MetricDurham, NCRaleigh, NC
Population291,467481,031
Median Household Income$81,619$85,395
Median Rent$1,508/mo$1,572/mo
Median Home Value$392,800$415,800
Cost of Living (US = 100)9898
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income46.3%50.5%
Poverty Rate11.7%11.9%
Unemployment Rate3.4%3.3%
Violent Crime Rate /100k507395
Property Crime Rate /100k3,5992,305
Median AQI4243
Good AQI Days /yr262250
Summer Highs85°F89°F
Winter Lows30°F33°F
Snowfall5 in/yr5 in/yr
Avg Commute22.3 min23 min
Hospitals44
Avg Hospital Rating4.7 / 54.5 / 5
Students per Teacher14.814.2
College Degree Rate57.3%54%
Foreign-Born %15.4%13.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+7.6%+8.2%

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