City comparison
Charlotte, NC is about 125 miles (200 km) from Durham, NC in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 150 miles, or about 2 h 30 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Charlotte, NC to Durham, NC takes about 15 min, covering roughly 125 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Charlotte has a population of 875,045, vs 284,094 in Durham — about 3.1× larger by population. By land area, Charlotte covers about 310 sq mi vs 120 sq mi for Durham.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Charlotte | Durham | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,399/mo | $1,296/mo | 7.9% higher in Charlotte |
| Median home value | $312,800 | $316,600 | 1.2% higher in Durham |
| Median household income | $74,070 | $74,710 | 0.9% higher in Durham |
| Groceries index | 96.8 | 96.8 | ≈ equal (Durham slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 89.7 | 89.8 | ≈ equal (Durham slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 98.4 | 98.4 | ≈ equal (Charlotte slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 97.9 | 97.9 | ≈ equal (Charlotte slightly higher) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Charlotte, you'd need $100,205 in Durham to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Charlotte and Durham have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Charlotte, you'd need about $80,164 in Durham to keep the same standard of living.