Durham, North Carolina skyline
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Compare Triangle NC cities side by side

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

Compare, share, then move into the live home search.

Quick comparisonRaleighCaryDurham
Reference median price$525,000$685,000$445,000
CountyWake CountyWake CountyDurham County
Access & commute15 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 contextMedian list $525K · steady appreciation · strong rental demand near RTP.Median list $685K · steady demand from RTP families & relocations.Housing and rental economics vary substantially by neighborhood and property. Review current market data and property-specific rent and expense assumptions.

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Raleigh
Wake County

Raleigh

Reference median price
$525,000
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
Median list $525K · steady appreciation · strong rental demand near RTP.
Cary
Wake County

Cary

Reference median price
$685,000
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
Median list $685K · steady demand from RTP families & relocations.
Durham
Durham County

Durham

Reference median price
$445,000
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
Housing and rental economics vary substantially by neighborhood and property. Review current market data and property-specific rent and expense assumptions.
How I recommend using this comparison

I use these figures as an initial reference, not as live MLS data or a buying recommendation. Price and availability vary by neighborhood, property type and timing. If a city stands out, I can prepare a current comparison using active listings and recent sales.

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