Charlotte vs Raleigh
Charlotte, North Carolina versus Raleigh, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Charlotte and Raleigh score about the same overall (45 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Charlotte | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $79k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $64k |
| Home Value | $313k | $347k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $185k | $97k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.82% | 0.80% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.28% | 10.32% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8 in | 49.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5 in | 4.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 187 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 29.2 | 57.7 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 55.0 | 45.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1942/100k | 1899/100k |
| Property Crime | 3152/100k | 2364/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 875,045 | 465,517 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 34.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.68 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+36 | D+27 |
| White (%) | 39.7% | 52.5% |
| Black (%) | 34.7% | 27.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 15.3% | 11.6% |
| Asian (%) | 6.5% | 4.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 14.6/20 | 12.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 9 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.9% | 93.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 10.24 | 16.24 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Charlotte or Raleigh more affordable?
- Raleigh has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Charlotte's $64k and Raleigh's $64k. Median rent is $1k in Charlotte versus $1k in Raleigh.
- Is Charlotte or Raleigh safer?
- Raleigh has the lower violent crime rate. Charlotte reports 1942/100k and Raleigh reports 1899/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Charlotte or Raleigh?
- The median home value is $313k in Charlotte and $347k in Raleigh, so homes are more affordable in Charlotte.