Austin vs Raleigh
Compare Austin, TX and Raleigh, NC on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Raleigh is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,366/mo versus $1,529/mo in Austin — a gap of about $163/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,646/mo against $1,924/mo. State income tax also separates them — Austin's rate is roughly 0% versus 4.0%. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (273 vs 272 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Climate is a real differentiator: Austin runs summer highs near 97°F and winter lows near 38°F, while Raleigh runs 89°F and 29°F. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Raleigh; if walkable daily life matters more, Raleigh screens stronger on the walkability proxy (18 vs 8). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Raleigh leads 68 to 63 on the cost and climate screen.
Both cities are close on the work screen.
Both cities are close on the daily life screen.
Austin leads 80 to 72 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Austin is roughly $92,234 in Raleigh using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Austin | Raleigh | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,529/mo | $1,366/mo | Raleigh |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,924/mo | $1,646/mo | Raleigh |
| Median home value | $390,000 | $348,000 | Raleigh |
| State income tax | None | 4.0% | Austin |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 29.3 min | Raleigh |
| Safety score | 74/100 | 60/100 | Austin |
| School score | 8/10 | 8/10 | Tie |
| Walkability estimate | 8/100 | 18/100 | Raleigh |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 7/10 | Raleigh |
| Restaurants per 100k | 192.3 | 188.9 | Austin |
| Mountain distance | 308 mi | 87 mi | Raleigh |
| Coast distance | 126 mi | 95 mi | Raleigh |
| Climate-risk composite (FEMA NRI) | 69/100 | 80/100 | Raleigh |
| Wildfire risk percentile (NRI) | 60th | 25th | Raleigh |
| Earthquake risk percentile (NRI) | 4th | 34th | Austin |
| Tornado risk percentile (NRI) | 80th | 51th | Raleigh |
What stands out
Austin stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Major airport access
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
Austin tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
- Very hot summers
Raleigh stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 146 miles
- Strong education proxy
Raleigh tradeoffs
- No major generic tradeoffs identified
Common questions
Is Austin cheaper than Raleigh?
On public benchmarks Raleigh is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,529/mo in Austin vs $1,366/mo in Raleigh; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,924/mo vs $1,646/mo; state income tax is 0% vs 4.0%.
Is Austin or Raleigh safer?
Austin screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 74/100 for Austin and 60/100 for Raleigh (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Austin or Raleigh?
School screens show 8/10 for Austin vs 8/10 for Raleigh, alongside the safety scores above. Both screen similarly — district-level research will matter more than the metro gap.
How different is the climate between Austin and Raleigh?
Austin: summer highs near 97°F, winter lows near 38°F, disaster-risk band 1/3. Raleigh: 89°F / 29°F, disaster-risk band 1/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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