Durham vs Raleigh
Durham, 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.
Durham edges out Raleigh on overall objective livability (47 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Durham | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $75k | $79k |
| Cost of Living | $62k | $64k |
| Home Value | $317k | $347k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.96% | 0.80% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.87% | 10.32% |
| Unemployment | 4.3% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0 in | 49.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.2 in | 4.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 80 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 28.0 | 57.7 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 62.6 | 45.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1868/100k | 1899/100k |
| Property Crime | 3323/100k | 2364/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 284,094 | 465,517 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 34.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.65 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+63 | D+27 |
| White (%) | 40.7% | 52.5% |
| Black (%) | 35.8% | 27.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.3% | 11.6% |
| Asian (%) | 5.7% | 4.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 15.1/20 | 12.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 9 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.9% | 93.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.51 | 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 Durham or Raleigh more affordable?
- Durham has the lower cost of living: its index is $62k, compared with Durham's $62k and Raleigh's $64k. Median rent is $1k in Durham versus $1k in Raleigh.
- Is Durham or Raleigh safer?
- Durham has the lower violent crime rate. Durham reports 1868/100k and Raleigh reports 1899/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Durham or Raleigh?
- The median home value is $317k in Durham and $347k in Raleigh, so homes are more affordable in Durham.