Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Durham, NC
VS
Salem, OR
🏆 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
Salem
Oregon
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,540
Violent Crime Index
140⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
175,754
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Durham, NC
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 53.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $7,170 more per year on average
Homes cost $33k less ($316,600 vs $349,500)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Salem
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
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
Salem, OR
Pros
14% less violent crime than Durham
Cons
Violent crime (532.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2803.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.3%)
Median income trails Durham by $7,170/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Durham
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 102.4 (100 = US avg)
Durham
Median Income
$7,170
$74,710 vs $67,540/yr
Durham
Median Home Value
$33k less
$316,600 vs $349,500
Durham
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.1% unemployment
Durham
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 87.0°F vs 83.5°F
Salem
Violent Crime
14% lower
532.2 vs 619.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Durham, NC | Salem, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 ✓ Cheaper | 102.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $349,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,296 | $1,224 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,710 ✓ Higher | $67,540 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter | 22.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.9% ✓ Higher | 12.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | 137⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 140⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 181⚠ High | 133⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.8% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% ✓ Higher | 88.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Durham Public Schools | Salem-Keizer SD 24J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F ✓ Warmer | 48.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.0°F ✓ Warmer | 83.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" | 46.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.2" | 1.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,094 ✓ Larger | 175,754 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 35.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.0% | 54.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.7% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Durham's cost of living index is 96.6 vs Salem's 102.4 (US average = 100).
Durham is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Durham leads 13 of 23 categories. Durham wins 13 and Salem 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 Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($316,600 vs $349,500 median home), income ($74,710 vs $67,540), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Durham, NC and Salem, OR are about 2,369 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.