City comparison
Durham, NC is about 50 miles (80 km) from Greensboro, NC in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 70 miles, or about 1 h 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 Durham, NC to Greensboro, NC takes about 6 min, covering roughly 50 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.
Greensboro has a population of 297,202, vs 284,094 in Durham — about the same size. By land area, Greensboro covers about 135 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 | Durham | Greensboro | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,296/mo | $1,048/mo | 23.7% higher in Durham |
| Median home value | $316,600 | $197,200 | 60.5% higher in Durham |
| Median household income | $74,710 | $55,051 | 35.7% higher in Durham |
| Groceries index | 96.8 | 96.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 89.8 | 89.6 | ≈ equal (Durham slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 98.4 | 98.4 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 97.9 | 97.9 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Durham, you'd need $89,586 in Greensboro to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Greensboro, NC is about 10.4% cheaper overall than Durham, NC, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 32% higher in Durham than in Greensboro. If you earn $80,000 in Durham, you'd need about $71,669 in Greensboro to keep the same standard of living.