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Compare Triangle-area cities side by side

Choose three communities and compare the information I find most useful at the start of a home search: published median sale price, county, city size, access, lifestyle and market context.

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Published period: May 2026Dataset reviewed: October 12, 2026

The dataset was reviewed recently, but the source's latest published reporting period still has a lag. That is why each metric is period-labeled and is not presented as live MLS data.

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Quick comparison	Raleigh	Cary	Durham
Median sale price	$424,029	$643,000	$430,000
Homes for sale	1,632	464	1,068
Months of available inventory	3.1	2	2.9
Days on market	32	17	29
Sale price vs. asking price	98.9%	100%	98.6%
County	Wake County	Wake County	Durham County
Access & commute	15 min to RTP · 25 min to RDU airport · direct I-40 & I-440 access.	10 min to RTP · 20 min to RDU · I-40 & NC-540 access.	10 min to RTP · 20 min to RDU · easy I-40 & Durham Freeway.
Market context	32 median days on market · 3.1 months of available inventory · May 2026 · Redfin Data Center	17 median days on market · 2 months of available inventory · May 2026 · Redfin Data Center	29 median days on market · 2.9 months of available inventory · May 2026 · Redfin Data Center

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Wake County

Raleigh

Median sale price: $424,029
Homes for sale: 1,632
Months of available inventory: 3.1
Days on market: 32
Sale price vs. asking price: 98.9%
County: Wake County
Approximate population: 480,000+
Primary ZIP codes: 27601, 27604, 27605, 27607, 27608, 27609, 27612, 27613, 27614, 27615, 27616, 27617
Access & commute: 15 min to RTP · 25 min to RDU airport · direct I-40 & I-440 access.
Lifestyle: Downtown warehouse district, North Hills lifestyle center, greenway trails, ACC sports.
Market context: 32 median days on market · 3.1 months of available inventory · May 2026 · Redfin Data Center

View community guide View market Search Raleigh homes

Wake County

Cary

Median sale price: $643,000
Homes for sale: 464
Months of available inventory: 2
Days on market: 17
Sale price vs. asking price: 100%
County: Wake County
Approximate population: 180,000+
Primary ZIP codes: 27511, 27513, 27518, 27519
Access & commute: 10 min to RTP · 20 min to RDU · I-40 & NC-540 access.
Lifestyle: Downtown Cary Park, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, WakeMed Soccer Park, Prestonwood.
Market context: 17 median days on market · 2 months of available inventory · May 2026 · Redfin Data Center

View community guide View market Search Cary homes

Durham County

Durham

Median sale price: $430,000
Homes for sale: 1,068
Months of available inventory: 2.9
Days on market: 29
Sale price vs. asking price: 98.6%
County: Durham County
Approximate population: 290,000+
Primary ZIP codes: 27701, 27703, 27704, 27705, 27707, 27712, 27713
Access & commute: 10 min to RTP · 20 min to RDU · easy I-40 & Durham Freeway.
Lifestyle: American Tobacco Campus, DPAC, Duke Gardens, Ninth Street, Central Park farmers market.
Market context: 29 median days on market · 2.9 months of available inventory · May 2026 · Redfin Data Center

View community guide View market Search Durham homes

1. Define your numbers

Budget, monthly payment, available cash and commute tolerance should come before a preference for any city.

2. Compare objective criteria

Use available homes, price, access, housing type and amenities. Verify schools directly with the applicable districts.

3. Validate with homes currently for sale

A city comparison is a starting point. The final decision depends on the homes actually available within your budget.

How I recommend using this comparison

Market prices and metrics use the same published dataset shown in Market Intelligence (Redfin Data Center) and include the applicable reporting period. They are not live MLS data or a buying recommendation. Conditions vary by neighborhood, property type and timing.

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