Durham receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Durham
Grand Prairie
Opportunity
68 · Top 24%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth
76 · Top 5%
vs65 · Top 22%
Climate
72 · Top 45%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 31%
vs54 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
70 · Top 45%
vs79 · Top 29%
Access
97 · Bottom 49%
vs96 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
62 · Top 23%
vs65 · Top 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Durham | Grand Prairie | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 291,467 | 201,883 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,619 | $81,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,636 | $35,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,453/sq mi | 2,788/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $392,800 | $295,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,508 | $1,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.3% | 58.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.3% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 12.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,643 | 1,222 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 15.9 | 6.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.1% | -21.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 36.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 30.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 34.4 | 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.
Grand Prairie
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Durham
73
Your Score
72
Area Score
Grand Prairie
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Durham, NC · Grand Prairie, TX · How this is calculated: methodology