Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Durham, NC
VS
Richmond, VA
🏆 Durham leads 13 of 23 categories
Durham
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,710 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
284,094 ✓ Larger
Richmond
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$59,606
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
227,171
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Durham, NC
Pros
Households earn $15,104 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 53.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
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
Richmond, VA
Pros
46% less violent crime than Durham
Smaller class sizes — 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Durham by $15,104/yr
Property crime (3179.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Durham
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Durham
Median Income
$15,104
$74,710 vs $59,606/yr
Durham
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.1% unemployment
Richmond
Violent Crime
46% lower
336.9 vs 619.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Durham, NC | Richmond, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 ✓ Cheaper | 98.0 |
| Median Home Value | $316,600⚠ High | $308,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,296 | $1,227 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,710 ✓ Higher | $59,606 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.9% ✓ Higher | 14.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 181⚠ High | 151⚠ 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 | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.8% ✓ Higher | 44.1% |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% ✓ Higher | 88.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Durham Public Schools | Richmond City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F ✓ Warmer | 47.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.0°F | 89.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" | 47.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.2" ✓ Less | 8.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,094 ✓ Larger | 227,171 |
| Median Age | 34.7 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.0% ✓ Higher | 43.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% ✓ More | 17.1% |
| Over 65 | 12.7% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Durham's cost of living index is 96.6 vs Richmond's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Durham is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Durham leads 13 of 23 categories. Durham wins 13 and Richmond wins 10. 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 Richmond or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($316,600 vs $308,300 median home), income ($74,710 vs $59,606), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Durham, NC and Richmond, VA are about 133 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.