Living in Fuquay-Varina NC: Contents

Living in Fuquay-Varina: Personality

When you drive through Fuquay-Varina, you get a sense that this used to be a quiet country town, but now there is some serious blending of old and new.  

It has some quaint, historic districts with these beautiful, stately, historic homes. 

However, scattered around these areas are industrial buildings that line the railroad.

Go further out on the main roads, and you’ll find big box shopping and commercial restaurants.  It’s a bit of contrast between old and new, and in some areas, quaint charm and grit, depending on where you are in the town. 

But the main thing Fuquay-Varina is known for is its double downtowns! 

Yes, that’s right- you can get two downtowns for the price of one!  Fuquay-Varina used to be two separate towns: Fuquay Springs and Varina.  But they joined together as one municipality in 1963, and now it is one of the fastest-growing towns in North Carolina. 

But the best thing is that each downtown area brings its own charm and uniqueness that makes this town feel so special.

Location

Fuquay-Varina is approximately 18 miles southwest of Raleigh and shares a border with Holly Springs and Garner. 

South of Fuquay-Varina are the up-and-coming towns of Angier and Lillington, and further to the west of Fuquay lie the towns of  Sanford and Moncure.

Most of Fuquay-Varina is within Wake County, but it’s important to note that a southern portion of Fuquay-Varina falls into Harnett County.

So, how far is Fuquay-Varina’s access to city shopping and major employers compared to other towns in the Triangle? 

Right now, it’s a bit far. 

But, improved access to the I-540 toll road is coming and should be open by 2024, enhancing connectivity to other parts of the Triangle.  Right now, Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) will be about a 30-45 minute drive, and the commute to Research Triangle Park is about 30-50 minutes. 

When you’re ready to get away, the pristine beaches around Wilmington, NC, are about a two-hour drive away. If you’re looking for a charming, historic coastal town, check out Beaufort, NC, about a 2-hour and 45-minute drive.

If you’re more of a cozy mountain cabin kind of person, Boone, NC, and Blowing Rock are about 3 hours away.  Want to explore another city?  Charlotte is about 2 hours and 45 minutes, and Asheville is about 4 hours away.  So, you won’t fall short of weekend getaways!

Moving to Fuquay-Varina, NC: Cost of Living

The housing prices in Fuquay-Varina used to be a steal of a deal.  Not so much anymore! 

As the Raleigh real estate market has become red-hot, housing prices have surged in surrounding towns, including Fuquay-Varina. 

The cost of living score is 103.4, slightly above the national average.  Currently, the median home cost in Fuquay is $427,100.  A good chunk of the cost of living has come from the massive home appreciation value here.  Over the past decade, homes here have appreciated 108%!

Check out Homes Currently For Sale in Fuquay here.

However, if you’re trying to decide between Fuquay-Varina and a place like Cary, NC, you will find a lower price point out here.  

For example, Cary’s average median home cost is $574,400.  Fuquay might seem like a steal if you are considering moving from a different area of the country, like San Francisco, CA, where your average median home price is over $1.2 million.  However, the lifestyle in Fuquay isn’t the same as a city like San Francisco, so that’s not really a fair comparison.

Want to Compare Fuquay to Cary? Check out our comparison here.

While Fuquay might feel like a bit of a haul to downtown Raleigh or RTP, don’t forget that growth is happening within and all around Fuquay-Varina. However, because it isn’t as developed and congested as Raleigh or Cary, you might find a bit of a quieter lifestyle out this way.

Jobs

I previously pointed out Fuquay’s proximity to Sanford and Moncure due to their vast future economic development thanks to companies like Wolfspeed and EV car maker Vinfast building major facilities in those towns. 

Additionally, Holly Springs (Fuquay’s closest neighbor) is about to be home to the “largest end-to-end cell culture CDMO biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in North America” built by Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies. 

So, significant economic and infrastructure development is happening all around Fuquay, and developers have noticed.

Within the actual town of Fuquay-Varina, some of the major employers are John Deere Turf Care, Wake County Public Schools, and Fidelity Bank, to name a few.

In 2022, the median household income in Fuquay-Varina is $100,748.  

Culture and Community 

Fuquay-Varina is a North Carolina railroad town whose development and culture surrounded the railroads.

Because of their distance from other areas of the Triangle, Fuquay Springs and Varina developed as their own towns back in the day. 

With that early development has come a tightly woven community and a serious sense of town pride.  The town does a great job honoring its roots by having a variety of painted murals throughout its downtown corridor.

The population of Fuquay-Varina has also grown significantly over the years. 

In 2010, there were just under 18,000 residents. 

In 2020, that number had grown to just under 35,000 residents. 

But the population boom is still going! Living in Fuquay has gotten popular!

Early in 2023, the population was estimated at over 41,000.  With more economic development happening all within and surrounding Fuquay-Varina, I would be surprised if that growth slowed down any time soon.  

However, the Town of Fuquay-Varina acknowledges this growth and is working on building more amenities like the new Fuquay-Varina Community Center North.  The Town also plans to issue a bond to fund further park projects and updates.

You can learn more about how the Town is planning for growth by reading its 2040 Community Vision Land Use Plan.

Living in Fuquay: Parks

Considering the population and overall size of Fuquay-Varina compared to a town like Cary, the amount of open green space per capita is pretty astounding!  Fuquay-Varina has 20 parks and over 13 miles of greenway and park trails. 

One unique park is the Fuquay Mineral Spring Park, which highlights the history of the mineral spring, which was once a tourist destination for the town.  If you walk through the park in the evening, they have lights in the trees, making this small park feel magical.  

If you enjoy learning about local history, you can briefly stroll from downtown to the Fuquay-Varina Museums at Ashworth Park.  You can find restored historic structures, public art, and even a red caboose here.  There is also a small playground here, which is well-shaded thanks to mature trees.

If playtime with your dog is more your speed, a downtown dog park has areas for large and small breeds to run and play.

One of the largest parks in Fuquay is Hilltop Needmore Town Park and Preserve, which features 143 acres of open space, ponds, and about five miles of paved greenway trails.  You can find additional greenways near the community of South Lakes, where 2 miles of trails connect to an extra 2 miles of trails that lead to Old Honeycutt Road Park.

If you’re looking for some way to cool off in the hot North Carolina summers, there is a great splash pad at Fuquay’s South Park.  If you live in Fuquay and have kids, you’ll get to know this park well.

Life in the Quay: Festivals and Events

Fuquay-Varina holds community events throughout the year, such as the Celebrate Fuquay-Varina festival.  The Fuquay-Varina Arts Center hosts various events yearly and offers art classes.  

This fall, the town will host a free outdoor concert series called “Follow Me to Fuquay-Varina,” where residents and visitors can enjoy live music in the heart of downtown while grabbing a beer or some food from various food trucks.  

For Halloween lovers, the town hosts a downtown trick-or-treating event and a haunted trail in the Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park. 

For those who love Christmas festivities, don’t forget to mark your calendars for the town Christmas Tree lighting that looks like it’s right out of a Hallmark Christmas movie.  

Does your family love all things Spring?  If so, consider signing up for Fuquay’s annual Easter Egg hunt at Fleming Loop Park.  Afterward, you can head downtown for the Downtown Candy Hop, where local merchants will fill the kids’ baskets with even more goodies.  Fuquay-Varina is great at holding events that are family-friendly!

If you’re a foodie or love to support local farms, you can visit The Fuquay-Varina Farmers Market, held on Saturdays from April to early September on Main Street.

If you’d like to learn more about what the town has going on, you can check out the town’s program brochures. 

Living in Fuquay Varina, NC: Weather 

If you like to stay on your toes and never put away any of your clothes, get ready because you’ll love the weather in the Triangle!  

Like the rest of the Triangle, Fuquay-Varina has mild winters (27 degrees for the low in January), hot (89 degrees for the high in July), and humid summers.  The leaves change colors in the Fall, and Springtime brings about beautiful blooms.  There is a possibility of snow in the winter, but the snow typically doesn’t stick around for long.  

Hurricanes have been known to impact the Triangle area, but not as severely as the North Carolina coastal towns.  Some areas of Fuquay may experience flooding or power outages due to downed trees on electrical lines.   However, as I mentioned in my video about retiring to North Carolina, hurricanes don’t seem to impact our area as significantly as other Southern or East Coast regions.

Education

The majority of Fuquay-Varina lies within Wake County; therefore, the schools in the town are part of the Wake County Public School System. 

However, part of Fuquay-Varina also falls into Harnett County, so if you choose a home within that area, you will be zoned for Harnett County public schools.

Within Fuquay-Varina are seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools.  Fuquay also has two charter schools, Southern Wake Academy, which serves grades 6-12, and Achievement Charter Academy, which serves grades K-5.  A private school option is Hilltop Christian School, available for grades K-12.

If you’re not sure which school your area is zoned for, you can use the school assignment search feature for Wake County to see what your primary neighborhood school assignment will be (also called “base school”)

Lastly, if all of these school options sound confusing, you can learn more about them here in my blog post about Wake County schools.

Before moving on, one more notable thing to consider is that Fuquay Varina will get a couple of new schools over the next few years.  A new middle school will open in August 2024, and two new elementary schools will open in the next 1-2 years.

For higher education, Wake Technical Community College has its main campus on Highway 401, just a few miles north of town.  Fuquay-Varina is also within a 30-minute to an hour’s drive of world-renowned universities, providing plenty of educational opportunities.

Crime

Before moving to Fuquay Varina, NC, you may ask: Is Fuquay-Varina a safe place to live?

Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina’s crime rate for violent crime is 30% less than the US average (16.0 to 22.7 on a 100-point scale). 

Property crime in Fuquay-Varina, NC, is 10% less, rated as 31.7 compared to the national average of 35.4.

Comparing the numbers to Raleigh proper, we see that, once again, Fuquay-Varina’s crime is less than what is seen in Raleigh.  (Fuquay’s violent crime = 16.0; Raleigh’s violent crime = 20.3 / Fuquay’s property crime = 31.7; Raleigh’s property crime = 44.4).  In summary, Fuquay-Varina is a safe and secure town.  

Sports & Recreation

The parks in Fuquay-Varina have a variety of sports fields. 

• Old Honeycutt Road Park has pickleball courts, soccer fields, and tennis courts. 
• Action Park has baseball/softball fields, along with a batting cage.
• South Park has additional baseball/softball fields with lighting and a basketball court.
• Multiple other parks have a variety of multi-purpose fields as well.

As mentioned, the town plans to issue a bond for even more park additions and improvements.  Plans include an indoor sports complex, additional greenways, improvements to Hilltop Needmore (including pickleball courts), and renovation of the current Community Center. 

There are also plans to build the Community Center North, so there is plenty more to look forward to!  

Youth athletic/sports teams and programs are held throughout the year. The recreation offerings for this town are so robust!  The Town offers various activities for all ages, including very expansive 55+  programs.  Classes include acrylic painting, pickleball, chair yoga, tai chi, men’s coffee time, cooking, dance, and simple social meetups. There is something here for everyone! 

Parts of Fuquay-Varina

If charm is at the top of your wish list, take a look at the historic districts that run close to downtown Fuquay.  There are very quaint, older homes with beautiful Southern architectural details.  For estate-like neighborhoods located in northern Fuquay closer to Raleigh, consider High Grove.  

If proximity to the amenities or jobs in Holly Springs is essential, take a look at the Sunset Lake neighborhood, which has serene lake views.

Popular new construction neighborhoods are South and North Lakes, located right next to South Lakes Elementary School.

Lastly, consider looking to south Fuquay if you want more bang for your buck. In that case, newer, master-planned communities are loaded with amenities and trails, such as the new community of Serenity in Harnett County.  

Food & Shopping in Fuquay-Varina

Fuquay-Varina combines big-box retailer stores along main roads like Highway 401 and a small but growing selection of more eclectic, locally-owned boutique stores in its downtown districts. 

Examples of big-box shopping include Walmart, Kohl’s, Petsmart, Home Depot, and T.J. Maxx. 

For all of you Costco fans out there, while technically in south Raleigh, the largest Costco in North Carolina is located right on the border of north Fuquay, making your Costco runs very convenient.

A few examples of chain restaurants that you will find along 401 coming into downtown would be Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Jersey Mike’s, Cook Out, Bojangles, Krispy Kreme (yes, the trifecta of NC fast food!), Panera Bread, Chipotle, and Culver’s. For grocery stores, you can find Aldi, Food Lion, and Harris Teeter.  

On the other hand, if you would prefer to shop and eat locally, downtown Fuquay-Varina has some great food options: 

• Anna’s Pizzeria,
• Stick Boy Bread Company,
• Mason Jar Tavern,
• Vicious Fishes,
• Aviator Smokehouse,
• Nil’s Mediterranean Cuisine,
• Pints Ice Cream and Beer,
• and Cultivate Coffee Roasters are all popular choices. 

If you like beer, then get ready!  Aviator Brewing Company and the Fainting Goat are two places you’ll want to keep on your list of places to visit.

You will also find some unique stores scattered throughout downtown.  Clothing boutiques, a lighting store, home decor stores, a hobby store, health shops, and an Irish dance school are just a few examples. 

So whether you are looking for convenience or to support local, you have a great variety here, given Fuquay-Varina’s size!

Local History

Since Fuquay-Varina used to be two towns that merged into one, you can enjoy two history lessons! 

The town of Fuquay Springs was named after William Fuquay, a French veteran of the Revolutionary War who moved his family to the area and purchased 1000 acres of land.  Around 1858, a mineral spring was discovered in a field on his land. 

Word of mouth traveled that the mineral spring had curative powers, so it became a tourist destination where people would visit and spend their summers near the spring. 

Some of these historical homes that lodged the tourists are still in the town, right across from the Mineral Spring Park.  The town of Fuquay Springs was officially incorporated in 1909.

The town of Varina is formed through a love story.  Ballentine, a young soldier in the Civil War originally from the area near the mineral spring, would receive letters from a woman who signed them with the pen name “Varina.” 

Once the war was over, Ballentine found the woman, and they eventually married and moved to his hometown.  He created a post office and a shopping area and named them both after his pet name for his wife, “Varina.”

As time progressed, tobacco farmers grew the area’s economy.  Railroad activity grew, which led to the continued development and population growth of the town.  Eventually, the two towns of Fuquay Springs and Varina merged into one municipality in 1963.

So, you have one town with a history of magical healing spring water; the other one is built from a love story.  Those are some pretty whimsical backstories!  

Cons of Living in Fuquay-Varina

No community is perfect.  If there were a few things we could change about Fuquay-Varina, here’s what they would be:

1. Commutes to places like RTP and RDU might be long and congested.  The roadways and infrastructure are trying to catch up to the growth.  
2. Some areas are still very industrial and gritty, which might be off-putting for those who want a more manicured appearance throughout their town. 
3. If you want the hustle and bustle of a more urban atmosphere, Fuquay won’t likely be for you (for now).  

If you’re still wondering: Is moving to Fuquay Varina, NC worth it? Then, you can check out more information in my video here.