Durham-Chapel Hill receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Asheville
Durham-Chapel Hill
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
74 · Top 13%
vs82 · Top 5%
Climate
77 · Top 13%
vs78 · Top 9%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 30%
vs65 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 11%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Access
97 · Top 8%
vs91 · Top 22%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 40%
vs72 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Asheville | Durham-Chapel Hill | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 414,711 | 601,724 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,838 | $83,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,135 | $50,851 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 280/sq mi | 342/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $370,900 | $396,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,296 | $1,466 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.6% | 62.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.5% | 53.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 12.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,796 | 8,526 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.6 | 14.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 49.9% | 72.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.6" | 46.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 25.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.0 | 37.9 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Asheville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Durham-Chapel Hill
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Asheville
70
Your Score
69
Area Score
Durham-Chapel Hill
76
Your Score
73
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Asheville, NC Metro Area · Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology