Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Raleigh, NC
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 Raleigh leads 13 of 20 categories
Raleigh
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Rent averages $475/mo less ($1,371 vs $1,846)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (4.5%)
Households earn $12,630 more per year on average
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunrise
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
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
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Homes cost $51k less ($296,100 vs $347,000)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 52°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,846/mo
Median income trails Raleigh by $12,630/yr
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Raleigh
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Raleigh
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Raleigh
Median Income
$12,630
$78,631 vs $66,001/yr
Raleigh
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.5% unemployment
Sunrise
Median Home Value
$51k less
$296,100 vs $347,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Raleigh, NC | Sunrise, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $347,000⚠ High | $296,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,371⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,846⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,631 ✓ Higher | $66,001 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 20.1% ✓ Higher | 10.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 134⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.7% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.7°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.1" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 465,517 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.1% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 11.4% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Raleigh's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Raleigh leads 13 of 20 categories. Raleigh wins 13 and Sunrise wins 7. 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 Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($347,000 vs $296,100 median home), income ($78,631 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Raleigh, NC and Sunrise, FL are about 674 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.