Living in Zebulon NC Contents

Zebulon’s Personality

Zebulon is a small rural town east of the Capitol city of Raleigh.

Zebulon’s current population is just under 8,000 people. But in 2019, the population was 5,900. A lot of people are moving to Zebulon.

There are still a lot of farmers inZebulon, but the downtown has a bustling feel to it. New storefronts open every few months. If there is anything to notice in Zebulon, it’s that for those living there, it is changing.

Zebulon is growing. Fast.

Moving to Zebulon, NC: Location

Living in Zebulon NC, you’ll be just east of Raleigh, about 30 minutes from downtown Raleigh and 30 minutes from North Hills. Most of that is highway driving, so if you are considering moving to Zebulon, be aware of this. There is shopping closer than Raleigh, however, so if the 30 minutes seems too far, Knightdale is only 15 minutes away.

The majority of Zebulon is located in Wake County, but there are some outlying parts in neighboring Johnston County.

It’s got good highway access, bordering on 264/I-87/64. Research Triangle Park is about 40 miles, and with traffic can take anywhere from 40-60 minutes to get there during rush hour. 

It’s about the same to Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) 

Being on the east side of the Triangle, Zebulon is a little bit closer to the beach and a little bit further from the mountains.

Wrightsville Beach is a flat 2 hours drive and Boone, the closest mountain town, is 3 hours west. Richmond, Virginia is a fun city to visit about 2 hours away. And Historic Williamsburg, VA and Busch Gardens is about 2.5 hours. 

As part of the Triangle, you’re also not far from Charlotte NC (2.5 hours). If you’re driving on a weekend, Washington DC is close (3.5 hours) Baltimore (4 hours) Savannah, GA (4.5 hours) and if you’re really brave, and want to avoid a flight, New York City (7.5 hours).

This is just a small selection but there is a TON of day trips available from Zebulon. 

Moving to Zebulon, NC: Cost of Living

Check out Homes Currently For Sale in Zebulon here.

Zebulon is pretty affordable for Wake County. The median home price is around $375,000 and it is one of the least expensive in Wake County. 

According to Bestplaces.net, overall cost of living in Zebulon NC 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 you get quite a bit for your money here.

Your biggest costs in Zebulon are going to be your “miscellaneous” costs like services (haircuts, lawn mowing, etc.) clothing, and restaurants. Because a lot of other costs are much cheaper in Zebulun.

Groceries, transportation, and housing are all cheaper than the US average. Healthcare is also much cheaper than the national average. And we have really good doctors in the Triangle.  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.

Zebulon is 18 miles drive to the closest hospital, Wakemed Raleigh.

Living in Zebulon NC: Jobs & Economy

In 2022, the median household income in Zebulon was $50,934 according to the US Census Bureau.

This is considerably lower than most other towns in the Triangle, which is why housing is still cheaper here than in surrounding areas. Similar to other booming towns like Holly Springs and Clayton, Zebulon hired a consultant company to assist the town in developing an economic growth plan

Zebulon is still small, but there are several companies already headquartered in Zebulon. If you are moving to Zebulon to work for one of these companies, congratulations: you’ve got an easy commute and some of the lowest home prices in Wake County.

With their commitment to growth and development, as well as an existing economic base, Zebulon will surely be on the growth spectrum for the future. Companies currently in Zebulon:

• GSK: Glaxo SmithKline is a global biopharma company and the largest local employer with approximately 850 people on site. The site manages more than 50 brands sold in over 100 different presentations. They currently supply products to the US and export markets, some of which include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Mexico, Mozambique, Poland, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
• Kam Tool & Die: serving customers in the bio-pharma, aerospace, automotive, med-tech, and other exacting industries. KAM is known for delivering exceptional quality and collaborating with customers to innovate practical solutions.
• Nomaco: They have two locations in Zebulon. Nomaco is a leader in the design and extrusion of custom engineered foam products and components for a wide range of markets including construction, home furnishings, packaging, fitness & recreation and more. 

Living in Zebulon NC: Culture and Community 

Downtown Zebulon

Downtown Zebulon has been on an upward trajectory for several years now.

Over the past two years, many new stores have opened their doors in Zebulon and there are some really unique shops that give the town a fun character. More people moving to Zebulon means more incentive for entrepreneurs to serve them!

Zebulon recently became a designated NC Main Street community. Main Street communities receive strategic downtown economic development planning and technical assistance, main street program guidance, and downtown development education and training. The goal of this program is to help turn rural communities into thriving, sustainable communities.

This is a competitive designation and having it makes it easier to get grants that help growth in the town.

Zebulon Festivals

Spring Fest, Rock the Block concert series and Candy Cane Lane & Tree Lighting Festival are popular events in downtown Zebulon. 

Living in Zebulon NC: Parks & Activities

Living in Zebulon NC is a little light on parks and greenways at the moment.

However, Zebulon has an incredible masterplan that they have adopted.

Notice towards the bottom of that plan linked above that much of their inspiration for visualization comes from the Town of Cary. Cary is arguably the leader in the Triangle for walkable towns. Also, Zebulon is working hard to fund their greenspaces with grants, which really helps local taxpayers. 

Zebulon Community Park: 47.5 acres with two athletic fields, a walking trail, two outdoor basketball courts, a disc golf course, two playgrounds and a picnic shelter

Zebulon Elementary School Park: This park is tucked behind the Zebulon Library and Eastern Regional Center and has two baseball fields, a soccer field, volleyball net, a picnic shelter and an open playfield. 

Gill Street Park: Cute little community park inside an older section of downtown Zebulon neighborhoods. 

Little River Park: Little River Park is one of the oldest parks in Zebulon. Known for its natural flowing river, Little River Park is for all nature lovers who enjoy fishing, playing in the white sandy beaches or meditating to the gentle sounds of water rolling through. This will eventually be the central greenway hub for Zebulon’s greenway system.

Beaverdam Creek Greenway: Beaverdam Creek Greenway connects Taryn Meadows to Weaver’s Pond and is just under 1 mile. This project was 100% grant funded (John Rex Endowment, CAMPO, Wake County, and PARTF) and includes amenities along the route such as bike repair, fitness equipment, swings, and an overlook. Public access points can be found on Spiderlily Court, Ginger Lake Court, and at Pippin Road near the Hendricks Pond.

Religion in Zebulon

Zebulon is a rural community and is primarily dominated by local, historic churches. There is a Buddha Raleigh temple is 15 minutes from Zebulon. The Muslim Youth Community Center is in Northeast Raleigh, 25 minutes away. The closest Jewish synagogues are in North Raleigh, about 30 minutes away. 

Moving to Zebulon, NC: Weather 

Living in Zebulon NC will give you a moderate climate with mild winters and warm, humid summers.

Zebulon gets 46 inches of rain each year, more than the national average of 38 inches.

We only get 2 inches of snow compared to the national average of 28 inches.

Like the rest of the Triangle, when it snows in Zebulon (which usually happens once every few years) everything shuts down and we make it a vacation day!

Zebulon has 216 sunshine days per year, much higher than the national average of 205 days.  

Living in Zebulon NC Education

Public Schools

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

Public schools that serve Zebulon:

• Corinth Holders Elementary School – part of the Johnston County School district.
• Wakelon Elementary
• Zebulon Magnet Elementary
• Zebulon Magnet Middle School
• East Wake High School: (located in Knightdale) East Wake offers a variety of Advanced Placement courses as well as Career & Technical Education (CTE) courses.  East Wake has the second-largest CTE program in the WCPSS by offering programs from Automotive Technology, Construction Technology, Agriculture, Family Consumer Sciences, Business, Technology, Computer Science, Project Lead the Way, and Health Sciences. Students may choose to join our Academy of Life Sciences to experience a deeper dive into a medical or veterinary science career. 

Private & Charter Schools:

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

East Wake Academy: East Wake Academy is a K-12 Charter school in Zebulon North Carolina. 

Heritage Christian Academy: Infant through 12th grade Christian school offering an Abeka curriculum. 

Crime in Zebulon NC

Is Zebulon NC a safe place to live?

Zebulon, North Carolina’s crime rate for violent crime is 34.9 on a 100 point scale, lower being less crime.

While not quite as high as Durham or Rocky Mount, the crime rate for those living in Zebulon NC, is a little higher than the US average of 22. 

Property crime in Zebulon NC, is 83.2 on a 100 point scale, which is significantly higher than the national average of 35.

I called the police department to make sure this information was correct and they confirmed that it is.

They did say that there are some areas in Zebulon that are problematic, but there are also some beautiful parts of Zebulon.

If you have concerns about a specific neighborhood. The police can be a great source of information if you have additional questions. So, if these numbers concern you, give the town police department a call before moving to Zebulon. They are very friendly!

Having said all that, when I moved to the Triangle back in 2000, I moved to Fuquay-Varina. The crime rate in Fuquay was very similar to what it is now in Zebulon. Today the crime rate in Fuquay is the lowest in the entire Triangle area. So things change. 

Moving to Zebulon: Sports & Recreation

Five County Stadium in Zebulon is home to the Carolina Mudcats a minor league baseball team. If the idea of an afternoon at the ball park is your idea of heaven, all the info you need to enjoy the All-American Pastime can be found here. And just in case you were wondering, a ‘mudcat’ is a large catfish that lives in the muddy rivers of the South.

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

Food & Shopping in Zebulon

Zebulon is a small town and most of the shopping is in the historic downtown. If you’re living in Zebulon NC, you’ll probably have to travel for at least some of your shopping.

Knightdale has all your big box stores at the Shoppes at Midtown Commons, including Target, Michaels, Home Depot, TJ Maxx, and pretty much anything you could need. 

Boutique Shopping

There are some very cute shops in downtown Zebulon including Pinafore Boutique, Zebulon Pottery, which offers classes and events, Root Bound exotic indoor plant nursery, Comic World comic book store, East Wake Collective, and Germano Architecture and Interiors.  One of Zebulon’s newest residents is MacLelland Bagpipes, the only bagpipe manufacturer in the United States.

Grocery Stores

The main grocery stores in Zebulon are Food Lion and Super Walmart, and a few smaller chain stores, Compare Foods (a hispanic food market), Latino Foods Market of Zebulon, and Carlie C’s IGA .

There is also a farmers market, Stone Ridge Farm Market, which is open daily throughout the year and offers lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Costco, Wegmans and Trader Joes are 25 minutes away in North Raleigh and Whole Foods is about 30 minutes away.

Popular Restaurants, Bars & Breweries

• The Fall Line: Zebulon’s friendly neighborhood watering hole, offers a full service bar, access to all local sports channels, equipped with multiple garage doors offering an indoor/outdoor atmosphere. Founded by experienced bar/restaurant owners in Raleigh’s popular Glenwood South District. 
• Norse Brewing Longhouse: Brewery and Nordic Gastro Pub, offering a full menu of Nordic inspired dishes alongside a full menu of beers, wines, cider, hard seltzers and hand crafted cocktails. 
• Olde Raleigh Distillery: Zebulon’s own whiskey distillery and event space offers tours and a tasting room.
• Armondo’s Pizza: How does a place that serves authentic Mexican breakfast also serve authentic New York pizza? I have no idea, but they do. Best pizza in Zebulon! Downtown Zebulon.
• McClean’s Old Time Cafe: A Zebulon gem! This is like a Cracker Barrel, but more authentic, because it’s family owned and operated. Your basic hometown meals for breakfast lunch and dinner. Meatloaf, fried chicken, chicken pastry (some people call it chicken and dumplings) pork chops, collard greens, butter beans. If you’re not from the south and you’d like to be, give this place a try. 

Moving to Zebulon:
Popular Neighborhoods in Zebulon, NC

Zebulon has a variety of types of housing. Because Zebulon is still a farming community, many of the neighborhoods are new or nearly new.

20% of homes sold in Zebulon have a minimum of one acre of land.

65% of homes sold this year are new construction.

A few popular neighborhoods in Zebulon are: 

Brookfield $600ks

These gorgeous luxury homes sit on lush, green, estate style lots. Some have in ground pools. This is a small neighborhood with only a handful of homes. 

• Housing Types: Single-family homes.
• House Sizes: Typically range from 3000 to 4,000 sq ft.
• Lot Sizes: +/- 1 acre
• Amenities: Common area maintenance, road maintenance. Pool sized lots for private pools
• HOA Fees: $289/year
• Age of Homes: Mid-2000’s
• Walkability: Not walkable

Wakefield Meadows $500ks – $600ks

• Housing Types: Single family homes
• House Sizes: Single-family homes range from 2,900 to 3,200 sq ft
• Lot Sizes: .75 acres to 1+ acres 
• Amenities: None
• HOA Fees: None
• Age of Homes: Most homes built from mid-2000’s through 2018.
• Walkability: Poor

Weavers Pond $300k – $500k 

• Housing Types: Single Family Homes.
• House Sizes: Vary from 1,700 to 3,000+ sq ft.
• Lot Sizes: .15 – .3 acres. 
• Amenities: pool
• HOA Fees: $700/year
• Age of Homes: Most homes built from 2015 – 2020.
• Walkability: Not walkable.

Cons of Living in Zebulon NC

There’s a downside to everywhere. If there were anything that would bug me about living in Zebulon, NC it would be these things:

1. It’s small, you really have to drive to most places outside of the town for decent shopping. If you’re thinking about moving here and don’t like driving, there might be better places in the Triangle for you.
2. The parks are not fantastic, but they do have really good plans for improvement. There are no greenways yet, but they are in the works. Getting into a town before this kind of development can be a very good investment.
3. Crime, particularly property crime, is higher than I like to see it. Fortunately, violent crime is not at similar levels. Again, these things do tend to change with community development. 

FAQ about Living in Zebulon, NC

If you’re still wondering: Is moving to Zebulon worth it? Then, you can check out my video about rural communities near Raleigh. [link this once you have put up the rural towns video into a blog post.]