Wendell is a small town that’s growing into a bustling community. Located about 20 miles east of Raleigh, North Carolina, Wendell is known for its pastoral environment and acres of green space while still being within commuting distance of urban centers. “For a long time, it’s been a relatively small community,” says Roger Peterson, Executive Director of the Wendell Chamber of Commerce. In 2010, according to data from the US Census Bureau, the town had a population just shy of 6,000 people. By 2022, that number had more than doubled to 12,440. “The trick is for us to keep that small-town charm and appeal even as we grow. It’s not easy because we’re spread out in a lot of different areas, but downtown, there’s retail that has been there for literally 100 years.”
Wendell Falls is a large planned urban development that’s bringing a lot of attention to the area. “Every time I turn around, I see a new news story at Wendell Falls,” says Julie Toy, a lifelong North Carolina resident and realtor with Coldwell Banker Advantage. “They've taken on quite a bit of new growth. Just about any time you hear about someone moving to Wendell, it’s almost always going to be to Wendall Falls.”
Just 20 minutes from Downtown Raleigh, Wendell is full of small town charm.
Wendell has that that small-town charm as it continues to grow.
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Theater performances from the Big Charm Players
Peterson says that one of the Chamber’s initiatives is to bring the new residents and legacy residents together as a part of the community spirit. He recalls one Friday night when the community theater, Big Charm Players, put on a live performance at the same time that one of the local churches had a “Dancing with the Stars” inspired fundraiser for orphans in Belarus. The theater performance sold out, while the fundraiser had more than 450 people attend. “That feeling that you’re part of the town, that’s important,” Peterson said.
On the events calendar, visitors can take in the wide array of events going on across the town on any given night, including live music, horseback riding lessons, artisan markets, holiday celebrations and more. Yearly events like the Winter Wonderland, Harvest Festival and the International Food and Music Festival showcase local merchants and bring residents together.
The Winter Wonderland Festival takes place in downtown Wendell during Christmas.
The Wendell town square host events all year long.
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The beers and the bees in downtown Wendell
Downtown Wendell is lined with locally-owned businesses that give the town its distinct character. Bearded Bee Brewing Company features a rotating tap of beers in a space that used to be used as an old livery stable, and still features the original wooden beams, signage and brickwork. The brewery utilizes some of its profits to support local beekeepers. New boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants are consistently coming to downtown Wendell.
Wendall Falls has its own retail area. “It’s almost like they’ve tried to create a community within themselves,” Toy says of Wendell Falls. “Once you’re living there, there's no need to ever leave. They have restaurants, craft breweries, coffee shops and gyms right there in the neighborhood.” It also has its own pocket parks and clubhouse with a pool and cafe.
Carter’s Baking Company is a great place to grab something sweet in Wendell.
Parallax Coffee Lab is a popular spot in downtown Wendell.
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Small town charm with contemporary homes
One of the advantages of Wendell is that the home prices are lower than in areas closer to Raleigh. The median price of a single-family home is about $410,000, while the median townhouse price is $326,000. Single-level brick homes built in the 1960s can still be purchased for around $250,000, while bungalows and Colonials from the 1980s can still be found for $315,000 to $360,000. However, for home buyers looking for modern amenities, new homes built since 2020 are still available for around $400,000. “It’s still fairly ground floor where you might experience some real appreciation,” Toy says. The urban residential streets near downtown Wendell feature mature trees, small lots, and wide front porches, while the newer developments like Wendell Falls are characterized by wide streets, sidewalks and picturesque landscaping, but homes sit on smaller lots.
Classic homes line the streets of downtown Wendell.
One of the advantages of Wendell is home prices are lower.
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Highly ranked Wake County schools
Many students in Wendell attend Wake County Schools, which has an A rating from Niche. The district has 160,000 students in about 200 schools with traditional, charter, magnet, year-round and private school options. Some students will be zoned for Johnston County School, depending on where they fall on the county line. North Carolina’s largest community college, Wake Tech, has a campus in Wendell. North Carolina State University is around a 20-mile drive, depending on traffic and location in Wendell.
Wendell Middle School serves grades 6-9.
Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls is a new school in town.
Wake Technical College has a new campus in Wendell.
NCSU is about a 20 mile drive from Wendell.
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Wendell Town Park is for the dogs
Wendell Town Park is a popular outdoor spot for residents, with extensive walking trails, athletic fields and a dog park. “The demographic seems to be younger families, so hopefully, we’ll see more parks as a result of that,” Toy says. To the southwest, the members-only Wendell Country Club has an 18-hole golf course and swimming pool. For more expansive outdoor adventures, nature preserves like Sandy Pines Preserve offer miles of hiking trails, while Lu-Tom Acres Lake in the heart of the town is a quiet fishing and boating spot. Robertson Mill Pond Preserve is a cypress habitat with a 1.5-mile paddling trail.
Wendell Town Park has a dog park for residents and their furry friends.
Lu-Tom Acres Lake in the heart of Wendell and great fro fishing.
Robertson Mill Pond Preserve is a cypress habitat with a 1.5-mile paddling trail in Wendell.
Sandy Pines Preserve offer miles of hiking trails in Wendell.
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Midway between Raleigh and Rocky Mount
“You can jump onto the highway and be in downtown Raleigh in 20 min, 30 in rush hour,” Peterson says. Wendell is also convenient to Rocky Mount, making it an ideal midpoint for families who work in both cities. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is about 34 miles to the west via I-540, and the WakeMed Raleigh campus is 15 minutes away.
Just 20 minutes from Downtown Raleigh, Wendell is full of small town charm.
Wendell is located midway between Raleigh and Rocky Mount.
RDU International Airport sits 34 miles to the west of Wendell.
WakeMed Raleigh campus is 15 minutes away from Wendell.
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Lower crime rates
Crime data from the FBI shows that Garner had 78 counts of violent incidences in 2023. This number has increased significantly from 2018, when the count was 7. However, crime counts are still very low compared to state and national averages. There were 154 counts of property crimes in 2023 compared to 11 counts in 2018. Wendell Police Department releases monthly reports, and by June 2024, Wendell had 42 Crimes Against Persons, 112 Crimes Against Property and 121 Crimes Against Society for the year up to that point. The report also details community engagement efforts and motor vehicle crashes.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
