Signals
Durham
Charlotte
Opportunity
68 · Top 24%
vs73 · Top 15%
Climate
72 · Top 45%
vs72 · Top 41%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 31%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
70 · Top 45%
vs68 · Top 49%
Access
97 · Bottom 49%
vs99 · Top 22%
Economic stability
62 · Top 23%
vs64 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Durham | Charlotte | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 291,467 | 903,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,619 | $82,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,636 | $51,814 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,453/sq mi | 2,901/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $392,800 | $385,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,508 | $1,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.3% | 51.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.3% | 48.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 34.5 | 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
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Charlotte
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Durham, NC · Charlotte, NC · How this is calculated: methodology