Morrisville was a small little town outside of Raleigh, that is until the Research Triangle Park in Durham became a hot spot for work and residential relocation. When the demand for Cary’s real estate grew and the prices shot up, people started looking for housing outside of Cary. Morrisville is just that. But due to its close proximity to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport and the Research Triangle Park, it didn’t take long for the prices to match and even exceed that of Cary’s. Some of Cary’s subdivisions even spill over into Morrisville.
Morrisville, which continues to grow in commercial and residential size with new subdivisions and strip malls, has experienced such tremendous growth in the last few decades. In fact, in 1980, the population was only 251 & the town grew to 1,489 by the 1990 Census and 5,208 by the 2000 Census. A Special Census was conducted in March 2004, which counted 11,915 residents. Morrisville is a town in Wake County, in the Raleigh-Cary metro area. The community was named for Jeremiah (Jerry) Morris, landowner who sold right-of-way to the railroad.
Location
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.8 square miles. Lake Crabtree County Park is located in Morrisville. Portions of 520 acre Lake Crabtree are within the town's border. Morrisville is located at 35°49′39″N, 78°49′44″W (35.827493, -78.828930). Elevation is 299 feet. The estimated population, in 2003, was 7,671.
Davis Drive in Morrisville runs all the way from Cary into Durham and crosses with I540. I540 can take you to RDU Airport or into Raleigh as an alternative to I440. It takes just minutes to get to RDU and RTP.
History
The area was originally settled in 1840. An historical marker in downtown Morrisville marks the skirmish that occurred here during the closing days of the Civil War. As the Confederates attempted to transport their remaining supplies and wounded to the west, General Sherman's cavalry forced the Confederates to leave the train behind and retreat toward Durham, leading to the eventual surrender of the largest Confederate force of the war.
The town was officially chartered in 1875 and named for Jerry Morris who owned the town site. The town charter was repealed in 1933, though the town was reincorporated in 1947.
Demographics
As of the most recent full censusGR2 in 2000, there were 5,208 people residing in Morrisville. The census also revealed:
• The median age was 30
• For every 100 females there were 106.5 males
• The median income for a household was $56,548
• The median family income was $64,625
• Male median income was $46,750
• Female median income as $34,528
• Per capita income was $32,242
• 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line
The racial makeup of the town was 76.46% White, 11.00% African American, 0.44% Native American, 9.06% Asian, 1.17% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.26% of the population. The town has the highest percentage of Asian Americans in North Carolina.
* Morrisville, like much of Wake County, has experienced tremendous growth in the last few decades. In 1980, the population was only 251. The town grew to 1,489 by the 1990 Census, and 5,208 by the 2000 Census. Because of the rapid growth, a Special Census was conducted in March 2004, which counted 11,915 residents.
Taxes
If you live in the corporate limits of Morrisville, your tax rate is 46.77 cents per $100 of assessed valuation plus the county rate of 60.4 cents per $100, for a total tax of $1.117 per $100 in 2007.
Property is appraised every eight years. The assessed valuation is 100% of the appraised value. The county property tax rate is 60.4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Sales taxes in Wake County are 2.5%, and the North Carolina state taxes are 4.5% for a 7% sales tax total.
Education
Students in grades K-5 attend Morrisville Elementary School (a year-round school) or Cedar Fork Elementary School, which operates on a traditional calendar. Middle school students are sometimes to Davis Drive Middle School, on traditional schedules, or they may opt for year-round middle schools. Students in Grades 9-12 are subject to districting, and may attend Green Hope High School or Panther Creek High School, as well as Cary and Apex high schools. Wake County high schools are not operated on a year-round schedule.
Morrisville is also home to two for-profit schools including DeVry University, the University of Phoenix. Two accredited colleges have campuses in Morrisville including Campbell University and North Carolina Wesleyan College.
Industry
Morrisville is a good location for offices, hotels, shops and light industry due to its close proximity to Research Triangle Park (RTP), Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), and I-40. Land use restrictions within RTP (discouraging uses other than large corporate campuses) create considerable demand for those excluded from RTP to surrounding areas like Morrisville. Much of Morrisville is underneath RDU flight paths as well, making the land undesirable for some residential dwellings. Lenovo has its U.S headquarters here, and many small companies, including Lulu.com and Tekelec, have their headquarters in Morrisville.
Parks & Recreation
Morrisville offers aquatics programs, senior programs, athletic programs, and youth sports (including soccer, co-ed soccer, baseball and t-ball clinics, girls softball and co-ed tennis).
There are also community centers, playgrounds, park shelters and more available for rent. Morrisville believes it is important to develop and maintain greenways, open space, wooded areas and parks along with recreational facilities – thus enhancing the residents’ quality of life.
Morrisville’s parks include, Ruritan Park (located in the heart of Town Center), Crabtree Creek Nature Park (a 34-acre wooded and wetland site is planned to have a nature park and walking trails in addition to a nature center in 2026), Cedar Fork District Park (37-acre park near NC-54 provides recreational opportunities with multi-use fields and more), Shiloh Community Park & Luther Green Community Center (has rental facilities, picnic shelter, restrooms, ball field, playground and more), and Morrisville Community Park (has athletic fields, tot-lot, picnic shelters, and Hatcher Creek Greenway).
Morrisville’s parks, in a public safety effort that also serves to protect park resources, are open from 8 a.m. to sunset every day of the year. In athletic areas that have lights where visitors are participating in an approved activity, the hours are extended until 30 minutes after the completion of the activity or until 11 p.m.
Annual Events
The 3rd Annual “An Evening in Vegas” Senior Casino Night usually takes place in August or September in Morrisville. The event includes dinner, music and the excitement of Las Vegas. There are prizes and gambling at the casino-quality tables and slots. This event is for ages 55 or older.
Shopping & Restaurants
Because Morrisville is still growing, and has only recently started its population boom in the past 20 years, there is not as much in terms of restaurants and shopping centers in the town. But it’s growing every day!
There is a new Harris Teeter grocery store located in Morrisville’s McCrimmon Corners on Davis Drive. McCrimmon Corners has several eateries including Subway, Randy’s Pizza, Wendy’s and Two Guys Grille, a barber shop, a video store, an insurance office and so much more! There is also a Prime Outlets shopping center on Airport Blvd.
Park Place 16 is the Movie Theater in Morrisville, located on Chapel Hill Road. And it’s just a short drive to Durham where the South Points Mall is located. Cary and the Cary Town Center and Crossroads Shopping Centers are also a short drive.
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