Durham receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Carrboro
Durham
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs65 · Top 31%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs70 · Top 17%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs68 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs70 · Bottom 34%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Carrboro | Durham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,204 | 291,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,743 | $81,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,875 | $49,636 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,271/sq mi | 2,453/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $539,400 | $392,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,470 | $1,508 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.5% | 52.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.9% | 57.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 4,643 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 15.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 116.7% | 33.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.46 | 15.33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.2% | 94.9% | 2024-25 school 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
Carrboro
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Durham
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Carrboro, NC · Durham, NC · How this is calculated: methodology