What County Is Morrisville NC In? The Answer Is A Little Complicated

If you’re standing in the middle of a Wegmans or grabbing a coffee near the Research Triangle Park, you might find yourself asking what county is Morrisville NC in? Most people will tell you it's Wake County. They aren't wrong. However, if you happen to be standing in just the right spot near the western edge of town, you might actually be in Durham County.

Morrisville is weird like that.

It’s a town that has exploded from a sleepy train stop into a global tech hub. Because it sits right at the intersection of the Research Triangle Park (RTP), Raleigh, and Cary, its borders are a bit of a jagged mess. For the vast majority of residents, business owners, and taxpayers, Morrisville NC is in Wake County. But a small sliver—mostly uninhabited or industrial land near the airport and the Durham border—technically crosses the line.

Why Everyone Asks About the Wake and Durham Split

Geography in the South often follows old property lines and creek beds rather than clean grids. When people search for what county is Morrisville NC in, they usually aren't looking for a lesson in cartography. They want to know where to pay their taxes, where their kids go to school, or which sheriff is going to show up if they have an emergency.

Wake County handles the bulk of the town's administrative load. The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) serves the residential neighborhoods. This is a big deal because WCPSS is one of the most highly-rated large districts in the country, which keeps property values in Morrisville sky-high. Honestly, if the town were mostly in Durham County, the real estate market there would look completely different.

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The confusion often stems from the ZIP codes. Morrisville primarily uses 27560. ZIP codes don't care about county lines. They are designed for the efficiency of the U.S. Postal Service, not for local governance. You can have a Morrisville address but live in an unincorporated part of Durham County, or even have a Cary address and technically be in Morrisville town limits. It’s a headache for newcomers.

Life on the Wake County Line

Living in Wake County comes with a specific set of expectations. You’ve got access to the Wake County library system, which is honestly fantastic. You also deal with Wake County property taxes. In 2024 and 2025, these rates have seen adjustments due to the massive influx of people moving to the area.

Think about the sheer scale of the growth here. In the 1990s, Morrisville had maybe 1,000 people. Today? It’s pushing 30,000.

That growth happened because of the town's proximity to the "Triangle." If you look at a map, Morrisville is the literal heart of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area. It’s why companies like Lenovo, Oracle, and Microsoft have massive footprints here. When these companies look up what county is Morrisville NC in for their corporate filings, they see Wake County. That tax base is what allows the town to build fancy new parks like the Morrisville Community Park or the Cricket Ground—yes, Morrisville is the cricket capital of the Southeastern US.

The Wake County Influence on Schools and Taxes

Let’s get into the weeds of the school situation. Because Morrisville is primarily in Wake County, students are assigned to schools like Cedar Fork Elementary or Panther Creek High.

• School Assignments: These are based on your specific address, not just the town name.
• Property Taxes: You pay both Morrisville town taxes and Wake County taxes.
• Voting: You'll vote in Wake County elections for things like the Board of Commissioners and Sheriff.

If you happen to live in that tiny pocket that falls into Durham County, your life changes. You’re looking at Durham Public Schools. You’re looking at Durham County taxes. It’s a very small number of people, but they exist. Usually, it's folks living in newer apartment complexes right on the fringe.

The RTP Factor: Why the County Matters

The Research Triangle Park is not a city. It’s a special jurisdictional entity. However, much of the land surrounding it is influenced by the counties that feed it. Morrisville is the primary "bedroom community" for RTP.

When people ask what county is Morrisville NC in, they are often trying to figure out their commute or their proximity to RDU International Airport. The airport itself sits on a massive chunk of land that straddles the Wake and Durham line. This proximity is Morrisville’s greatest asset and its biggest curse. The noise? Real. The convenience? Unbeatable. You can be at your gate in 10 minutes if you live in the heart of town.

Wake County has poured billions into infrastructure to support this growth. The widening of Highway 54 and the extension of the Triangle Expressway (NC-540) are Wake-centric projects that have fundamentally altered the Morrisville landscape.

Common Misconceptions About Morrisville's Location

A lot of people think Morrisville is just a suburb of Raleigh. It isn't. It is its own distinct municipality with its own mayor, town council, and police force. It just happens to be squeezed between much larger neighbors.

Another weird one: people think because it's near "Raleigh-Durham" Airport, it must be in both counties equally. Nope. It’s about 95% Wake.

Then there’s the Cary overlap. Cary and Morrisville are basically twins joined at the hip. There are places where you can cross the street and move from Morrisville to Cary without ever seeing a sign. Both are in Wake County, so at least that stays consistent. But the local ordinances—things like how many trees you can cut down or what color you can paint your business sign—change the moment you cross that invisible line.

What You Need to Know Before Moving Here

If you are looking at houses, stop looking at the "City" line on Zillow. It’s often wrong. Go to the Wake County Real Estate Data search or the Durham County Tax Administrator's site. Plug in the specific PIN (Parcel Identification Number).

That is the only way to be 100% sure.

Why does it matter? Beyond schools, it affects your utility providers. Duke Energy covers most of the area, but water and sewer might be provided by the Town of Cary (who provides it for Morrisville) or the City of Durham. There are also different trash collection schedules. It’s the little things that drive you crazy when you move.

Actionable Steps for New or Prospective Residents

1. Verify your jurisdiction: Use the "iMAPS" tool provided by Wake County. It is the gold standard for mapping in the Triangle. It will show you exactly where the town limits and county lines fall relative to a property.
2. Check school caps: Wake County schools are notoriously crowded. Even if you are in Wake County, your "base" school might be capped, meaning you could be sent to a school further away.
3. Understand the tax bill: Your tax bill will have two main line items: Morrisville (Town) and Wake (County). In 2026, expect these to reflect the updated property valuations that happen every few years.
4. Register to vote: Make sure you register in the correct county. If you live in the Durham sliver, you cannot vote in Wake County races, even if your mail says Morrisville.

The reality of what county is Morrisville NC in is that it is a Wake County town with a Durham County problem. It’s a place defined by its borders, its tech-heavy workforce, and its incredibly diverse population. Whether you’re here for a job at a biotech firm or just looking for the best Indian food in North Carolina (which is definitely in Morrisville), knowing which county you’re standing in is the first step to figuring out how the area works.

Don't let the postal address fool you. Check the maps. The county line is a real thing, and in the Triangle, the county line is everything.