Durham-Chapel Hill and Knoxville 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
Durham-Chapel Hill
Knoxville
Opportunity
68 · Top 26%
vs70 · Top 23%
Growth
81 · Top 6%
vs77 · Top 9%
Climate
78 · Top 11%
vs76 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 40%
vs63 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 22%
vs86 · Bottom 39%
Access
91 · Top 35%
vs89 · Top 40%
Economic stability
72 · Top 30%
vs60 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Durham-Chapel Hill | Knoxville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 601,724 | 932,241 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,500 | $72,422 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,851 | $40,856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 342/sq mi | 266/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $396,100 | $290,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,466 | $1,145 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.2% | 70.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.4% | 32.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8,526 | 7,902 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.2 | 8.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 72.3% | -0.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.7" | 55.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 26.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 40.6 | 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.
Knoxville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Durham-Chapel Hill
75
Your Score
74
Area Score
Knoxville
74
Your Score
74
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area · Knoxville, TN Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology