Durham, NC vs Elk Grove, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Durham

69.4

#1213 nationally

Elk Grove

66.7

#1508 nationally

Elk Grove leads in median household income ($115,864 vs $67,432). Durham leads in average commute (22.8 min vs 33.1 min). Durham leads in cost of living index (102 vs 148).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric	Durham, NC	Elk Grove, CA
WhereAtHome Score	69.4 (#1213)	66.7 (#1508)
Population	283,506	178,444
Typical Home Value (ZHVI)	$395,976	$634,683
Median Household Income	$67,432	$115,864
Average Commute	22.8 min	33.1 min
Walk Score	33	32
Crime Level	Moderate	5.2
School Rating	6.4	N/A
Cost of Living Index	102	148
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored	D+61.9	D+19.7