Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Durham, NC
VS
O'Fallon, MO
🏆 O'Fallon leads 16 of 23 categories
Durham
North Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6
Median Household Income
$74,710
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
284,094 ✓ Larger
O'Fallon
Missouri
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$104,863 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
91,825
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Durham, NC
Pros
More college-educated — 53.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails O'Fallon by $30,153/yr
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
Pricier housing — median home is $316,600
O'Fallon, MO
Pros
90% less violent crime than Durham
Households earn $30,153 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (59.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (3.1%)
Homes cost $33k less ($283,600 vs $316,600)
Smaller class sizes — 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 96.6 on the COL index
O'Fallon
Median Income
$30,153
$104,863 vs $74,710/yr
O'Fallon
Violent Crime
90% lower
59.0 vs 619.2 per 100k
O'Fallon
Median Home Value
$33k less
$283,600 vs $316,600
O'Fallon
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
3.1% vs 4.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Durham, NC | O'Fallon, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $316,600⚠ High | $283,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,296 ✓ Lower | $1,311 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,710 | $104,863 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High | 3.1% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.9% ✓ Higher | 14.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | 18 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 16 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 181⚠ High | 23 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) | A (118) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 | 12.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.8% ✓ Higher | 42.4% |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% | 95.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Durham Public Schools | FORT ZUMWALT SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F ✓ Warmer | 39.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.0°F | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" | 44.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.2" ✓ Less | 13.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,094 ✓ Larger | 91,825 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 38.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.0% | 80.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | 24.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.7% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Durham's cost of living index is 96.6 vs O'Fallon's 96.3 (US average = 100).
O'Fallon is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, O'Fallon leads 16 of 23 categories. Durham wins 7 and O'Fallon wins 16. 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 O'Fallon or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($316,600 vs $283,600 median home), income ($74,710 vs $104,863), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Durham, NC and O'Fallon, MO are about 677 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.