Durham receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Arlington
Durham
Opportunity
63 · Top 36%
vs68 · Top 24%
Growth
58 · Top 41%
vs76 · Top 5%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs72 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
56 · Top 49%
vs68 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
76 · Top 37%
vs70 · Top 45%
Access
96 · Bottom 47%
vs97 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
62 · Top 25%
vs62 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Arlington | Durham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 397,742 | 291,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,171 | $81,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,148 | $49,636 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,150/sq mi | 2,453/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $304,700 | $392,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,470 | $1,508 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.3% | 52.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.6% | 57.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,722 | 4,643 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 16.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.6% | 33.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.2" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.7 | 35.1 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Arlington
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Durham
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Arlington, TX · Durham, NC · How this is calculated: methodology