A new list from WorldAtlas named 13 North Carolina towns writers deemed the best places to live in the state in 2026 ― including two Western North Carolina locations.

Founded in 1994 by cartographer John Moen and his wife, Chris Woolwine-Moen, WorldAtlas publishes educational materials and articles on geography, sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics, and travel.

Previous Citizen Times articles have covered numerous mentions of Western N.C. from WorldAtlas, including the publication’s favorite North Carolina towns for 2026 visits, best day trips in the state, “idyllic” and “unpretentious” towns, scenic drives, towns that rival Europe’s finest and more.

From mountain landscapes to coastal access to quieter suburban neighborhoods, here’s where WorldAtlas writers chose.

Best places to live in North Carolina 2026

The full list of best places to live in North Carolina includes:

• Raleigh
• Charlotte
• Durham
• Apex
• Morrisville
• Asheville
• Winston-Salem
• Wilmington
• Boone
• Cary
• Greensboro
• Greenville
• Chapel Hill

Is Asheville, NC, a good place to live?

WorldAtlas called Asheville “an artsy mountain town that welcomes residents with a creative spirit and seemingly endless green spaces.” When it came to reasons why writers suggested it as one of the state’s best places to live, the following was cited:

• Outdoor recreation options that draw travelers from around the globe, from waterfalls to whitewater rapids.
• An escape from “the heat associated with much of the state” due to the area’s elevation.
• The River Arts District, including its art galleries and studios, breweries and historic buildings.

Is Boone, NC a good place to live?

WorldAtlas stated that making a home in the Appalachian Mountains means “waking up to the sight of rolling green hills out of your window.” Writers suggested Boone as one of the Tar Heel State’s best locations to live in 2026 because of the following:

The Oklahoma State Cowboys have an 18-game Big 12 losing streak and a two-year streak with no bowl game. The two things go hand in hand.

The Cowboys must win at least six games to get to a bowl game. That means winning, at minimum, three conference games, assuming OSU wins all three non-conference games. Lose a non-league game and the Cowboys must win four.

Oklahoma State is 4-20 since reaching the Big 12 Championship game, losing to Texas and then going to the Fiesta Bowl. If the Cowboys want to turn things around under first-year head coach Eric Morris, getting to a bowl game is a good first step.

This bowl projection should make the Cowboys feel good.

Oklahoma State’s Optimistic Bowl Projection

Athlon Sports’ 2026 football annual is on newsstands and in its Big 12 preview the publication picked the Cowboys to finish in eighth place. The publication didn’t provide a projected record. But the teams in the eighth-place range in the Big 12 last year all won at least six games, meaning they went to a bowl game.

So that meant Athlon’s is projecting the Cowboys are good enough to go bowling this year, which means they’re going to end their Big 12 losing streak and get out of the conference’s cellar. Good news. But where?

The publication has the Cowboys meeting former Big 8 rival Missouri in the Texas Bowl in Houston. If that’s the case it would be Oklahoma State’s fourth trip to a bowl game in Houston, including the 1983 Bluebonnet Bowl at the Astrodome. It would also say something about where OSU stands in the conference.

Recently, the full bowl game schedule was released and the Big 12’s bowl game pecking order was also announced. Of the league’s non-playoff bowl tie-ins, the Texas Bowl is No. 3 on the list behind the Alamo Bowl and Pop Tarts Bowl. These tie-ins would apply to Big 12 teams after the College Football Playoff participants are decided.

The Cowboys would go third in this scenario. BYU, the team picked second, would go to the Alamo Bowl, while Houston, which is projected to finish third, would go to the Pop Tarts Bowl.  

Why take OSU if you’re the Texas Bowl? That bowl committee may be banking on the infusion of offense making the Cowboys an exciting team to watch this season, which would be enticing to any bowl game committee. Morris runs the Air Raid offense and imported the key players from his former job, North Texas, where they went 12-2. That includes quarterback Drew Mestemaker.  

But by taking OSU, that committee would be taking the Cowboys over Utah, Kansas, Arizona and Arizona State, all teams projected to finish better than Oklahoma State. The Texas Bowl would be banking that the Cowboys would be a better draw.

For context, Houston played in the Texas Bowl last season, won the game and wrapped up a 10-win season, if Cowboys fans need another reason to feel optimistic.

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• South Carolina voters face potential showers and thunderstorms on June 9 in the Upstate.
• The National Weather Service forecasts a 70% chance of precipitation, with storms increasing in the afternoon.
• Some areas in the Upstate could experience heavy rainfall and isolated flooding.

Primary election day has arrived in Upstate South Carolina. And voters heading to the polls today, June 9, may want to keep an eye on the weather before stepping out to cast their ballot.

According to the National Weather Service in Greenville–Spartanburg, showers and thunderstorms are expected through the afternoon and evening of June 9. With heavy rainfall possible across parts of the Upstate.

Forecasters warn that the chances of storms could increase early in the afternoon, then taper off later tonight. Some areas could also see isolated flooding as slow‑moving storms develop.

As voters head to the polls, the weather may end up playing just as much of a role in the day as the races themselves.

Soggy skies ahead for South Carolina primary

As reported by the National Weather Service, a sharp trough sliding in today is about to stir things up across South Carolina.

The atmosphere is already setting the stage for a soggy, storm‑filled afternoon on June 9. It’s a day where showers and thunderstorms become increasingly common as a weak backdoor front hangs around just long enough to keep things unsettled.

Severe weather isn’t expected to be a major player, but it’s not completely off the table either.

Greenville, Upstate SC weather outlook for June 9 primary

• June 9: Showers likely before 11 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Calm winds become south-southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Precipitation chance is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. 
• Tonight: A 30% chance of showers before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southwest wind around 5 mph, becomes calmer in the evening. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible.

Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.