Durham vs Roanoke
The short version
- Roanoke is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Durham area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $190,500 in Roanoke and $392,800 in Durham.
- Households earn more in Durham ($81,619 vs $55,378 median).
- Durham has the warmer winter: January highs of 52°F vs 47°F.
- Roanoke gets far more snow: 15 inches a year vs 5.
- Durham has more scorching days: 52 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 30.
- Durham is growing faster: +7.6% since 2020 vs -0.9%.
- Commutes are shorter in Roanoke (19 vs 22 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 305,561 | 99,111 |
| Growth since 2020 | +7.6% | -0.9% |
| People per square mile | 2,571 | 2,331 |
| Median age | 35.1 | 38.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57% | 30% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $81,619 | $55,378 |
| Median home value | $392,800 | $190,500 |
| Home value to income | 4.8× | 3.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,508 | $996 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.6 | 93.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 98.9 | 78.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,200 | $70,200 |
| Homeowners | 52% | 52% |
| Top state income tax | 3.99% | 5.75% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.1% | 5.77% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.3 | 19.0 |
| Work from home | 23% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.8% | 5.6% |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 18.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 52° / 32° | 47° / 29° |
| July high / low | 91° / 70° | 88° / 67° |
| Precipitation per year | 46 in | 43 in |
| Snowfall per year | 5 in | 15 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 52 | 30 |
| Nights below freezing | 65 | 77 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Low |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.6 | 72.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | 83% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.8% | +3.3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.6% | +51.2% |
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. Roanoke: April to May and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Durham weather by month and Roanoke 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 $70,200 in Roanoke. Moving from Durham to Roanoke, you would need about $72,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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