Lillington, established in 1859 as Long Creek Village and renamed after a Revolutionary War hero, is a small town between Raleigh and Fayetteville. It's growing quickly because of its unique positioning and scenic surroundings, like the Cape Fear River and Raven Rock State Park. With shady forests and flowing creeks, Lillington offers a slower, rural lifestyle while retaining an endearing downtown.
Local businesses and storefronts line the downtown area, primarily at the intersection of Main Street and Front Street. Cafes, bars, breweries and casual restaurants sit behind brick facades. Locally owned convenience store Jr Food Mart is a great place to stop for a snack. Residents can find grocery essentials at the Food Lion south of downtown off Main Street. There is also a Food Lion on Cornelius Harnett Boulevard on the other side of town.
The Lillington Botanical Trail is a 1-mile path in the forest leading to McPhail Park, a clearing with stone stairs by a zip line and a long, downhill slide for kids. The Lillington River Park is perfect for all ages, with a pirate ship playground and shady trails by the water. The town is working to connect the Lillington River Park to McPhail Park and the Botanical Trail, which will be tied to a new greenway project. This will allow residents to walk several miles on a continuous trail from the woods to a path by the river. The Lillington Ball Fields include four baseball fields, a large playground and a popular walking track. Visitors go to Cape Fear River Adventures to rent a kayak, canoe or inner tube to float down the river. Lillington is only 9 miles southeast of Raven Rock State Park, which encompasses 4,800 acres on the banks of Cape Fear. The park includes 26 miles of hiking trails and 13 miles of mountain biking trails. Those who prefer to ride horseback can access 8 miles of bridle trails. Hikers may encounter waterfalls, bridges and tranquil islands.
Lillington is 30 miles south of downtown Raleigh. Commuters can arrive in the city by taking Main Street north to Route 55. Fayetteville is only 27 miles south of town by way of Highway 401. Lillington has no public transportation, and most people depend on cars. The Raleigh-Durham International Airport is 43 miles north.
Housing styles include brick ranch homes and new traditional styles. The median single-family home price is about $360,000, slightly lower than the national median of about $420,000. Since 2015, the population of Lillington has grown by over 1,000 people. Residential development is common, and infrastructure is being updated to accommodate incoming growth. “We have approved over 11,000 single-family homes in the area,” says Alicia Adams, the administrative services director for Lillington. “We’re also installing a greenway and around 2,500 residential homes around the river near Campbell University.”
Lillington is part of Harnett County Schools, and the school district has a C-plus overall Niche grade. Shawtown Elementary School is located in the southwest corner of town. Harnett Central Middle School and Harnett Central High School are on the same campus, only 5 miles north. There are also daycares for younger children, like Busy Toes Childcare and Kidds Place Too, Inc. The main campus of Central Carolina Community College is in north Lillington. Campbell University is just down the road in Buies Creek, enrolling 6,000 students in the area.
Crime statistics specific to the Lillington Police Department are not currently available. According to data from the FBI, the Harnett County Sheriff's Office reported property and violent crime rates lower than national and state figures in 2023.
Leslie Williams
Leslie Williams Realty Group
(984) 789-3051
37 Total Sales
1 in Lillington
$376,100 Price
Jennifer Coleman
Coldwell Banker Advantage
(984) 208-2426
163 Total Sales
1 in Lillington
$330,000 Price
Dale Suggs
KW Realty Platinum
(984) 205-2965
145 Total Sales
3 in Lillington
$150K - $306K Price Range
Ricardo Cobos
8th Day Realty Group LLC
(919) 420-3374
99 Total Sales
7 in Lillington
$80K - $545K Price Range
Dianne Gray
Howard Perry & Walston Realtor
(984) 234-5004
25 Total Sales
1 in Lillington
$297,500 Price
Nicholas Yarrington
Grow Local Realty, LLC
(910) 684-3156
469 Total Sales
1 in Lillington
$325,000 Price