Raleigh receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Durham
Raleigh
Opportunity
68 · Top 24%
vs85 · Top 1%
Growth
76 · Top 5%
vs71 · Top 10%
Climate
72 · Top 45%
vs72 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 31%
vs73 · Top 27%
Housing affordability
70 · Top 45%
vs70 · Top 46%
Access
97 · Bottom 49%
vs97 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
62 · Top 23%
vs61 · Top 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Durham | Raleigh | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 291,467 | 481,031 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,619 | $85,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,636 | $52,897 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,453/sq mi | 3,187/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $392,800 | $415,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,508 | $1,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.3% | 50.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.3% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 11.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,643 | 5,124 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.1 | 10.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.1% | -0.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 34.7 | 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.
Raleigh
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Durham, NC · Raleigh, NC · How this is calculated: methodology