Moving to Raleigh-Durham, NC: Triangle Living Guide

Raleigh and Durham anchor North Carolina’s Research Triangle, a region where both cities have grown by more than 7% since 2020. Raleigh is the state capital, known as the “City of Oaks” for its tree-lined streets. Durham, the “Bull City,” grew up around the tobacco industry and is now home to Duke University and a revitalized downtown full of restaurants in old tobacco warehouses. Between them sits Research Triangle Park, the largest research park in the United States.

The Triangle draws young professionals, tech and health care workers, graduate students and families, along with coastal residents who want to be closer to a big job market or to family. The route runs both ways, too, and we move Triangle households to the beach as well.

A & M Friendly Movers doesn’t have an office in the Triangle. Our NC & SC team, based on the coast in Calabash, specializes in long-distance moves between the beaches and Raleigh-Durham, with one crew and one truck carrying your home the whole way. This guide covers what you need to know about living in the Triangle and how to plan that move.

Planning a move to Raleigh-Durham? Call our NC & SC team at 910-758-0081 or get your price online.

Where Is Raleigh-Durham?

Raleigh and Durham sit in the central Piedmont of North Carolina, about 25 miles apart by road. Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina, completes the third point of the Triangle. Research Triangle Park covers about 11 square miles south of Durham, between the three cities. Raleigh is in Wake County and Durham is in Durham County.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) sits between the two cities, about 14 miles from both downtowns. RDU handled more than 15.6 million passengers in 2025 and offers service to over 90 destinations, including 15 international destinations in 11 countries.

Approximate driving distances:

Raleigh to Durham: about 25 miles
Raleigh to Wilmington: about 130 miles
Durham to Wilmington: about 156 miles
Raleigh to Calabash (our NC office): about 178 miles
Raleigh to Myrtle Beach, SC: about 186 miles
Raleigh to Charlotte: about 164 miles

Raleigh is ringed by the I-440 Beltline and, farther out, the I-540 loop around Wake County. The Durham Freeway runs through downtown Durham and on through Research Triangle Park to I-40, the main interstate linking the Triangle to Wilmington and the coast.

Raleigh-Durham Population & Demographics

Both cities keep growing. Raleigh counted 467,665 residents at the 2020 Census, and the Census Bureau estimates it reached 506,306 by July 2025, up 8.2%. Durham grew from 283,506 in 2020 to an estimated 305,561 in 2025, up 7.6%. The 2020 Census put the Raleigh-Durham-Cary combined statistical area at 2,242,324 people, second in North Carolina only to the Charlotte area.

The Triangle is younger and more educated than the state as a whole. More than half of adults in both cities hold a bachelor’s degree, and the median age in each is about 35.

Measure	Raleigh	Durham	North Carolina	United States
Population (July 1, 2025 estimate)	506,306	305,561	—	—
Population (2020 Census)	467,665	283,506	—	—
Median age	34.7	35.1	39.1	38.9
Residents 65 and older	11.9%	13.5%	17.2%	17.2%
Median household income	$85,395	$81,619	$72,388	$80,734
Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+)	54.0%	57.3%	35.7%	35.7%
Owner-occupied homes	50.7%	52.3%	66.6%	65.2%
Mean travel time to work	23.0 min	22.3 min	—	—

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Vintage 2025 estimates, 2020 Census and commute times); all other rows are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates via Census Reporter.

At the county level, Wake County’s median household income is $105,768 and Durham County’s is $82,316, both above the state median. Roughly half of households in both cities rent.

Is Raleigh-Durham Safe?

Like any metro area of more than two million people, safety in the Triangle varies a great deal from one neighborhood to the next, and even block to block. We did not find a single, current crime comparison we felt comfortable quoting for both cities. The Raleigh Police Department and the Durham Police Department both publish crime information, and they are the best sources for the specific addresses you are considering. Visit neighborhoods at different times of day, talk to neighbors, and look at recent incident data before you sign a lease or make an offer.

Cost of Living in Raleigh-Durham

Home Prices

Zillow’s Home Value Index was about $428,700 for Raleigh and about $389,600 for Durham in August 2026. Both cities have cooled slightly over the past year: Raleigh values are down 1.7% and Durham values down 3.4% year over year, which gives buyers a bit more room to negotiate than they had a few years ago. For comparison, Zillow puts the typical North Carolina home at about $334,800 and the typical U.S. home at about $368,700.

The Census Bureau’s median value for owner-occupied homes is $415,800 in Raleigh and $392,800 in Durham (2020–2024), compared with $288,900 statewide.

If you are coming from the coast, the math depends on where you live now. The typical Triangle home costs less than on Oak Island (about $604,000 on Zillow’s index) but more than in mainland beach towns like Shallotte (about $317,600).

Rent

Zillow’s Observed Rent Index was about $1,577 a month in Raleigh (up 0.5% from a year earlier) and about $1,659 in Durham (up 1.8%) in August 2026. Both are well below Zillow’s national typical rent of about $1,948. The Census Bureau’s median gross rent is $1,572 in Raleigh and $1,508 in Durham, compared with $1,228 statewide.

With about half of households renting, the Triangle has a deep apartment market, which makes renting first a practical option if you are relocating from out of town and want to learn the area before you buy.

Best Neighborhoods in Raleigh-Durham

Inside the Beltline, Raleigh

Raleigh locals often divide the city into areas inside and outside the I-440 Beltline. Inside it you will find historic neighborhoods like Oakwood, with many 19th-century homes still in good condition, plus Five Points, Boylan Heights, Hayes Barton and the Blount Street Historic District’s Victorian mansions. It is close to downtown, the State Capitol and NC State. This area suits people who want older homes, mature trees and a short drive to downtown restaurants and museums.

Midtown and North Raleigh

Midtown Raleigh is the area just north of the Beltline, centered on North Hills at Six Forks Road, where several high-rise buildings have gone up since 2010, plus Crabtree Valley Mall. Farther out, North Raleigh is a large and growing suburban area with established neighborhoods to the south and newer subdivisions along its northern edges near I-540. It suits families who want newer homes, shopping close by and easy access to RDU and Research Triangle Park.

Downtown Durham

Downtown Durham has been transformed by the reuse of its old tobacco buildings. The American Tobacco Historic District sits next to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and the Durham Performing Arts Center, and Brightleaf Square offers shopping and dining in a former tobacco warehouse. Duke University’s campus is about two miles west. It suits young professionals, Duke employees and anyone who wants walkable restaurants, concerts and ballgames.

Weather & Climate in Raleigh-Durham

The Triangle has four real seasons, which is a big change for anyone coming from the beach. NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for Raleigh-Durham International Airport put the annual average temperature at 61.2°F. January averages a high of 51.9°F and a low of 31.8°F, and July averages a high of 90.8°F and a low of 70.2°F.

The airport averages about 46.1 inches of precipitation a year, spread fairly evenly through the year, with July (5.02 inches) and September (5.15 inches) the wettest months. Unlike the coast, the Triangle does get snow: about 5.2 inches in an average year, most of it in January (2.6 inches) and February (1.4 inches). Even a small snow or ice event can make travel difficult.

Hurricanes are less of a direct threat than on the coast, but the remnants of tropical systems can still bring heavy rain and wind during the June 1 to November 30 hurricane season.

Best months to move: April, May, October and November bring mild temperatures. Summer moves are hot and humid, so schedule early starts. In January and February, keep an eye on the forecast for snow and ice.

Things to Do in Raleigh-Durham

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

At 11 West Jones Street in downtown Raleigh, the Museum of Natural Sciences offers permanent and special exhibits, live programs, films and a research center with working labs. General admission is free.

North Carolina Museum of Art and Museum Park

The NCMA, at 2110 Blue Ridge Road in West Raleigh, offers free admission to its permanent collection. The surrounding Museum Park is open daily from dawn to dusk and hosts a summer concert series and outdoor movies at its amphitheater.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens

Duke Gardens covers 55 acres in the heart of Duke University at 420 Anderson Street in Durham. Admission is free. Parking costs $2 an hour and often fills before 10 a.m. on nice days, so go early.

Durham Bulls Athletic Park

The Durham Bulls, the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, play at the roughly 10,000-seat Durham Bulls Athletic Park in the American Tobacco district. A summer night at the ballpark is a Triangle tradition.

Pullen Park and Umstead State Park

Raleigh’s Pullen Park is home to the historic Pullen Park Carousel, which is still operating. William B. Umstead State Park spans parts of Raleigh, Cary and Durham and is one of the region’s favorite places to hike and bike.

Big-League Sports

The NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes play at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Duke, UNC and NC State are three of the four ACC schools in North Carolina that sportscasters call "Tobacco Road," so college basketball season is a big deal here.

Where to Eat in Raleigh-Durham

Poole’s

Poole’s, at 428 South McDowell Street in downtown Raleigh, is a popular downtown restaurant serving American food. Plan ahead for weekend dinners.

Bida Manda

Bida Manda serves Laotian food at 222 South Blount Street in downtown Raleigh, right beside Brewery Bhavana at 218 South Blount. It is a memorable spot to take out-of-town guests.

Mateo Bar de Tapas

In downtown Durham, Mateo Bar de Tapas at 109 West Chapel Hill Street serves Spanish-style small plates. It is a good first stop to see how much Durham’s downtown dining scene has grown.

Jobs & Economy

The Triangle’s economy is built on government, universities, health care and technology. According to Raleigh’s 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the city’s largest employers are the State of North Carolina (24,083 employees), the Wake County Public School System (17,000), WakeMed Health and Hospitals (10,307), Food Lion (9,037) and NC State University (9,019), followed by Target, UNC Rex Healthcare, Harris Teeter, Duke Energy Progress and the City of Raleigh.

In Durham, Duke University and the Duke University Health System are the largest employers. The region’s technology employers include IBM, Lenovo, SAS Institute, Cisco, NetApp and Red Hat, and the opening of Research Triangle Park in 1959 helped create thousands of jobs in science and technology.

If you are moving from the coast for a job, the size of the Triangle’s job market is a big part of the draw. Wake County’s median household income is $105,768, compared with $77,024 in Brunswick County.

Schools in Raleigh-Durham

The Wake County Public School System, which serves Raleigh, is the largest school district in North Carolina. It had 163,325 students in 202 schools in the 2024–2025 school year, with about 15 students per teacher, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Durham Public Schools had 31,865 students in 57 schools, with about 15 students per teacher.

School assignments depend on your address, so check each district’s school assignment tools before you pick a home.

Higher education is everywhere. Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University and Meredith College, Durham is home to Duke University and North Carolina Central University, and UNC-Chapel Hill is the third point of the Triangle.

Raleigh-Durham Quick Facts

Counties	Wake (Raleigh), Durham (Durham)
Nicknames	City of Oaks (Raleigh); Bull City (Durham)
Area codes	919 and 984 (overlay since 2012)
Population	Raleigh 506,306; Durham 305,561 (2025 estimates)
Airport	Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), about 14 miles from each downtown
Main highways	I-40, I-440 Beltline, I-540, Durham Freeway
Public schools	Wake County Public School System; Durham Public Schools
Universities	NC State, Duke, NC Central, UNC-Chapel Hill (nearby)
Average annual snowfall (RDU)	5.2 inches
Distance to Wilmington	About 130 miles from Raleigh

Moving to Raleigh-Durham: Tips From Our Crew

Get a binding estimate for the long haul. A move between the coast and the Triangle is a long-distance move. With our Raleigh-Durham moving team, your price is a binding estimate, so it never changes after you book. You get your own dedicated truck, the same W-2 crew from door to door and a guaranteed delivery date, so your things are never handed off to another company along the way.
Reserve the elevator and loading dock. Many Triangle apartments and condos require movers to book a freight elevator or loading dock and to provide a certificate of insurance (COI). Ask your building for its requirements early. We provide COIs for apartment, condo and office buildings free of charge.
Beat the heat, and watch for ice. July highs average about 91°F at RDU, so summer loading should start early in the morning. In January and February, even a little snow or ice can close roads, so keep a backup date in mind. We never charge a rescheduling fee.
Plan around college move-in weeks. If your new home is near NC State, Duke or NC Central, student move-in and move-out weekends bring heavy traffic and full parking. Ask us about scheduling around them.
Time your drive on I-40. The truck and your own car will both use I-40 between the coast and the Triangle. Leaving the coast early and arriving outside the afternoon rush makes unloading day smoother.
Know your parking at the new place. Downtown Raleigh and Durham streets and some older Beltline neighborhoods have tight parking. Tell us about street width, driveways and HOA rules so we can plan truck placement.
Military families save 5%. Heading to the Triangle for a new assignment or coming home? We offer 5% off military moves.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Raleigh-Durham

Should I live in Raleigh or Durham?

It depends on your job and lifestyle. Raleigh is larger, is the state capital and has more suburban neighborhoods and state government jobs. Durham is smaller, centered on Duke University and its health system, with a walkable downtown built into old tobacco warehouses. Both are about 14 miles from RDU, and Research Triangle Park sits between them.

How much does it cost to move from the coast to Raleigh-Durham?

The price depends on how much you are moving, the exact distance, packing needs and the date. We don’t quote numbers without seeing your inventory, but we do give a binding estimate, so once you book, your price never changes. Call 910-758-0081 for a free quote from an owner.

Does A & M Friendly Movers have an office in Raleigh-Durham?

No. Our NC & SC team is based on the coast in Calabash and handles long-distance moves between the beaches and the Triangle in both directions. You get one dedicated truck and one W-2 crew from start to finish, with a guaranteed delivery date.

Does it snow in Raleigh-Durham?

Yes, a little. NOAA’s normals for RDU show about 5.2 inches of snow in an average year, mostly in January and February. Even small amounts of snow or ice can make roads slick, so winter movers should keep a backup date.

Is Raleigh-Durham a good place for families?

Many families think so. The region has strong job growth, large school districts, free museums, lots of parks and major universities. Housing costs have eased slightly over the past year. Research schools and commute times carefully, since both vary a lot across the region.

Move to Raleigh-Durham With A & M Friendly Movers

A & M Friendly Movers has been family-owned since 2015. Owners Matthew Treharn and Amber Hallaman back every move with our Owner’s Promise: you talk to an owner, not a call center; if anything is damaged, an owner calls you the same day; and claims are resolved in 60–90 days. Our crews are background-checked, drug-tested W-2 employees, never subcontractors.

Leaving the beach for a Triangle job or heading back to the coast? Our Raleigh-Durham movers handle the whole trip with a binding estimate, your own dedicated truck and a guaranteed delivery date. Learn more about our long-distance moving service, then call our NC & SC team at 910-758-0081. An owner will call you back within 15 minutes between 8am and 8pm.

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Moving to Raleigh-Durham, NC: Living in the Triangle Guide