MetricRaleigh, NCGarner, NC
Population481,03134,473
Median Household Income$85,395$78,756
Median Rent$1,572/mo$1,549/mo
Median Home Value$415,800$355,000
Cost of Living (US = 100)9898
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50.5%52.2%
Poverty Rate11.9%8.4%
Unemployment Rate3.3%3.5%
Violent Crime Rate /100k395416
Property Crime Rate /100k2,3053,120
Median AQI4343
Good AQI Days /yr250250
Summer Highs89°F86°F
Winter Lows33°F29°F
Snowfall5 in/yr5 in/yr
Avg Commute23 min26.2 min
Hospitals41
Avg Hospital Rating4.5 / 5—
Students per Teacher14.214.8
College Degree Rate54%46.5%
Foreign-Born %13.8%11.9%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+8.2%+32.1%

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