27606 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
27705
27606
Opportunity
63 · Top 32%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
71 · Top 13%
vs70 · Top 15%
Climate
78 · Top 24%
vs72 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 20%
vs64 · Bottom 33%
Access
94 · Bottom 46%
vs97 · Top 38%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 22%
vs50 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | 27705 | 27606 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,923 | 45,444 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,066 | $78,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,574 | $47,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,187/sq mi | 1,858/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $455,000 | $457,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,539 | $1,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.5% | 37.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63.9% | 60.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 18.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,643 | 5,124 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 15.9 | 10.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.1% | -0.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.7" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 30.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 27705 — Durham, NC · 27606 — Raleigh, NC · How this is calculated: methodology