Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Raleigh, NC
VS
Riverview, FL
🏆 Raleigh leads 12 of 23 categories
Raleigh
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Riverview
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,383 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
102,467
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Rent averages $386/mo less ($1,371 vs $1,757)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.5%)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Riverview
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $347,000
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Riverview by $8,752/yr
Riverview, FL
Pros
73% less violent crime than Raleigh
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $54k less ($292,700 vs $347,000)
Milder winters — January highs near 72°F vs 52°F
Households earn $8,752 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,757/mo
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.5%)
Longer commutes — 34.5 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Raleigh
Key Differences at a Glance
Raleigh
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Raleigh
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.6% unemployment
Riverview
Median Income
$8,752
$87,383 vs $78,631/yr
Riverview
Violent Crime
73% lower
131.1 vs 488.8 per 100k
Riverview
Median Home Value
$54k less
$292,700 vs $347,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Raleigh, NC | Riverview, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $347,000⚠ High | $292,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,371⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,757⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,631 | $87,383 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 34.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 20.1% ✓ Higher | 17.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 35 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 134⚠ High | 21 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.7% ✓ Higher | 32.2% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.7°F | 71.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 90.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.1" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 465,517 ✓ Larger | 102,467 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 36.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.1% | 72.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.4% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Raleigh's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Riverview's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Raleigh leads 12 of 23 categories. Raleigh wins 12 and Riverview 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 Raleigh to Riverview or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($347,000 vs $292,700 median home), income ($78,631 vs $87,383), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Raleigh, NC and Riverview, FL are about 593 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.