Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Durham, NC
VS
Huntsville, AL
🏆 Huntsville leads 14 of 23 categories
Durham
North Carolina
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6
Median Household Income
$74,710 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
284,094 ✓ Larger
Huntsville
Alabama
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,874
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
215,025
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Durham, NC
Pros
Households earn $6,836 more per year on average
More college-educated — 53.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $316,600
Violent crime (619.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3799.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Huntsville, AL
Pros
22% less violent crime than Durham
Homes cost $80k less ($236,300 vs $316,600)
Rent averages $276/mo less ($1,020 vs $1,296)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
Cons
Violent crime (483.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Durham by $6,836/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Durham
Median Income
$6,836
$74,710 vs $67,874/yr
Huntsville
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 94.8 vs 96.6 (100 = US avg)
Huntsville
Violent Crime
22% lower
483.2 vs 619.2 per 100k
Huntsville
Median Home Value
$80k less
$236,300 vs $316,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Durham, NC | Huntsville, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 | 94.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $316,600⚠ High | $236,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,296 | $1,020 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,710 ✓ Higher | $67,874 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.9% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | 122⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 181⚠ High | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.8% ✓ Higher | 45.8% |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% | 91.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Durham Public Schools | Huntsville City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.0°F | 88.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.2" | 2.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,094 ✓ Larger | 215,025 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.0% | 57.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.1% ✓ More | 19.4% |
| Over 65 | 12.7% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Durham's cost of living index is 96.6 vs Huntsville's 94.8 (US average = 100).
Huntsville is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntsville leads 14 of 23 categories. Durham wins 9 and Huntsville wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Durham to Huntsville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($316,600 vs $236,300 median home), income ($74,710 vs $67,874), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Durham, NC and Huntsville, AL are about 438 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.