WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — Despite the Shearon-Harris nuclear reactor sitting in the western part of Wake County, it is actually a popular area to live right now, as are several other communities in the Triangle.

Just last week, the Triangle Business Journal put together a

Top 10 Hottest Neighborhoods List

. Coming in at No. 1 was Southern Village in Chapel Hill. Falls River ranked second. Preston in Cary came in third.

Developers have several core business areas right in the middle of the neighborhoods, which is why Richard Averitt opened Quinn's Restaurant.

"[They] created a very friendly atmosphere. They designed it with sidewalks on both sides of the streets and garages in the back. People are really encouraged to be out and about getting to know one and other," he said.

"That's a wonderful convenience to be able to walk to the movie theater. There's a dry cleaner here, so many of the basic kinds of things you might need you don't have to leave the neighborhood for and you can actually walk to, so it's quite nice," homeowner Craig Hyatt said.

Scotts Mill in Apex came on the list at No. 10. Many of its neighborhoods look traditional, but schools, shopping, and entertainment are all right down the street.

"It's a different feel. You have more of a community feel because everything is right here. I actually don't have to go 2 miles out of this neighborhood to go to a grocery store now, so I can walk everywhere," homeowner Andy Ostrom said.

The list is based on sales, but many said it is the warmth of community that put them there.

Average prices varied widely among the top 10 neighborhoods. Fifth-ranked Hedingham has an average home price of $138,000 while eighth-ranked Wakefield has an average price of $424,000.