Raleigh vs Durham NC | Which is the Better City to Live?

Raleigh vs Durham NC | Which is the Better City to Live?

 Are you considering relocating to the Raleigh area and wondering if Durham or Raleigh would be a better fit for you to live? The Raleigh Durham Chapel Hill area, known as the Triangle, which surrounds the Research Triangle Park, also known as the RTP. If you were to draw that out on a map, it's going to make a triangle, which is how it got its name.

The Triangle is known for its top tier universities. Friends, NC State, Duke University, and UNC Chapel Hill. Raleigh being the capital of North Carolina is all about the big city vibe with a southern twist. It's often seen as the bustling hub of the RTP. With brilliant minds and top notch companies from all corners of the world known for its diverse economy from technology, biotech, finance, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare.

When it comes to quality of life, Raleigh offers a blend of urban amenities with relaxed, Southern Atmosphere. Raleigh ranked number two for state capital for affordability and number 12 for quality of life for the best place to call home. Based on jobs, safety, educational opportunities, and more, according to wallet hub.

com. Known as the City of Oaks due to the majestic and beautiful oak trees. That line, the streets and home to over 100 breweries. Raleigh has a lot to offer. From diverse dining to museums multicultural events, breathtaking outdoor green waves to enjoy in a city that's rich in history and charm. With around 490,000 residents, it continues to rapidly grow.

and is considered the second largest city in the state. Then we have Durham known as the city of medicine with its heart rooted in education with its prestigious Duke university home to the blue devils. Durham sits Northwest of Raleigh with approximately 297, 000 residents. and is considered fourth largest city in the state, known for being an artsy college town, rich in history, and full of local charm.

Hey y'all, I'm Brandy Nemergut a local realtor right here in Raleigh. Today, we're going to be deep diving and talking more about location, job market, schools, things to do, the housing market, and yes, even crime. And be sure to stay to the end as I'll be sharing a fact that may just be surprising or even shocking to you.

So let's go ahead and jump right on in and we're going to start exploring these gems and see which one may steal your heart. When it comes to location, Raleigh is approximately 20 to 25 minute commute time to the RTP. And Durham is located northwest of Raleigh. and commute times. If you live on the south side going into the RTP, it's going to take you roughly about 15 to 20 minutes.

And then if you live on the north side, it's going to take you approximately 25 to 30 minutes. One of the great things about the location in both Raleigh and Durham is if you want to head up for a weekend trip to the beach, it's only going to be roughly about two hours. And if you want to head up to say the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, that's going to take you about a three hour drive.

Now, as far as highways for Durham, you can take 85. That's going to take you to the 70 or interstate 40. If you're living on the south side, you'll get places faster commuting on the 40 to get you into Raleigh. Our area continues to attract people in the research, technology, education, and healthcare industries.

North Carolina as a whole ranks among the top three in the nation. for bioscience employment. Our Triangle Research, which includes Raleigh and Durham, has over 600 life science companies, making it a global leader in this field. Our Research Triangle Park houses world class companies and attracts professionals.

with over 375 companies housed on a 7, 000 acre campus. There's top names there like IBM, Cisco, SAS, Wake Med, Apple, and more. Earlier I mentioned that Durham is known as the city of medicine. And both Raleigh and Durham have a large number of research, education, and health tech opportunities. And there's also biotech professional jobs and definitely a wide range of job opportunities between all the universities and schools that we have here.

The area is also home to major universities, which are also a big part of employers and continue to attract major talent. Which reflects in the area's lower unemployment rates compared to the national average and according to best places. net It estimates future job growth over the next decade to be just over 44 Here in the Raleigh area and when it comes to health care the triangle area offers phenomenal hospitals And doctors Durham is also known as the city of medicine You have duke university hospital wake med UNC and children's hospital Which was really important to us as one, we're not getting any younger, and we wanted access to some of the best medical facilities.

Our daughter was also born with a heart tumor, so moving across the country and leaving her amazing doctor, Dr. Eleni, that she's been with since birth, that was definitely a top priority for us. So I'm definitely happy to say that she is getting exceptional care here, and there are some really amazing doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals here in the area.

So if healthcare is a top priority for you, both Raleigh and Durham have some amazing options. If higher education is important to you, there's plenty of wonderful colleges to pick, not only in Durham, but also Raleigh. There's over 12 colleges here from NC State, Meredith, Shaw, just to name a few. And Durham has the prestigious Duke University, which also ranks top 10 best colleges universities.

And I have to give a shout out to our neighboring UNC Chapel Hill University. That's one of the oldest public universities in the U. S. Now, when it comes to public schools, it's a bit trickier to navigate. When we compare some other surrounding suburbs to the public school options, they aren't quite as good.

There is a pretty big difference between Wake County, and Durham County public schools overall. According to Niche. com, it gives schools an overall rating in Durham of B but in saying that, there are some really great schools here, including some high schools that have A plus ratings. And you also have options of charter schools, magnet schools, and even some private schools.

Whereas Raleigh schools get an overall rating of an A. They are a part of Wake County and is consistently ranked high in public schools within the Triangle region and 7th best overall according to niche. com. So if you have children and are moving your family here, Schools will probably be top of the list for you to research.

One of the websites I like to use is carolinaschoolhub.com, where you can see a snapshot of the whole area along with school ratings and then dive in a bit deeper into each school. Now a fun fact, Raleigh is often dubbed as the Smithsonian of the South based on the number of amazing free museums the city has to offer.

From the Museum of Natural Science to North Carolina History Museum and the North Carolina Museum of Art, just to name a few. And Durham has the Museum of Life and Science that's great for families with kids. My daughter loves exploring and venturing outdoors and climbing tree houses. And for all you outdoor lovers, one of the many things we absolutely love about Raleigh is the amount of green space.

Raleigh has over 224 parks tolling over 6, 100 acres and has over 117 miles of paved and unpaved greenway trails. Durham has over 68 parks. totaling over 3, 000 acres and has over 30 miles of multi use trails. And if the parks and trails weren't enough, Raleigh's Umstead Park is a local favorite with some of the most beautiful natural landscapes, along with multiple lakes and trails.

Then there's the Neuse River Trail, which has some amazing greenways throughout the whole area. Raleigh also has Pullen Park, which is the first public park in North Carolina and the fifth oldest operating amusement park in the U. S. Our daughter loves riding that carousel or riding the little train. And then there's Laurel Hills Park with amazing amenities from music and dance to fitness and sports for all ages.

There's ponds, walking trails, and a kid's playground. Now if we switch over to Durham, they have the most. gorgeous scenery at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. I could spend hours there walking. Many people will even go and pack a picnic, sit under a tree, or even read a book. It's so serene, and it's a great way just to reconnect with yourself and nature.

There's also Duke Forest, and it's also right next door to the Eno River State Park, which not only has endless hiking trails, but the river runs through Durham and Orange County. You can kayak or you can even take the kids and your little fur babies and splash in the river. And next to that, there's an 18 mile American tobacco Greenway trail, both which have great playgrounds for the kids.

The historic park has a nice ball field. Then you can head across the way and get a refreshing beverage at the Durham distillery. Right across the street in both Raleigh and Durham. There's something for everyone to enjoy. Raleigh has a lot of great restaurants, both in downtown and across the area.

Lively music venues. sporting events, and plenty of shopping and dining. There's some really great diverse food options, bars, breweries, and even a little bit of a nightlife. Though neither Raleigh or Durham's nightlife scene can even come close or hold a candle to places like Los Angeles, New York, Miami, or Las Vegas.

If you're coming from a hopping city, you'll likely want to fall asleep from boredom. Raleigh hosts many annual events from food festivals to the fair, which, a non fun fact, in the six years we've lived here, we have yet to go to the fair. I know, I know. Maybe this will be our year. We'll see what happens.

And there's great entertainment venues like the Coastal Credit Union Music Park, Red Hat Amphitheater, and North Hills has a great outdoor mall full of shops and restaurants. And there's the Glenwood Mall that offers indoor shopping along with restaurants. Raleigh's also home to the Carolina Hurricanes, which play at the PNC Arena, and you can even catch some great concerts there.

In November, I'm actually going back to see Pink, and one of my clients, who's now become one of my friends, is gonna be right there with me. And for college sports we have NC State Wolfpack. Now switching over to Durham, personally I think Durham has a very diverse feel and a younger vibe. There's lots of diverse food options, a fun atmosphere here for people of all ages, lots of live music venues, outdoor spaces, and they have more of a nightlife scene than the other surrounding suburbs.

Durham has gone through a major facelift in the past decade or so and has poured millions of dollars into this amazing downtown area. When it comes to amenities, There's definitely not a shortage of fun things to do. And if you love shopping and dining as much as we do, then you'll love the South Point Mall in Durham.

It's a great outdoor shopping area with restaurants, and there's even a lot of little strip malls to shop. I love that there's not only a regular Nordstrom, but also a Nordstrom Rack right across the street. You'll find all the typical fast food chains, grocery stores, and there's even a Costco. I'm all about bulk shopping for me and my family.

And one of my favorite places is the Durham Performing Arts Center, also known as VPAC. There you can see theater type performances. We've seen La Miserable, we've taken our daughter to see Frozen, we've even seen the Jersey Boys. And if you want to catch a baseball game, you can head over to see the Durham Bulls.

And there's even the American Tobacco Trail where you can get a bite to eat. They even have a restaurant there that you can sit out on the outdoor patio, grab a bite to eat, have a beer, and overlook. The actual stadium while you watch the game from there. It's definitely a family fun, friendly town. And Duke University holds major sporting events as well.

There's also local breweries that have a fun and relaxing atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating at many. that are both kid and pet friendly. Now I will say across all the towns and cities here, that is definitely one thing that really surprised us when we went here is how many businesses incorporate your children and your fur babies here.

It's nice to do things as a family and not have to constantly find a babysitter and leave the kids behind. And the nice thing is if you don't want to stay in Durham, you can always venture out to Raleigh or Chapel Hill as they are your neighbors right next door. So if you enjoy the great outdoors, shopping and dining, you can't go wrong with either Raleigh or Durham.

The Raleigh Durham area is one of the fastest growing areas in the U. S. and Raleigh was recently ranked second hottest real estate market in the U. S. Followed by Durham coming in at number four. Housing continues to sell quickly across the Triangle area, especially in many parts of Raleigh's historic district neighborhoods.

And if you're looking for newer communities, There are plenty to choose from within the Raleigh and the surrounding suburbs. Overall, in both Raleigh and Durham, you can find price points from the mid 300, 000 all the way up to 2 to 6 million and everything in between, depending on the lifestyle that you want to live.

The median price point for a home in Raleigh is approximately 414, 500. If we break that down into single family homes, the median price point is 490, 000, and for a townhome, around 339, 000. And switching over to Durham, the housing market is also very competitive here, with the median price point of approximately 404, 000.

And if we break that down even further to a single family home, the median price point is approximately 425, 000 and a townhome around 389, 000 as of quarter 2024 when I'm recording this video. Looking at property taxes, Raleigh's combined 1. 19 is below the state average. However, Durham County's property tax is above the state average.

higher at 1. 31, which is an expense to take into consideration when relocating to the area and deciding where you want to buy a home. And when it comes to taxes, compared to some of the other states, North Carolina has competitive tax rates, which can benefit both individuals and businesses. North Carolina state tax rate is 4.

75 percent with a local sales tax rate of 2. 75%. When it comes to cost of living, One of the top reasons people are flocking to North Carolina is the lower cost of living, especially compared to California or New York. Personally speaking, relocating from Southern California, the cost of living was a huge factor for us.

You can actually go online to a cost calculator. I like to use best places. net. Type in where you currently live versus where you're considering relocating. So for example, we moved here from Long Beach, California. So putting in Raleigh or Durham, North Carolina in your annual salary, it'll give you a quick comparison of prices for us.

The cost of living was overall 35 percent lower and housing 42 percent lower currently. Now let's take a look at commute times comparing Raleigh to Durham. If you're moving to the area for a job in or close to the RTP, you'll want to think about your commute. When choosing your new home, there's definitely a lot of beautiful neighborhoods in Durham If you're looking for more land and space and you don't mind an older home You may want to consider the north side of Durham now The north side of Durham is on average a lot less expensive Because they're going to be a bit further away from the RTP but it could save you up to a hundred thousand dollars if you don't mind the extra commute time and it's going to take you roughly about 15 to 20 minutes to drive to the south side for all of the amenities and entertainment but again if you don't mind that and you want some extra space and lower cost of a home then overall it's definitely a pro to live on the north side.

But if you're wanting to be closer to the restaurants and all the entertainment and South Point Mall, you want to have a closer commute, less time to the RTP. You want a newer home, you don't mind bumping up that bracket by a hundred grand and you're okay with having less yard, then you may want to consider living on the south side of Durham.

Now switching over to Raleigh, most parts of Raleigh are a little bit further out from the RTP. The RTP. So depending on where you're located, you could be looking at a commute time anywhere from 15 minutes all the way up to 45 minutes. Another plus living in either Raleigh or Durham is the RDU International Airport.

It's conveniently central to the area from downtown Durham, taking roughly around a 30 minute drive to the airport. And coming from Raleigh, it's going to take you around 25 minutes. Now, both cities can be a bit longer drive during peak rush hour times, just like any other city. When it comes to the neighborhoods, Raleigh has a large selection between historical districts, and well established neighborhoods.

If you love historical areas, you may love Oakwood, Mordecai, even Five Points, Hayes Barton area, Toboyan Heights, or even Village District. And if you're looking for a beautiful master plan community, two of my favorites are Bedford at Falls River and Wakefield Plantation. They both offer homes in a variety of price points, starting with townhomes to single family homes.

And even some estate style homes and they both offer some great amenities are close to shopping and dining. You'll notice with Raleigh in general, there really aren't any new construction communities unless they're on the outskirts bordering other suburbs. But you will find the area like North Hills that have more established older neighborhoods are mixed with some new construction homes.

Many in excess of one to 3 million. Some is even as high as 6 million. Builders are actually going in, taking the older homes, flatlining them, then building a new modern home. And they sell really fast. Now switching over to Durham, there's also a nice mix of great communities between historical districts, as well as newer communities and well established ones.

From Trinity Park, one of Durham's oldest central neighborhoods, to Old North Durham and Durham Park. You'll find everything from master planned communities with golf and country clubs like Tray burn or Hope Valley to quieter communities with more of a serene feel with lots of wooded space like they have in Woodcroft.

And one of my favorite community, Crows Dale Farms. I feel like both cities have a large variety of home and community options to fit all price points and budgets and lifestyles, no matter what stage of life you're in. Although it does seem like Raleigh is a bit more expensive versus Durham, and your housing dollars can stretch a bit further depending on location.

When it comes to crime, Raleigh ranks as the 8th most safest large city in the U. S. according to farandwide.com. Now when it comes to Durham, this has always been a hot topic. I get asked this question as much as I get asked about where the best schools are in the Triangle area. A few sites that I find helpful are Neighborhood Scout.

com and you can also look at the heat map in any city you're considering relocating to. And it'll show you from the safest to the most dangerous areas. I also like the site spot crime. com You can type in an address and pull up a neighborhood and see what type of crimes have been happening Now personally coming from California.

We lived in long beach just right outside of Los Angeles And we would personally go down there All the time for entertainment anywhere from going to see the Lakers or the Clippers game to seeing the Dodgers or even the Anaheim Angels. So it definitely seems similar in the fact, you know, if you're going out for entertainment and restaurants, depending on what time of day it is or where you're going, of course.

There's going to be some areas of the city that are going to be safer than others. And of course, as an individual or a family, you definitely just want to be very mindful when you go out of your surroundings and again, what type of day or how late it is at night. When you're going somewhere now in saying that we frequent both Raleigh and Durham And we have a lot of friends and clients who live In Durham personally, we've never felt unsafe And again, if you're looking at the crime map You're looking at the heat colors and you compare that to any of the major cities, for example Los Angeles because that's where we just lived right outside of but you can also pull up others like Chicago New York, Dallas. So basically all the big cities are similar in that kind of fashion.

So if you feel comfortable in those cities, you're more than likely going to feel comfortable here in Durham or Raleigh. And one thing that you want to take into consideration as well is Durham is actually the fourth largest city when it comes to North Carolina population. So when you're looking at this, you've got to realize just how many more people are living here.

Versus a lot of the other surrounding little suburbs now a little bit earlier. I mentioned if you waited to the end You may be shocked at this fact So if you hung in there that long with me, I say thank you. Okay. So what is this big surprise? In fact, recently the city of Durham posted its survey on the website in February, 2024 to be exact, which is the time that I'm recording this video.

They shared their annual satisfaction survey, which shows that residents continue giving high marks for living and working in Durham with 75 percent saying that they feel. Durham is an excellent or good place to live. Now that just makes my heart happy, y'all. As Durham, from all levels in the community, have been working so hard to make it a great city.

Others are discovering and choosing to enjoy living, working, and playing. Durham and Raleigh each have a very distinctive feel. Both are each a fantastic place to consider living. They both offer a vibrant cultural scene, delicious food, good schools, healthcare facilities, and a multitude of job opportunities, along with some amazing communities to consider home.

If you found this information helpful, please click the like button so others like you can find this information as well. And if you're considering relocating to the Raleigh or Durham area or anywhere within the surrounding towns, And looking to purchase a home, we would love to help. All you have to do is reach out to us.

My number is right here on the screen. Whether you want to give me a call, shoot me a text or send me an email. We would love to chat till next time. We'll see y'all later.