Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Raleigh, NC
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 11 of 21 categories
Raleigh
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$78,631 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Savannah
Georgia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Households earn $23,883 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (4.5%)
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $347,000
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,371/mo
Savannah, GA
Pros
96% less violent crime than Raleigh
Homes cost $144k less ($203,300 vs $347,000)
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $155/mo less ($1,216 vs $1,371)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 52°F
Cons
Median income trails Raleigh by $23,883/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Raleigh
Median Income
$23,883
$78,631 vs $54,748/yr
Raleigh
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
4.5% vs 7.2% unemployment
Savannah
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 95.6 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Violent Crime
96% lower
20.3 vs 488.8 per 100k
Savannah
Median Home Value
$144k less
$203,300 vs $347,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Raleigh, NC | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 95.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $347,000⚠ High | $203,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,371⚠ High | $1,216 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,631 ✓ Higher | $54,748 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 20.1% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 5 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 134⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.7% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.7°F | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.1" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 465,517 ✓ Larger | 147,583 |
| Median Age | 34.6 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.1% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.4% | 14.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Raleigh's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Savannah is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Savannah leads 11 of 21 categories. Raleigh wins 10 and Savannah 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 Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($347,000 vs $203,300 median home), income ($78,631 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Raleigh, NC and Savannah, GA are about 301 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.