Durham vs Franklin
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $392,800 in Durham and $705,400 in Franklin.
- Households earn more in Franklin ($119,528 vs $81,619 median).
- Tennessee has no state income tax on wages; North Carolina's top rate is 3.99%.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Franklin, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 305,561 | 90,226 |
| Growth since 2020 | +7.6% | +8% |
| People per square mile | 2,571 | 2,025 |
| Median age | 35.1 | 38.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57% | 65% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $81,619 | $119,528 |
| Median home value | $392,800 | $705,400 |
| Home value to income | 4.8× | 5.9× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,508 | $1,923 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.6 | 96.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 98.9 | 104.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,200 | $72,300 |
| Homeowners | 52% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | 3.99% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 7.1% | 9.61% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.3 | 23.9 |
| Work from home | 23% | 30% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.8% | 2.2% |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 52° / 32° | 49° / 29° |
| July high / low | 91° / 70° | 91° / 69° |
| Precipitation per year | 46 in | 54 in |
| Snowfall per year | 5 in | 2 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 52 | 45 |
| Nights below freezing | 65 | 84 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 2 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.6 | 85.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | 51% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.8% | +1.6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.6% | +45.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Durham: April to May and October. Franklin: September to October.
Full monthly tables: Durham weather by month and Franklin weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,200 in Durham and $72,300 in Franklin. Moving from Durham to Franklin, you would need about $74,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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