Charlotte, NC vs Raleigh, NC

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricCharlotte, NCRaleigh, NC
Population903,844481,031
Median Household Income$82,068$85,395
Median Rent$1,612/mo$1,572/mo
Median Home Value$385,700$415,800
Cost of Living (US = 100)9798
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income47.8%50.5%
Poverty Rate11.7%11.9%
Unemployment Rate4%3.3%
Violent Crime Rate /100k559395
Property Crime Rate /100k3,4182,305
Median AQI5143
Good AQI Days /yr176250
Summer Highs89°F89°F
Winter Lows34°F33°F
Snowfall4 in/yr5 in/yr
Avg Commute24.7 min23 min
Hospitals54
Avg Hospital Rating4.3 / 54.5 / 5
Students per Teacher16.714.2
College Degree Rate48%54%
Foreign-Born %18.7%13.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+10.3%+8.2%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.