Living in Morrisville NC: Contents

Morrisville’s Personality

Morrisville is a tiny little town squeezed in between Cary and Research Triangle Park.

It is only 10 square miles and it is probably the most diverse town in the Triangle. In Morrisville:

• 46% of the town is Asian Indian,
• 35% is white,
• 10% is African-American,
• and 9% other and two or more races.

Morrisville’s population has grown from 5000 people in 2000 to over 30,000 people today.

People are moving to Morrisville!

Because they are squeezed in between other towns, there isn’t much room for expansion. Morrisville’s full population will be reached at 35,000 residents, which they expect to reach in the next 3-5 years.

If there was ever a good place to invest in real estate, Morrisville is it! 

Moving to Morrisville, NC: Location

Morrisville has the most desirable location in the entire Triangle. Moving to Morrisville means that you’re close to almost everything in the Triangle. You are less than 30 minutes to the downtown districts of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

There are some parts of Morrisville where you can actually walk or ride a bike to RTP if you want to.

Although, there are a lot of highways in this area, so there still aren’t a ton of walkable routes into RTP. If you’re driving and working in RTP, you’re probably looking at an 5-10 minute commute.

It’s also 5-10 minutes to Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) 

Morrisville is a little less than 3 hours to Boone, NC, the closest mountain town in North Carolina. And about 2:15 to Wrightsville Beach, the closest beach. 

As part of the Triangle, you’re also not far from Charlotte NC (2.5 hours) Washington DC (4.5 hours) Baltimore (5 hours) Charleston SC (4.5 hours) and if you’re really brave, and want to avoid a flight, New York City (8 hours). This is just a small selection but there is a TON of day trips available from Morrisville.

Cost of Living if you move to Morrisville

Check out Homes Currently For Sale in Morrisville here.

Morrisville is one of the more expensive towns in Wake County.

This isn’t surprising, due to its location.

What is surprising is that the median home value in Morrisville is so much lower than it is in Cary.

Homes are about 11% cheaper in Morrisville than in Cary.

At the time of this writing, the median home price in Cary was $575,000 and in Morrisville, it was $514,000. However, this tells us something else unique about Morrisville: home construction is a lot denser.

In Morrisville, 50% of homes sold were attached homes, either townhomes or condos. In Cary, only 25% of the homes sold are attached.

And this is what accounts for the difference in prices, because you’ll see that both towns are very locationally intertwined and they both have the same incredible amenities. But if you decide to move to Morrisville and go house hunting, be aware that many of the homes you’ll see will be attached housing.

According to Bestplaces.net, overall cost of living in Morrisville is about 6% higher than the US average and 16% higher than North Carolina. Generally speaking, the Triangle is more expensive than most of North Carolina, but in Morrisville healthcare and transportation are significantly cheaper than the US average. The majority of disparity in cost, tended to be in “miscellaneous” expenses, which includes clothing, restaurants, repairs and entertainment. 

Moving to Morrisville, NC: Healthcare

Interestingly, healthcare is cheaper than the national average, but it’s also significantly cheaper than healthcare throughout the state of North Carolina.

That’s probably because we have really good doctors and healthcare systems here with all our university healthcare systems.

There are 4 major healthcare systems in the Triangle: Duke Health, UNC Health, Rex Hospital System and WakeMed. All have really good reputations and offer cutting edge healthcare. Morrisville is about a 17 minuted drive to UNC REX hospital in Raleigh, a 22 minute drive to Duke Hospital, and a 30 minute drive to the hospital at UNC Chapel Hill. If you move to Morrisville, some of the best healthcare in the country will be at your doorstep.

Living in Morrisville NC: Jobs & Economy

In 2022, the median household income in Morrisville was $114,000, according to the US Census Bureau.

Morrisville borders Research Triangle Park and is one of the best places in the country for “industries of the mind.” Morrisville attracts Fortune 500 companies in technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. It is also a haven for entrepreneurs, nurturing start-ups in a wide range of industries.

Companies are moving to Morrisville.

In fact, Morrisville made WalletHub’s top 10 cities to start a business in 2023. Some of Morrisville’s biggest employers are:

• Lenovo
• Credit Suisse
• Oracle
• Microsoft
• FUJIFILM Diosynth Technologies 

The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce has targeted certain clusters of businesses that thrive in this area. Those businesses are:

• ADVANCED MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES: Companies in this sector may be engaged in anything from healthcare related software development to medical device manufacturing.
• BIOTECHNOLOGY AND LIFE SCIENCES: Thanks to the Research Triangle, North Carolina has the third-largest concentration of biotech companies in the country.
• SOFTWARE/IT: The Research Triangle has become a powerhouse for software development, with industry leaders developing mobile applications, healthcare IT, cloud computing and cyber security.

Living in Morrisville NC: Culture and Community 

Morrisville Festivals

Morrisville is one of the most diverse places in the Triangle. It’s a melting pot of different cultures and you can see that in the diversity of the events and activities that take place in the town. 

For example, Morrisville is the only town in the Triangle with a Cricket League. Also, Morrisville was one of only two hosts for the inaugural Major League Cricket games in the United States in July 2023. 

In addition to cricket, Morrisville hosts many diverse festivals each year. 

The International Festival is a fall festival with music, art and food from around the world. 

In the fall, Morrisville celebrates the Indian festivals of Diwali and in the spring, we have the Holi festival.

Festivals celebrating Juneteenth and the Menorah Lighting take place annually, as well. The town hosts the popular movies and music in the park, Morrisville’s annual Christmas tree lighting, and Trick or Treat the Trail at Halloween.

For a town of only 31,000 people, there is a lot happening in Morrisville! 

If you’re considering a move to Morrisville and want to see a full list of festivals and events in Morrisville, just Click Here.

Living in Morrisville NC: Parks & Activities

For a small town, Morrisville has INCREDIBLE parks and greenspaces. They also have a ton of classes and activities available from their recreation department. 

Parks

• Cedar Fork District Park: 37 acre park with ​​eight, multi-use fields suitable for soccer, football, lacrosse, and other field sports. The park is open daily for casual recreational use
• Church Street Park: This is where Morrisville’s cricket tournaments are held. This park also has a playground, 2 picnic shelters, 3 tennis courts, outdoor fitness equipment, concrete corn hole and checker/chess boards and walking trails. 
• Crabtree Nature Park: 37 acre wooded and wetland park. There is an expansion plan for this park to include a new parking lot, a pavilion with restrooms and educational signage, a fully inclusive ADA playground, and walking trails and boardwalks through the woods with interpretive signage.
• Morrisville Community Park: Multiple playing fields, picnic shelters, sports courts and playground as well as outdoor fitness courts, concrete checkers, chess and cornhole games. 
• Shiloh Park & Luther Green Community Center: Basketball courts and ball fields with concessions, playground, multipurpose play area, community center with kitchens and rentable facilities.  
• Northwest Park: The playground includes an open area for toddlers, a play unit designed for 2-5 year olds, and a larger unit designed for 5-12 year olds. The picnic shelter includes restrooms and eight picnic tables. There are two more tables outside the shelter. There is also a walking track built around an open play field and plenty of benches where you can sit and read or just relax and unwind.

Greenways

Morrisville has four different greenways, Shiloh Greenway, Indian Creek Greenway, Hatcher Creek Greenway, and Crabtree Creek Greenway. Due to the close proximity of neighboring Cary’s extensive greenway system, some of these greenways feed into the Cary greenway system.

For example, Hatcher Creek Greenway connects to Crabtree Creek Greenway, which connects to Black Creek Greenway in Cary. This trail system gives access to multiple shopping centers as well as to Umstead Park and Lake Crabtree.

One of the reasons so many people choose to move to Morrisville is for the walkability of the community.

Religion in Morrisville

Morrisville is one of the most diverse communities in the Triangle with houses of worship from most major religions.

Morrisville is home to the Islamic Center of Morrisville , the Sikh Temple in Morrisville, The Hindu Society of North Carolina is in Morrisville, and there are multiple Hindu Temples.

Chabad Jewish synagogue of Cary is in Morrisville (remember I said Cary and Morrisville are practically the same thing!) 

There are Mormons in Morrisville, Baptists in Morrisville, and lots of other Christian denominations as well.  No matter your inclination, if you moved to Morrisville, chances are there will be others like you.

Living in Morrisville, NC: Weather 

Morrisville’s weather is mild and pleasant with hot summers and cool winters.

We rarely get snow in Morrisville, but when we do, roads and schools tend to close since it’s so rare.

Weather can be very unpredictable at times, with sunny days in the 70’s during the winter the day after below freezing temperatures. But mostly, weather here is just nice. For the most part, year round outdoor activities are possible.

We get 46 inches of rain each year, more than the national average of 38 inches. We average 4 inches of snow The national average is 28 inches. And Morrisville also has 221 sunshine days per year, much higher than the national average of 205 days.  

If you’re from Southern California or South Florida, you might not chose to move to Morrisville for the weather, unless you just love the different seasons. If you’re from up north and decide to move to Morrisville, you’ll probably appreciate the shorter and milder winters.

Living in Morrisville NC Education

Morrisville is a very well-educated and intelligent community. However, the majority of students in Morrisville attend schools in neighboring Cary. 

Public Schools

Morrisville is part of the Wake County Public School System. Here is more information about how the school system works in Wake County. 

There are three elementary schools, and one application high school in Morrisville. 

Morrisville Elementary: Morrisville Elementary is a year round school. Students attend school in 6 week blocks, with 3 week 

Cedar Fork Elementary

Parkside Elementary

Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies: Wake Early College is located at Wake Technical Community College’s new Research Triangle Park campus in Morrisville. Students take a blend of high school courses and Wake Tech courses, with the opportunity to focus on four specific program areas:

1. Network management
2. Computer programming
3. Cybersecurity
4. Biotechnology

Students graduate with a high school diploma and credits towards their Associate in Applied Sciences degree, with the potential to earn enough credits to graduate with an Applied Sciences degree. The school will also partner with RTP businesses to provide students with real-world work experience in these high-demand career fields. 

In addition to the fantastic public schools, there are many extracurricular opportunities such as the Art of Problem Solving school for gifted students and the Chess Club. 

Morrisville will have a new high school in 2027! Construction is underway for Morrisville High School!

Private & Charter Schools:

(Charter schools are publicly funded schools, run similar to the way a private school is run.) 

Sterling Montessori Charter School: Sterling Montessori offers a tuition supported preschool for ages 3-4, and a public charter funded school for grades K-8. The Montessori method of education is a child- centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children. Montessori classrooms group students in three-year multi-age groups (ages 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and 12-15) together, forming communities in which the older children spontaneously share their knowledge with the younger children

Step Ahead Gifted Academy Our educators serve as guides and mentors to the educational process, always inspiring our students to stay inquisitive and think outside the box.Our students are taught how to think, not what to think, and are encouraged to never stop asking, ‘why?’

Crime in Morrisville NC

Morrisville is a very safe place to live. 

Morrisville, North Carolina’s crime rate for violent crime is 63% less than the US average (7.6 to 22.7 on a 100-point scale via BestPlaces.net). 

Property crime in Morrisville NC, is 20% lower than the national average, rated as 28 compared to the national average of 35.4 on a 100 point scale. 

Comparing the numbers to Raleigh proper, we see that, Morrisville’s crime is also less than crime numbers seen in Raleigh. 

• Morrisville’s violent crime = 7.6; Raleigh’s violent crime = 20.3
• Morrisville’s property crime = 28; Raleigh’s property crime = 44.4

Sports & Recreation when living in Morrisville

Town Recreation

The town of Morrisville offers the following sports and recreation opportunities: 

Morrisville also has an aquatics and fitness center. They offer many classes including swim lessons, tennis lessons and leagues, pickleball clinics, racquetball community events and child and family yoga classes. There are numerous fitness classes from thai chi to kickboxing to zumba. 

Area Things to Do

Do you like airplanes? Grab your family and a picnic lunch and head to Morrisville’s Flight Observation Deck. There’s a picnic area, playground and you can watch the planes come in at RDU Airport. 

Triangle Badminton and Table Tennis: racquet sports are really big in Morrisville! 

Triangle Rock Club: We don’t have mountains in Morrisville but we have the next best thing. A Climbing Club! 

Triangle Chess offers classes, camps and open play in Morrisville. 

Food & Shopping in Morrisville

Morrisville has all the shopping you could need! The main shopping center is Park West Village, but there are also smaller shopping centers throughout the town.  If you live in Morrisville, you won’t have to travel far to get what you need. You’re about 20 minutes on I-40 from the Streets at Southpoint Mall in Durham, and 25 minutes to Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh.

Park West Village 

Park West Village is a large outdoor shopping mall that offers all the big box stores, Michaels, Target, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods. There are also boutique stores and a few mall stores like Chicos, Loft and Soma.

The largest movie theater in the area is in Park West and the shopping center often hosts concerts and events as well. There are tons of restaurant options as well as the local Trader Joe’s for groceries.

If you’re looking to rent before buying a home, they have some great apartments right in Park West. 

Grocery Stores

There are TONS of grocery stores in Morrisville and because the area is so diverse, there are also a lot of great ethnic stores. 

This is just a sampling. There are also quite a few other Asian markets in neighboring Cary. 

Costco is 15 minutes away on Highway 64 in Apex. And there are two Whole Foods in Cary. The closest one to most spots in Morrisville is about 10 minutes away in West Cary.

Popular Restaurants 

If you’re living in Morrisville, you’ll also be eating Morrisville (and in nearby Cary). You will have plenty of options. I’ve listed a few of the more popular ones below.

• Full Moon Oyster Bar: This is a popular North Carolina restaurant that started on the coast and now has 7 locations in the state. 
• Thai Noodles: Asian dishes, sushi, and a wine list.
• Fusion Nine: Indian and food from around the globe made with locally sourced ingredients. They also serve a full line of North Carolina brews.
• Paolo’s on 54: Italian restaurant specializing in in all of your favorite traditional Italian cuisine dishes. All our food is prepared on the premises using traditional recipes and fresh produce from local suppliers. 
• Taste Vietnamese: Authentic Vietnamese Noodles Soup, Banh Mi, Bubble Tea and more!
• G.58 Cuisine: A modern approach to traditional Chinese cuisine. The food is incredible but the ambience is part of the appeal as well, with locally commissioned Chinese art, silk lights made to look like lotus flowers, floor to ceiling windows and a magnificent koi pond. 

Popular Neighborhoods in Morrisville NC

If you’re thinking about moving to Morrisville, you will find there is a lot of variety in housing options. The land values in Morrisville are higher than most other parts of the Triangle due to its proximity to RTP. Because of that, there are a lot more condo and townhome options than in other suburbs of Raleigh.  Luxury housing is also very common.

Preston $300k – $3mil+

Preston is a large master planned golf community in Morrisville/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, 

• Housing Types: Condos, townhomes, single family homes, executive estates
• House Sizes: 1000 SF Condos to 8000+ SF Estates and everything in between.
• Lot Sizes: .3 acres – 1 acre
• Amenities: 2 ponds, 1 playground, 1 fishing dock, miles of trails. Additional amenities available at Prestonwood Country Club with membership.
• HOA Fees: Varies by neighborhood. 
• Age of Homes: Average home age is 1997. Some built as late as 2016.
• Walkability: Very walkable to restaurants, parks, shopping and entertainment. 

Weston Estates $1mil + 

This incredible upscale neighborhood sits adjacent to Crabtree Creek Nature Park. If you play cricket, there is a cricket practice field as well as multiple ball fields and picnic shelters. 

• Housing Types: Single family executive homes 
• House Sizes: Typically range from 3000 to 6000 sq ft.
• Lot Sizes: Ranging from .4 to 1+ acres. Most lots are about ½ an acre
• Amenities: Pool, clubhouse, playground
• HOA Fees: $660/year
• Age of Homes: Mostly built from 1999 through 2003 .
• Walkability: Very walkable to numerous parks, shopping centers, restaurants and activities. 

Breckenridge $300’s – $700’s

Breckenridge was built in the early 2000’s by an affordable, production builder. The homes are not flashy but offer an affordable option in a great neighborhood with sidewalks, good amenities and an unbeatable location.

• Housing Types: Townhomes and Single Family Homes
• House Sizes: Typically range from 1300 to 3700 sq ft.
• Lot Sizes: Ranging from .08 acres to .2 acres.
• Amenities: Clubhouse, pool and kiddie, tennis courts, playground, sidewalks
• HOA Fees: $40/month
• Age of Homes: Mostly built from 2000-2004
• Walkability: Very walkable to shops, restaurants and RTP. 2.5 miles on sidewalks to the new Apple Campus. Great spot if you’ll work at Apple and want to bike to work. 

Cons of Living in Morrisville

There’s a downside to everywhere but if I’m being honest, it’s hard to find a con to living in Morrisville. But I’ll try. 

Morrisville is close to everything, including the RDU Airport. Because of that, a lot of Morrisville is in the flight path. You can see this image with the airplane noise. Most of the orange and yellow are in Morrisville. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the cost of living in Morrisville, NC?
  • Morrisville is more expensive than most other towns in Wake County, with a cost of living about 6% higher than the US average and 16% higher than North Carolina. Healthcare and transportation costs are significantly cheaper than the US average.
• What are the best neighborhoods in Morrisville for families?
  • Preston, Weston Estates, and Breckenridge, are three popular neighborhoods with a wide range of housing options and price. They all offer excellent walkability and proximity to shopping, restaurants and schools. 
• How are the schools in Morrisville, NC?
  • Morrisville has excellent schools as well as an early college school on the campus of the local community college. Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies gives students an opportunity to graduate with college credit and work ready skills in IT and Biotechnology.
• What is the job market like in Morrisville?
  • Morrisville has a strong job market, particularly in industries such as technology, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals. Major employers include Lenovo, Credit Suisse, Oracle, Microsoft, and FUJIFILM Diosynth Technologies.
• What are the popular leisure activities and attractions in Morrisville?
  • Morrisville offers a variety of leisure activities, including parks like Cedar Fork District Park and Church Street Park. It also hosts diverse festivals and events, and has a cricket league. The town provides opportunities for sports and recreation such as tennis, pickleball, basketball, and an aquatics and fitness center.
• How is the weather throughout the year in Morrisville?
  • The weather in Morrisville is described as mild and pleasant, with hot summers, cool winters, and an average of 221 sunshine days per year.
• How is the healthcare system in Morrisville?
  • Morrisville, being part of the Triangle, benefits from four major healthcare systems: Duke Health, UNC Health, Rex Hospital System, and Wakemed. Healthcare is excellent and healthcare costs are lower than the national and state averages.
• What are the best restaurants and dining options in Morrisville?
  • Some popular restaurants in Morrisville are Full Moon Oyster Bar, Mi Cancun, Fusion Nine, Paolo’s on 54, Taste Vietnamese, and G.58 Cuisine.
• What is the community culture and demographic makeup of Morrisville?
  • Morrisville is extremely diverse, with 46% Asian Indian, 35% White, 10% African-American, and 9% other and two or more races. This diversity makes Morrisville a very welcoming and inclusive place to all.
• What are the options for higher education near Morrisville?
  • Morrisville is 20 minutes from world class universities, including Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University.  
• How is the real estate market in Morrisville?
  • The real estate market in Morrisville is excellent. There is limited space for more development, however, attention to denser construction has maintained relatively affordable prices. The median home value in Morrisville is lower than in Cary, with a high percentage of attached homes like townhomes and condos. Properties in Morrisville hold their value well and have increased well over time. 
• How does Morrisville compare to nearby cities like Raleigh and Durham?
  • Morrisville is notably close to Research Triangle Park, offering a short commute. It is also conveniently located for various day trips and is near the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Morrisville offers a family-friendly, small town type feel, where it’s easy to make friends and get involved in the community. It’s less spread out than Raleigh or Durham, contributing to that close knit feel.