2009 Accolades
- 500 World's Best Hotels 2010 (The Umstead Hotel & Spa, Cary) - Travel + Leisure, December 2009
- #16 Cities Where Americans Are Getting Richer (Raleigh-Cary) - Forbes.com, December 2009
- #19 Lowest City Crime Ranking in United States (Cary) - CQ Press, November 2009
- #10 among 2009 Best Performing Cities (Raleigh-Cary) - Milken Institute, November 2009
- #3 Best Place to Launch a Small Business (Raleigh-Cary) - Fortune Small Business, October 2009
- #17 Best Sports City (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) - Sporting News, October 2009
- #1 among America's Smartest Cities--from First to Worst (Raleigh-Cary MSA plus Durham MSA) - The Daily Beast, October 2009
- #1 Attraction in North Carolina Most Visited by school groups (N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh) - Carolina Publishing Associates, October 2009
- #10 Attraction in North Carolina Most Visited by school groups (N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh) - Carolina Publishing Associates, October 2009
- 11 Restaurants Worth the Money: Southeast (Poole's Diner, Raleigh) - Gourmet, October 2009
- #28 Best Place to Raise a Family (Raleigh) - Children's Health Magazine, September 2009
- Sixth-highest percentage (5%) of adults with a doctorate or professional degree among Combined Statistical Areas nationwide (Raleigh-Durham-Cary) - Triangle Business Journal and U.S. Census Bureau, September 2009
- Fourth-highest percentage (15.35%) of adults with a master's degree or higher among Combined Statistical Areas nationwide (Raleigh-Durham-Cary) - Triangle Business Journal and U.S. Census Bureau, September 2009
- Third-highest percentage (40%) of adults with at least a bachelor's degree among Combined Statistical Areas nationwide (Raleigh-Durham-Cary) - Triangle Business Journal and U.S. Census Bureau, September 2009
- Third-largest concentration of modernist houses in America (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) - Triangle Modernist Archive, Inc., August 2009
- Road Warriors' Favorite Cities for Business Trips (Raleigh) - USA Today, August 2009
- Top 10 New Barbecue Restaurants (The Pit, Raleigh) - Bon Appétit, July 2009
- Green Building of America Award (Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh) - Construction Communications, July 2009
- #2 Best Sports Franchise (Carolina Hurricanes, Raleigh) - ESPN the Magazine, July 2009
- #3 Best Place to Move (Apex) - Forbes.com, July 2009
- #8 Best Place to Move (Cary) - Forbes.com, July 2009
- #2 Most Efficient Airport in North America for 3rd Consecutive Year (RDU International Airport, Morrisville) - Air Transport Research Society, July 2009
- #2 Most Cost-Competitive Airport in North America (RDU International Airport, Morrisville) - Air Transport Research Society, July 2009
- 10 Great Places to Pitch In at a State Park (William B. Umstead State Park, Raleigh) - USA Today, July 2009
- #44 Best Places to Live: America's Best Small Towns (Apex) - Money Magazine, July 2009
- 2009 Gold Service Award (Greater Raleigh CVB) - Meetings & Conventions, July 2009
- Great Colleges to Work For (Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh) - The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 2009
- #18 Sports-Obsessed City in the U.S. (Raleigh) - Men's Health, July 2009
- #6 Best Places to Live and Work for Young Professionals: Mighty Micros (Cary) - Next Generation Consulting, June 2009
- #12 Best Places to Live and Work for Young Professionals: Midsized Magnets (Raleigh) - Next Generation Consulting, June 2009
- Strongest Metro Area in North Carolina (Raleigh-Cary) - Brookings Institution, June 2009
- #5 Leading Life Sciences Clusters in the U.S. (Raleigh-Durham-Cary) - Milken Institute, May 2009
- #10 High-Tech Centers in the U.S. (Raleigh) - American City Business Journals, May 2009
- #5 Fastest-Growing Metropolitan Area in the Country (Raleigh-Cary) - Easy Analytic Software, May 2009
- #20 Most Fit MSA (Raleigh-Cary) - The American College of Sports Medicine, May 2009
- #8 Best Big Cities for Jobs (Raleigh-Cary) - Forbes.com, May 2009
- #10 Best City of 2009 (Raleigh-Cary)- Kiplinger's Personal Finance, May 2009
- 50 Best Burgers (Raleigh Times Bar, Raleigh)- Food Network, May 2009
- #5 Top City for Designers and Artists (Raleigh-Cary)- ArtBistro.com, May 2009
- #1 City with Best Economic Potential (Raleigh)- fDi Magazine, April 2009
- #24 Top Arts Destination among Mid-Size Cities (Raleigh) - AmericanStyle Magazine, April 2009
- #1 City Where Americans Are Relocating (Raleigh)- Forbes.com, April 2009
- 50 Best New U.S. Restaurants (The Pit, Raleigh) - Travel + Leisure, April 2009
- #24 Top Arts Destination among Mid-Size Cities (Raleigh) - AmericanStyle Magazine, April 2009
- Ultimate Hyatt Place Hotel (Hyatt Place Raleigh-Durham Airport, Morrisville) - Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, March 2009
- #1 Best Place for Business and Careers (Raleigh-Cary) - Forbes.com, March 2009
- #1 Fastest-Growing Metropolitan Area in the Country (Raleigh-Cary) - U.S. Census Bureau, March 2009
- Tree City USA recognition (Cary, Raleigh, Wendell and Zebulon) - Arbor Day Foundation, March 2009
- 2nd Best State to Do Business In (North Carolina) - Chief Executive Magazine, March 2009
- #6 Healthiest Housing Market (Raleigh) - Builderonline.com, February 2009
- #18 MSA with Highest Rate of House Price Appreciation (Raleigh-Cary) - Federal Housing Finance Agency, February 2009
- #1 Top City for Small Business (Raleigh, NC) - Bizjournals and portfolio.com, February 2009
- Award of Excellence (Greater Raleigh CVB) - SportsEvents Magazine, February 2009
- Mobil Four-Star Award (The Umstead Spa and Herons at the Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary) - Mobil Travel Guide, January 2009
- 10 Great Cities for Salary Growth (Raleigh-Cary) - Yahoo! Hotjobs, January 2009
- #3 Most Visited Attraction in North Carolina (N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh) - Carolina Publishing Associates, January 2009
- #10 Most Visited Attraction in North Carolina (N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh) - Carolina Publishing Associates, January 2009
- #22 Most Visited Attraction in North Carolina (N.C. Museum of Art, Raleigh) - Carolina Publishing Associates, January 2009
- Midtown Diamond Award for Best Martini (The Red Room Tapas Lounge, Raleigh) - Midtown Magazine, January 2009
- #2 Splurge Worthy Restaurant in Readers' Choice Awards (Angus Barn, Raleigh) - Southern Living, January 2009
- #2 Best Festival or Fair in Readers' Choice Awards (North Carolina State Fair, Raleigh) - Southern Living, January 2009
- #6 Best Value Public College for 2009 (North Carolina State University, Raleigh) - USA Today, January 2009
- #4 among America's Best Cities for Dating (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) - Sperling's BestPlaces, January 2009