Durham-Chapel Hill and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Durham-Chapel Hill | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 601,724 | 2,768,407 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,500 | $83,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,851 | $46,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 342/sq mi | 495/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $396,100 | $356,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,466 | $1,473 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.2% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.4% | 39.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8,526 | 19,537 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.2 | 7.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 72.3% | -21.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.7" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 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
Durham-Chapel Hill
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area · Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology