Stabilized, high-doped silicon carbide is described. A silicon carbide crystal is grown on a substrate using chemical vapor deposition so that the silicon carbide crystal includes a dopant and the strain compensating component. The strain compensating component can be an isoelectronic element and/or an element with the same majority carrier type as the dopant. The silicon carbide crystal can then be cut into silicon carbide wafers. In some embodiments, the dopant is n-type and the strain compensating component is selected from a group comprising germanium, tin, arsenic, phosphorus, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the strain compensating component comprises germanium and the dopant is nitrogen.