants, parks, farmers market, sidewalks and crosswalks

Weldon Ridge: $500s – $1.4m

If you’re a hiker, Weldon Ridge is for you! This well planned community includes multiple greenways within the community but it’s also adjacent to the American Tobacco Trail, a 22 mile trail spanning 3 counties. Weldon Ridge offers both adult and toddler swimming pools, aquatic slides, playground and a community clubhouse. Weldon Ridge is also 5 minutes from the USA Baseball Training Center at Thomas Brooks Park! Find homes for sale in Weldon Ridge.

Housing Types: Attached, detached
House Sizes: Typically range from 1,957 to 4,697 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from .08 to .45 acres.
Amenities: Pool, clubhouse
HOA Fees: $487.50/semi-annually
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 2006 through 2013.
Walkability: Sidewalks

Montvale – $1.2m – $3.2m

Montvale is an upscale community in West Cary, known for it’s massive lot sizes, many designed to support pools and sports courts, and it’s incredible walkability. Homes in Montvale are a mix of modern and traditional architecture, all with luxury fixtures and finishes. Montvale is adjacent to the American Tobacco Trail offering miles of hiking and biking, right out your door! Find homes for sale in Montvale.

Housing Types: Single family, estates
House Sizes: Typically range from 3,489 to 7,262 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from .38 to .45 acres.
Amenities: N/A
HOA Fees: $1,500/ year
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 2019 through 2023.
Walkability: N/A

Chatham Walk – $525k – $635k

This downtown Cary condo community is right in the heart of everything happening in Cary. Your neighbors are Sidecar Bar, Bond Brothers Brewery and Big Doms Bagel Shop! Dozens of other restaurants and shops are within a very short walk. These urban loft style condos are 1 and 2 bedrooms with poured concrete floors and upscale finishes throughout. Find homes for sale in Chatham Walk. Find homes for sale in Chatham Walk.

Housing Types: Condo
House Sizes: Typically range from 960 to 1,531 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: N/A
Amenities: Maintenance, garbage pickup
HOA Fees: $183-292/month
Age of Homes: Mostly built from 2018 through 2020.
Walkability: Walking distance to retail/restaurants

Park Village – $430k – $800k

Park Village has two Town of Cary Parks right next to the community! With easy access to the incredible Cary Greenway System, Davis Drive Park, Ed Yerha Park, and even the Davis Drive Middle School, walking and biking are part of daily life in Park Village. The community boasts a playground of its own as well as a pool and clubhouse. There is plenty of community green space and even a small lake. You are just a five minute drive from a Publix and plenty of restaurants (even Goodberrys)! Find homes for sale in Park Village.

Park Village in Cary NC has neighborhood access to Cary's White Oak Greenway.

Park Village Homes give owners easy access to two Town of Cary Parks, Ed Yerha Park and Davis Drive Park.

Housing Types: single family
House Sizes: Typically range from 1,600 to 2,900 sq ft.
Lot Sizes: Ranging from .12 to .22 acres
Amenities: Easy Greenway access, Community Pool and Clubhouse, Pond, Playground, walkable to Cary Parks.
HOA Fees: $300, bi-annually
Age of Homes: Mostly built in the mid-1990’s.
Walkability: Walkable to Davis Drive Park, Ed Yerha Park, and the Cary Greenway system as well as Davis Drive Middle School via the White Oak Greenway.