City comparison
Raleigh, NC versus Reno, NV 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 $1,750 a month in Raleigh and $1,870 in Reno, and median household income lands at $78,631 versus $73,073. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Raleigh takes affordability, job market, safety, and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Raleigh leads by 17% — 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 Raleigh can feel further apart than Raleigh and Reno do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Raleigh and Reno reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Raleigh, NC
Reno, NV
Rent
6% cheaper
Raleigh rent is 6% cheaper than Reno
Raleigh
Winner$1,750/mo
Reno
$1,870/mo
Typical rent runs $1,750 a month in Raleigh versus $1,870 in Reno, so Raleigh is 6% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $120, or $1,440 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
8% higher
Raleigh's median income is 8% higher than Reno
Raleigh
Winner$78,631
Reno
$73,073
Median household income is $78,631 in Raleigh versus $73,073 in Reno, so typical pay runs 8% higher in Raleigh — about $5,558 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
17% lower crime
Raleigh's crime index is 17% lower than Reno
Raleigh
Winner97 (100 = avg)
Reno
117 (100 = avg)
Raleigh's crime index is 97 versus 117 in Reno (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 17% lower in Raleigh. 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, Raleigh is the easier city. Reno can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Raleigh and Reno are about even on school scores.
Raleigh
A- · 84/100
Reno
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Raleigh, A- in Reno). 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
4% more comfortable
Raleigh weather is 4% more comfortable than Reno
Raleigh
Winner79°F typical
Reno
80°F typical
Raleigh scores 4% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 79°F in Raleigh and 80°F in Reno. Raleigh reads as warm weather most of the year; Reno reads as warm weather most of the year. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Reno's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Raleigh is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
Raleigh is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 6% cheaper here at about $1,750 a month. Choose Raleigh 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 8% higher ($78,631), 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.
Raleigh is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 17% lower than Reno (97 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.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Reno
On these five categories Raleigh takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Reno because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Reno only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Bottom line
If safety is your priority, Raleigh is the clear choice.
If the job market matters more to you, Raleigh pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Raleigh offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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