City comparison
Yes. Austin's crime index is 162 versus 193 in Durham, and its violent crime index is 130 versus 163, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Durham is cheaper. Median rent is $1,508 a month versus $1,729 in Austin.
Austin and Durham are closer on paper than many city pairs, so the move comes down to how you weight cost, safety, and climate. Typical rent sits near $1,729 in Austin and $1,508 in Durham, and median household income lands at $93,658 versus $81,619. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
Austin is not a close call here. It leads on the job market, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Durham makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Austin is the stronger move.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
The move
Austin and Durham are 1,158 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,729 a month in Austin to $1,508 a month in Durham, down $221 a month (13%).
Median household income goes from $93,658 in Austin to $81,619 in Durham, down $12,039 (13%).
The crime index goes from 162 in Austin to 193 in Durham, up 31 points (19%).
The move
Durham and Austin are 1,158 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,508 a month in Durham to $1,729 a month in Austin, up $221 a month (15%).
Median household income goes from $81,619 in Durham to $93,658 in Austin, up $12,039 (15%).
The crime index goes from 193 in Durham to 162 in Austin, down 31 points (16%).
Austin, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Durham, NC
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Austin and Durham? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
13% cheaper
Durham rent is 13% cheaper than Austin
Austin
$1,729/mo
Durham
Winner$1,508/mo
Typical rent runs $1,508 a month in Durham versus $1,729 in Austin, so Durham is 13% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,652, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Durham still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Austin.
Planning to buy in Austin? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
15% higher
Austin's median income is 15% higher than Durham
Austin
Winner$93,658
Durham
$81,619
Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $81,619 in Durham, so typical pay runs 15% higher in Austin (about $12,039 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Austin is the stronger labor market on paper. Durham can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
16% lower crime
Austin's crime index is 16% lower than Durham
Austin
Winner162 (100 = avg)
Durham
193 (100 = avg)
Austin's crime index is 162 versus 193 in Durham (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 16% lower in Austin. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Austin is the easier city. Durham can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
20% more comfortable
Austin weather is 20% more comfortable than Durham
Austin
Winner68°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Durham
59°F avg · 68°F highs · comfort 83/100
Austin averages about 68°F (76°F highs); Durham averages about 59°F (68°F highs). Austin sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Durham averages around 59°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Austin scores 20% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Durham if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 15% higher ($93,658), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 68°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Austin is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 16% lower than Durham (162 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Durham
Durham is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 13% cheaper here at about $1,508 a month. Choose Durham if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bottom line
Durham is cheaper on rent ($1,508/month vs $1,729), but Austin's $93,658 median income beats Durham's $81,619 by 13%. Remote workers paid on Austin scales can make that trade; local-market earners often cannot.
Austin still pays more locally ($93,658 median income vs $81,619), which can offset the lease if your field pays Austin rates.
Weather averages land near 68°F in Austin and 59°F in Durham.
Austin leads on local pay ($93,658 median income vs $81,619), even though rent runs $1,729 versus $1,508 — skip Austin only if you are optimizing for the cheaper lease, not the paycheck.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Austin and Durham, plus other cities in TX and NC.
