Fuquay-Varina vs Raleigh
Fuquay-Varina, 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.
Fuquay-Varina edges out Raleigh on overall objective livability (50 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fuquay-Varina | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $94k | $79k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $64k |
| Home Value | $364k | $347k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.75% | 0.80% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.72% | 10.32% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.2 in | 49.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8 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 | 46.6 | 57.7 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.4 | 45.4 |
| Violent Crime | 402/100k | 1899/100k |
| Property Crime | 843/100k | 2364/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 35,428 | 465,517 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 34.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+27 | D+27 |
| White (%) | 68.1% | 52.5% |
| Black (%) | 15.7% | 27.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.1% | 11.6% |
| Asian (%) | 1.9% | 4.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 12.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 19 mi | 9 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.2% | 93.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 37.54 | 16.24 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | 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 Fuquay-Varina or Raleigh more affordable?
- Raleigh has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Fuquay-Varina's $64k and Raleigh's $64k. Median rent is $2k in Fuquay-Varina versus $1k in Raleigh.
- Is Fuquay-Varina or Raleigh safer?
- Fuquay-Varina has the lower violent crime rate. Fuquay-Varina reports 402/100k and Raleigh reports 1899/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fuquay-Varina or Raleigh?
- The median home value is $364k in Fuquay-Varina and $347k in Raleigh, so homes are more affordable in Raleigh.