Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Durham, NC
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Durham leads 12 of 23 categories
Durham
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,710 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
284,094
Tampa
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
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 0.9 pts lower (4.3%)
Households earn $7,908 more per year on average
More college-educated — 53.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $126/mo less ($1,296 vs $1,422)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
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
Tampa, FL
Pros
28% less violent crime than Durham
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 49°F
Cons
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Durham by $7,908/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 4.3%)
Higher rents — median is $1,422/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Durham
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Durham
Median Income
$7,908
$74,710 vs $66,802/yr
Durham
Median Home Value
$17k less
$316,600 vs $333,200
Durham
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.2% unemployment
Tampa
Violent Crime
28% lower
444.6 vs 619.2 per 100k
Tampa
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 87.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Durham, NC | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $333,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,296 ✓ Lower | $1,422⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,710 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.9% ✓ Higher | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 181⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.8% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Durham Public Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.0°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" | 49.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,094 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 35.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.0% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.7% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Durham's cost of living index is 96.6 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Durham is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Durham leads 12 of 23 categories. Durham wins 12 and Tampa wins 11. 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 Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($316,600 vs $333,200 median home), income ($74,710 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Durham, NC and Tampa, FL are about 592 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.