Should I Move To
Raleigh, North Carolina is home to about 465,517 people. On cost of living, it lands in the moderate band — essentially matching the national average. The median renter pays around $1,371 a month against a typical household income of $78,631. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 60 out of 100 (grade C+), putting it at #137 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Raleigh's composite cost-of-living index lands at 100 (100 = US average), which puts it in the moderate band. At $1,371/mo against $78,631 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 21% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $347,000.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 89°F, winter averages around 33°F. Precipitation totals about 46 inches a year. Some neighborhoods are walkable; others aren't. A car is useful, but not required everywhere. Crime rates land roughly average for a US city of this size. Air quality reads good (AQI 41).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Raleigh reads as a moderate fit for families. It earns 64/100 (grade C+) on the families profile. Strongest on education (82/100); weakest on safety (47/100).
Raleigh reads as a moderate fit for retirees. It earns 61/100 (grade C+) on the retirees profile. Strongest on education (82/100); weakest on safety (47/100).
Raleigh reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns 62/100 (grade C+) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on education (82/100); weakest on safety (47/100).
Raleigh reads as a moderate fit for young professionals. It earns 60/100 (grade C) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on education (82/100); weakest on safety (47/100).
Raleigh, North Carolina pulls a 60/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade C+), currently ranked #137 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Raleigh's cost-of-living index is 100 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the moderate band — essentially matching the national average. Median rent runs about $1,371/mo.
Four-season — summer averages around 89°F, winter averages around 33°F, with about 46 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 50/100. Some neighborhoods are walkable; others aren't. A car is useful, but not required everywhere.
Raleigh has about 465,517 residents, 53% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 35.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Raleigh head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Raleigh stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Raleigh with other North Carolina cities scored on UrbRank.
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