Durham vs Winston
Compare Durham, NC and Winston, NC on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Winston is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $912/mo versus $1,249/mo in Durham — a gap of about $337/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,110/mo against $1,631/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (244 vs 242 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 88°F and 87°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Winston; if walkable daily life matters more, Durham screens stronger on the walkability proxy (19 vs 13). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Winston leads 79 to 67 on the cost and climate screen.
Both cities are close on the work screen.
Winston leads 41 to 38 on the daily life screen.
Durham leads 66 to 48 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Durham is roughly $148,750 in Winston using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Durham | Winston | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,249/mo | $912/mo | Winston |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,631/mo | $1,110/mo | Winston |
| Median home value | $311,000 | $194,000 | Winston |
| State income tax | 4.0% | 4.0% | Tie |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 25.9 min | Winston |
| Safety score | 47/100 | 47/100 | Tie |
| School score | 7/10 | 4/10 | Durham |
| Walkability estimate | 19/100 | 13/100 | Durham |
| Outdoor score | 5/10 | 6/10 | Winston |
| Restaurants per 100k | 157.8 | 163.8 | Winston |
| Mountain distance | 68 mi | 42 mi | Winston |
| Coast distance | 113 mi | 181 mi | Durham |
What stands out
Durham stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 130 miles
- Mountain access within 68 miles
- Shorter average commute
Durham tradeoffs
- No major generic tradeoffs identified
Winston stronger signals
- Trail access within 37 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 114 miles
- Mountain access within 42 miles
Winston tradeoffs
- No major generic tradeoffs identified
Common questions
Is Durham cheaper than Winston?
On public benchmarks Winston is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,249/mo in Durham vs $912/mo in Winston; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,631/mo vs $1,110/mo; state income tax is 4.0% vs 4.0%.
Is Durham or Winston safer?
Durham screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 47/100 for Durham and 47/100 for Winston (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Durham or Winston?
School screens show 7/10 for Durham vs 4/10 for Winston, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Durham and Winston?
Durham: summer highs near 88°F, winter lows near 29°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. Winston: 87°F / 28°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (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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