Durham receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fort Worth
Durham
Opportunity
65 · Top 29%
vs68 · Top 24%
Growth
82 · Top 1%
vs76 · Top 5%
Climate
67 · Bottom 39%
vs72 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
56 · Top 48%
vs68 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
80 · Top 28%
vs70 · Top 45%
Access
96 · Bottom 46%
vs97 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
58 · Top 39%
vs62 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Worth | Durham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 963,194 | 291,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,507 | $81,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,724 | $49,636 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,737/sq mi | 2,453/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $303,000 | $392,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,509 | $1,508 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.0% | 52.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 57.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10,867 | 4,643 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.5 | 16.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.0% | 33.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.6 | 35.1 | 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
Fort Worth
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Durham
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fort Worth
72
Your Score
71
Area Score
Durham
73
Your Score
72
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fort Worth, TX · Durham, NC · How this is calculated: methodology