MetricRaleigh, NCWendell, NC
Population481,03113,064
Median Household Income$85,395$95,787
Median Rent$1,572/mo$1,457/mo
Median Home Value$415,800$330,500
Cost of Living (US = 100)9898
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50.5%49.8%
Poverty Rate11.9%3.2%
Unemployment Rate3.3%3.2% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k39599
Property Crime Rate /100k2,3051,021
Median AQI4343
Good AQI Days /yr250250
Summer Highs89°F88°F
Winter Lows33°F32°F
Snowfall5 in/yr3 in/yr
Avg Commute23 min29 min
Hospitals4—
Avg Hospital Rating4.5 / 5—
Students per Teacher14.216.1
College Degree Rate54%38.2%
Foreign-Born %13.8%13.5%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+8.2%+100.1%

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