A Research Triangle town on the rise, Garner is characterized by small-town vibes and a strong sense of community. “The people are the best aspect of Garner,” says Jack Baldwin, Garner’s recreation center and programs manager. “There are folks who have lived here all their life, and they’ll welcome you no matter where you’re coming in from. Everyone gets to know everyone.” The community has a population of just over 35,000, almost double the number of residents it had in 2000. Weather is another appeal of The Research Triangle, especially for out-of-state residents moving from up north. The area experiences all four seasons, but the winters are mild, with little to no snow, and while the summers are hot, the high temperatures tend not to last for very long.?
Garner is a short drive from Raleigh, so much so that the two almost blend together. “I live in a part of Raleigh that when I describe to people where I live, I just tell them I’m in Garner because that’s where they’d think we were,” says Julie Toy, a lifelong North Carolina resident and a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Advantage. Residents are close to Research Triangle Park, the country’s largest research park, home to over 300 tech companies. In 2024, Amazon opened a new distribution center in Garner, creating thousands of new jobs. But Toy says it benefits residents who don’t work there, too. “It’s pretty cool to be able to order something at 10 a.m. from Amazon, and it’s sitting on your porch by about noon,” she says.
A Research Triangle town on the rise, Garner is characterized by small-town vibes.
Garner got its start along the railroad line in the 1850s.
New Garner neighborhoods feature a variety of new traditional homes.
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Watersports on Lake Wheeler, with more parks coming soon
Lake Wheeler spans 650 acres, with 150 acres of public park surrounding it. While locals cannot swim in the lake, they can launch motorized and nonmotorized boats into the water or enjoy pursuits like tubing and water skiing. White Deer Park is another popular spot, where locals can wander trails through wildflower meadows, take their kids to the playground or visit the nature center, which has an assortment of animals and educational programs. Lake Benson Park is connected to White Deer Park by a greenway and mainly consists of open space for recreation or community events. Within the park, there are playgrounds, as well as a dog park with play spaces for big and small breeds. There are more parks on the way for Garner. “We’ve recently purchased two pieces of property that we plan on developing into parks,” Baldwin says. “One of them — Meadowbrook Park — was an old golf course that has since been purchased. We’re working on plans for those now.”
Lake Wheeler spans 650 acres, and has a boat launch near Garner.
White Deer Park in Garner has a nature center.
s. Lake Benson Park has a playground and dog park in Garner.
Laken Benson Park in Garner offers two playgrounds for the kids.
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Shopping in downtown Garner and at White Oak Crossing
Downtown Garner is made up of one street and is best suited for more local shopping and dining. “Several new small businesses have been popping up on Main Street in downtown Garner,” Baldwin says. “I think a large part of those opening up have to do with the fact that they built the new recreation center in downtown Garner.” The recreation center has indoor basketball courts, outdoor walking trails and multipurpose rooms for community events. Also downtown, The Garner Performing Arts Center features live performances from both local and international acts.
Residents don’t have to travel to Raleigh for everyday groceries, big-box stores and chain restaurants. Along U.S. Highway 70 toward Clayton, White Oak Crossing is a newer shopping center with retail spaces and a movie theater. However, they may find themselves driving to the big city for nightlife.
Garner Performing Arts Center offers an intimate 471 seat auditorium for local performances.
Downtown Garner is made up of one street and is best suited for more local shopping.
All the locals know about Full Bloom Coffee House in Downtown Garner.
White Oak Crossing is a newer shopping center in Garner.
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New construction and established neighborhoods
Homes in Garner mostly sit on wide, walkable streets with enough room to ride a bike. “Having Amazon in the area certainly drove housing up initially,” Toy says. “They are a massive employer, and a lot of people were coming here for jobs and needed housing. There was a period of catch-up, but it’s settling down now.” The majority of properties consist of single-family homes with a median price of about $436,000. Townhouses are another option with a median price of around $361,250. Buyers can find a ranch-style property or townhouse in the mid to $200,000 to $550,000 range. Colonial Revival, Craftsman and New Traditional style properties typically cost between $400,000 and $600,000, while large custom-built homes can reach the millions. “Residential development is off the chain here with the number of houses, apartments and townhomes going in,” Baldwin says. “I’m hoping the town doesn’t lose its small-town feel with all the development.”
While there are a lot of new properties, there is also a resale market. “There's a lot that’s older,” Toy says. “There’s a number of neighborhoods that you don’t hear about; I call them sleeper neighborhoods because they’re just quiet neighborhoods of older homes that have been here for many decades. We’re starting to see some renewed interest in those areas.” This could be a suitable option for those looking to avoid noisy construction.
Garner is booming, there are all types of new homes to be found.
Plenty of new traditional options in Garner.
Split-Level bliss in Garner.
If you like ranch homes, Garner has a variety to choose from.
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Fourth of July with the North Carolina Symphony
Garner celebrates Independence Day as a community on July 3 at Lake Benson Park. Nonprofit organizations sell concessions as The North Carolina Symphony plays, and the night closes with fireworks. “It’s a great way to get to know people and nonprofits,” Baldwin says. “There will be upwards of 10,000 to 15,000 people.”
Six miles to Raleigh and the new Interstate 540
“You can get to pretty much anywhere in Johnston or Wake counties in 25 to 30 minutes on a good traffic day in Garner,” Baldwin says. It’s about 6 miles, or 12 minutes, to downtown Raleigh from downtown Garner. In 2024, the first phase of the Complete 540 project was completed with the Triangle Expressway extension from U.S. 401 to Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 70. The goal was to make traffic less congested for Garner residents. “The general consensus from people I’ve spoken to is that it’s a major time saver," Toy says. "A drive that might take somebody 45 minutes to an hour is now taking less than a half hour.”
Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 70 lead to major North Carolina cities, including Raleigh, Wilmington and Greensboro. GoRaleigh transit buses connect the town to other sections of Wake County. The drive from Garner to Raleigh-Durham International Airport is 21 miles, taking around 35 minutes, depending on traffic.
Moore Square is on the East side of the Capital District and provides a nice green space.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport serves the Research Triangle Region of NC near RTP.
The Triangle Expressway extension runs from U.S. 401 to Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 70.
GoRaleigh transit buses connect Garner to other sections of Wake County.
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Wake County and Johnston County schools
Wake County School District serves the majority of Garner. It earns an A grade on Niche and educates 160,000 students in about 200 schools. The district allows families to choose between traditional, charter, magnet, year-round and private schools. Students must first apply to their base school before applying to a magnet or year-round. It’s common for enrollments to cap at certain schools, which will then no longer accept new students. They will then be assigned to what is known as an overflow school.
Some sections of town are zoned for B-rated Johnston County Schools. “We have an address in Raleigh, but we’re in Johnston County, and the county line runs right through the middle of my neighborhood,” Toy says. “The kids on my side of the neighborhood go to Johnston County Schools, and the kids on the other side of the neighborhood go to Wake County Schools.” There are also many colleges and universities nearby, including Wake Tech Community College, Meredith College, North Carolina State, William Peace University, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In the past Garner High School in Garner, has won the East Region Championships in football.
UNC is a 5 minute drive from Meadowmont.
Duke University is a private institution that was founded in 1838.
Wake Tech is nearby the town of Garner.
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Lower violent crime rate than Raleigh
Crime data from the FBI shows that Garner had 620 incidents of violent crime in 2023. This number has more than doubled from 2018, when the count was 263. Still, the crime rate here remains lower than the figure for Raleigh, the closest major city. Meanwhile, Garner’s property crime rate is higher than Raleigh’s. There were 1,611 incidents of property crime in Garner in 2023, representing a 75% increase from 2018, when there were 921.
Written By
Joyelle Ronan
Photography Contributed By
Bryan Regan
Video By
Jacob McAllister
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Reach out to
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