Is Durham cheaper than Cape Coral?

Yes. Typical rent in Durham is $1,711 a month versus $1,961 in Cape Coral — 13% cheaper. Median household income is $74,710 in Durham compared with $72,474 in Cape Coral, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Durham or Cape Coral?

Cape Coral is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 69 versus 97 in Durham — 29% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Durham or Cape Coral?

School composites are close: A- in Durham and A- in Cape Coral. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Durham, NC vs Cape Coral, FL

Durham, NC versus Cape Coral, FL is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,711 a month in Durham and $1,961 in Cape Coral, and median household income lands at $74,710 versus $72,474. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Durham takes affordability, job market, and weather, while Cape Coral takes safety. The widest gap is typical weather, where Durham leads by 30% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Durham can feel further apart than Durham and Cape Coral do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Durham and Cape Coral reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Durham report Full Cape Coral report

Durham, NC

Rent: $1,711/mo
Median income: $74,710
Crime index: 97
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°F

Cape Coral, FL

Rent: $1,961/mo
Median income: $72,474
Crime index: 69
Schools: A-
Weather: 86°F

Rent

13% cheaper

Durham rent is 13% cheaper than Cape Coral

Durham

Winner

$1,711/mo

Cape Coral

$1,961/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,711 a month in Durham versus $1,961 in Cape Coral, so Durham is 13% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,000 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Durham still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Cape Coral.

Median income

3% higher

Durham's median income is 3% higher than Cape Coral

Durham

Winner

$74,710

Cape Coral

$72,474

What this means for your life

Median household income is $74,710 in Durham versus $72,474 in Cape Coral, so typical pay runs 3% higher in Durham — about $2,236 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

29% lower crime

Cape Coral's crime index is 29% lower than Durham

Durham

97 (100 = avg)

Cape Coral

Winner

69 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Cape Coral's crime index is 69 versus 97 in Durham (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 29% lower in Cape Coral. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Cape Coral is the easier city. Durham can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Durham and Cape Coral are about even on school scores.

Durham

A- · 84/100

Cape Coral

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Durham, A- in Cape Coral). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

30% more comfortable

Durham weather is 30% more comfortable than Cape Coral

Durham

Winner

79°F typical

Cape Coral

86°F typical

What this means for your life

Durham scores 30% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 79°F in Durham and 86°F in Cape Coral. Durham reads as warm weather most of the year; Cape Coral reads as hot, long summers. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Durham is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Cape Coral can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Durham

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

Durham is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 13% cheaper here at about $1,711 a month. Choose Durham if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 3% higher ($74,710), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Durham report →

Fit check

Who should choose Cape Coral

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

Cape Coral is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 29% lower than Durham (69 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Cape Coral report →

Bottom line

Durham vs Cape Coral, called

If weather is your priority, Durham is the clear choice.

If safety matters more to you, Cape Coral pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Durham offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Durham vs Cape Coral FAQ

Is Durham cheaper than Cape Coral?: Yes. Typical rent in Durham is $1,711 a month versus $1,961 in Cape Coral — 13% cheaper. Median household income is $74,710 in Durham compared with $72,474 in Cape Coral, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Durham or Cape Coral?: Cape Coral is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 69 versus 97 in Durham — 29% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Durham or Cape Coral?: School composites are close: A- in Durham and A- in Cape Coral. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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