Durham, NC vs Princeton, NJ
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
Princeton
68.6
#1306 nationally
Princeton leads in median household income ($176,695 vs $67,432). Durham leads in cost of living index (102 vs 192). Durham leads in average commute (22.8 min vs 23.7 min).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | Durham, NC | Princeton, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 69.4 (#1213) | 68.6 (#1306) |
| Population | 283,506 | 30,289 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $395,976 | $979,905 |
| Median Household Income | $67,432 | $176,695 |
| Average Commute | 22.8 min | 23.7 min |
| Walk Score | 33 | N/A |
| Crime Level | Moderate | 1.3 |
| School Rating | 6.4 | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 102 | 192 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+61.9 | D+33.9 |
Data coverage note: Princeton is missing data for 1 metric that Durham has. Scores with less coverage are penalized — see our methodology.
D+
69.4 Score
Durham, NC
Bull City innovation and inclusion
Median Home
$395,976
Population
283,506
Crime
Moderate
Schools
B-
Southeast
View Durham, NC →
D+
68.6 Score
Princeton, NJ
Small New Jersey city with local appeal
Median Home
$979,905
Population
30,289
Crime
Very Low
Median Income
$176,695
Northeast
View Princeton, NJ →
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