Both Raleigh and Durham are part of the rapidly growing Research Triangle Park. Both have lots of activities, restaurants, bars, universities, and event spaces. But, there are lots of differences between the two cities too. If you’re planning on visiting central North Carolina, where should you plan to spend most of your time? Let’s explore Raleigh vs. Durham and which is the better city to visit. But, if you want to explore even more cities in North Carolina outside of these two, check out these options.
Raleigh vs. Durham: The Big Differences
The 2021 census population of Raleigh, NC is 469,124 and about half that at 285,527 in Durham. Raleigh is also the State Capital of North Carolina, and as such has many of the state offices and official buildings located within it. Both Raleigh and Durham are the seat of their respective county governments though. Durham is known as the “City of Medicine” with healthcare being a major focus with over 300 medical and health-related companies. Durham is also ranked as much more racially diverse, ranking 95th in the country compared to Raleigh’s 129th-place finish. With the linguistic ranking (diversity of languages spoken), Durham ranked only slightly higher at 186th place nationally, compared to Raleigh in the 189th place.
Raleigh vs. Durham: Things To Do
When you’re visiting any destination, ensuring that you won’t get bored is often a priority. Let’s compare Raleigh and Durham head-to-head in the categories of things to do.
Outdoor Activities
| Raleigh | Durham |
|---|---|
| Pullen Park – North Carolina’s oldest park | Sarah P Duke Gardens – 55 acres of possibly “the finest public garden in the country” |
| Juniper Level Botanic Garden – 28 Acres of flowers and plants | Durham Central Park – Arts-theme city park, and hosts the weekly farmer’s market |
| Neuse River Greenway Trail – 34.5 miles of paved trail running along the riverbank | Eno River State Park – 4,319 acres of woodlands, trails, and rivers to explore. |
| William B. Umstead State Park – 5,599 aces of nature to enjoy | Forest Hills Park – A 45-acre park with a playground, spray ground and courts |
| Dorothea Dix Park – Home of the annual sunflower festival | Orchard Park – 7.3-acre park with a playground, picnic shelter, and picnic tables |
Durham has 68 city parks, as well as 2 indoor pools, 3 outdoor pools, and 4 spray grounds. Raleigh has more than 200 individual parks and 8 Pools, but only two Splash Pads. If you’re traveling with a furry friend, Raleigh has 7 Dog Parks, whereas Durham has only 5. Raleigh’s dog parks are also free, whereas you have to purchase an annual membership to the Durham Dog Parks. So, Durham might win in the “finest public garden” and most spray pads categories. But, loses in the number, size, and access to parks categories.
History & Educational Activities
| Raleigh | Durham |
|---|---|
| James B Hunt Library – The library of the future | Museum of Durham History – 7 exhibits all about the history of Durham, NC |
| North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences – The biggest museum in the Southeast | Bennett Place – The location of the signing of the civil war surrender papers |
| North Carolina Museum of Art – Over 164 acres of art, indoors and out | Nasher Museum of Art – Contains more than 13,000 works of art |
| Contemporary Art Museum (CAM Raleigh) – A multimedia contemporary art gallery | Museum of Life and Science – 27 indoor/outdoor exhibits, with lots of kid-friendly activities. |
| North Carolina Museum of History – A Local Smithsonian-Level Experience | Duke Lemur Center – An 85-acre sanctuary for rare and endangered primates |
This category is another example of where being the state capital has its advantages. Raleigh boasts 12 museums, but 4 of them are state-owned and operated museums. Durham has 6 museums, but 3 of them are part of universities. Although Raleigh doesn’t seem to have anything like the Duke Lemur Center, I don’t think that gives them the win in this category.
Malls & Shopping Centers
| Raleigh | Durham |
|---|---|
| North Hills – Nearly 80 stores, a movie theater, and 35+ restaurants & bars | Streets At Southpoint – 143 stores, 26 restaurants, and a movie theater. |
| Crabtree Valley Mall – 200+ stores, and 35 restaurants in the largest enclosed mall | Brightleaf Square – 9 stores, 10 restaurants in a 1904 tobacco warehouse |
| Triangle Town Center – 115 stores, 15 restaurants, and the state’s only Saks Fifth Ave | North Point Shopping Center – 23 stores, including two restaurants and a grocery store. |
| South Hills Mall – 40 stores and 3 restaurants | The Village Shopping Center – 25 stores, 9 restaurants, and a grocery store. |
When it really comes down to discussing malls and shopping centers, it really centers around just two of them. Although we list 4 for each city, the only two that really matter are Crabtree Valley Mall and Streets at Southpoint. Although Crabtree Valley Mall is larger, at 1.34 million square feet of retail space, making it the largest enclosed mall in the Research Triangle. It barely beats out Streets at Southpoint which stands at 1.33 million square feet. Crabtree Valley Mall has slightly more stores and restaurants than Streets at Southpoint. But, Crabtree Valley Mall has around 10 million shoppers annually, whereas Streets at Southpoint has around 13 million per year. As somebody who has spent considerable time at both malls, I prefer Streets at Southpoint as well, despite it having slightly fewer stores and space.
Concerts & Shows
| Raleigh | Durham |
|---|---|
| PNC Arena – 19,500-seat indoor arena with 150+ events per year | Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) – A modern performing arts center with Broadway shows |
| Coastal Credit Union Amphitheater – 20,000 outdoor seats and around 100 shows annually | The Ritz – A performance hall run by Live Nation, with shows every week |
| Red Hat Amphitheater – A 6,000-seat outdoor venue with around 70 concerts per year | Motorco Music Hall – A spacious showroom for live performances with a bar |
| Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts – Includes 5 performance spaces with over 600 shows per year | Carolina Theater – An intimate venue providing live music since 1926 |
| Raleigh Convention Center – 500,000 sq ft convention space with 30 – 50 events annually. | Durham Convention Center – 35,000 sq ft with ballrooms, meeting rooms, and boardrooms |
If you want to see a major concert, you’ll be heading either to Raleigh or some cases nearby Cary for the Koka Booth Amphitheater. Most big concerts are held either at the PNC Arena or the Coastal Credit Union Amphitheatre. But, if you want to see a touring Broadway performance, you’ll likely only find that at the Durham Performing Arts Center. The Durham Chamber of Commerce does list some free music events such as the free Music In The Gardens or Summer Concert Series, but those don’t compare to the major concerts and events held in Raleigh.
Raleigh vs. Durham: Colleges & Universities
| Raleigh | Durham |
|---|---|
| North Carolina State University – 37,873 students in 106 fields of study | North Carolina Central University – 7,553 students in 4 schools in 90 degree programs |
| Campbell Law School – 497 students in 9 degree programs | Duke University – 16,780 students in 80 programs of study. |
| Wake Technical Community College – 63,000 students across 8 campuses in 250 programs | Durham Tech – 18,000 students in more than 100 programs. |
Higher education in the Research Triangle Park is a big deal. Between the two cities, there are 11 colleges and universities, with 8 of them being in Raleigh alone. Both NC State and Duke University are both ACC Schools and the rivalry can be felt in both cities. But, in terms of the number of schools, students, and programs offered, Raleigh takes all three.
Raleigh vs. Durham: Festivals & Fairs
| Raleigh | Durham |
|---|---|
| NC State Fair – 11 days of fairground fun & food | Bull City Food & Beer Experience – Food and Beer Samples from 30 local restaurants |
| World of Bluegrass Festival – 2 days and 6 stages | NC Comicon & Comiquest Film Festival – 2 Day Comics & Film Festival |
| Packapalloza – All-day block party & food festival | American Dance Festival – A week-long international dance festival started in 1934 |
| Dreamville Festival – 2-day music festival with some big names | Full Frame Documentary Film Festival – A 4-day international film festival |
| Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo – 11 city blocks and 50 food trucks to choose from | Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo – A weekly summer event of food truck selections |
Although both cities have event calendars full of events happening every weekend, there are stark differences in the type of events. I feel confident that you could find something to do in either city during a trip, but which one you would prefer depends on your passions. Durham has a lot more art, culture, and history type events. Raleigh has more concerts, parties, and food type events. Of course, with Raleigh having the NC State Fair, that also puts them at an unfair advantage.
Raleigh vs. Durham: Food & Drink
| Raleigh Food Halls | Durham Food Halls |
|---|---|
| Transfer Co Food Hall – 9 Food Vendors | Durham Food Hall – 11 Food Vendors |
| Morgan Street Food Hall – 19 Food Vendors |
Anyone who knows me knows that food is one of my passions. We commonly eat in both Raleigh and Durham, and the food scene has different vibes. Raleigh is about taste, and Durham is about fresh. Raleigh has two food halls with lots of options, to Durham’s one. But, Durham has two regular farmer’s markets to Raleigh’s one. The one that Raleigh has is actually state-owned and operated. I personally have had incredible food in both cities and still have a huge list of places in both cities left to enjoy.
Learn about all the wonderful things to do in Raleigh here!
Raleigh vs. Durham: Hospitals & Medical Centers
Durham is known as the “City of Medicine” and 1 in 4 workers are employed in healthcare. The biggest hospital system in Durham is Duke University Hospital, commonly just known as Duke. It’s affiliated with Duke University as a teaching hospital. Duke University Hospital has been ranked as the #1 hospital in North Carolina for several years in a row now. Duke Health includes three hospitals, including one in Raleigh. The Duke Hospital system had over 57,000 inpatient stays in its Durham campuses.
Raleigh has the WakeMed Health & Hospitals system with two major hospitals located within Raleigh and one located elsewhere in Wake County. WakeMed is a teaching hospital for both the US Army and WakeTech. WakeMed had just over 43,000 inpatient stays on their Raleigh Campuses. Raleigh is also served by a local UNC REX Health hospital (based out of Chapel Hill).
Raleigh vs. Durham: Hotels & Places To Stay
Durham has nearly 8,000 hotel rooms across the city. Raleigh has more than 160 hotels, with over 1,200 hotel rooms within the downtown district alone. Both cities include both the luxurious, mid-range, and cheaper hotel options. Both include both locally owned and chain hotels. There is also a huge selection of Airbnb Rentals in both cities.
Raleigh vs. Durham: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get around Raleigh and Durham?
Both cities have great taxi services and plenty of ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft. Neither city has a subway or metro service. Each city has a bus service, known as “GoRaleigh” and “GoDurham” respectively. In order to connect the two cities, there is another bus service called “GoTriangle”. Each bus service has pretty good coverage of their respective cities and areas.
What is the Research Triangle Park (RTP)?
The Research Triangle Park (RTP) is a 7,000-acre area which is the largest research park in the United States. Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill make up it’s three points. Each of those three cities has a large university and teaching hospital located within. In RTP there are over 375 different businesses wiith over 65,000 employees. Numerous Fortune 500 companies have made RTP their headquarters. Also, within RTP is housing, restaurants, bars, and more making it an ideal place for a new business to set up offices.
How long should I plan to visit?
Each city has a growing number of things to see, do, and explore and you could spend a few days in either location. I would suggest allocating at least 3 days to visiting either city. Luckily, the cities are only about 30 minutes apart, so you could also plan a week in Central North Carolina and hit both of them.
In Conclusion: Raleigh vs. Durham. Which is better to visit?
Raleigh and Durham are both unique cities with their own draws. Raleigh is more industrial, hard-working, and designed to meet the needs of its citizens. Durham is more fun and artsy with a more relaxed and laid-back feeling. But, when it comes to which is where I would recommend spending your vacation, in all but two categories, Raleigh wins. Durham gets the win in healthcare for having the number 1 hospital in the state, and number one in shopping due to its significantly nicer mall.
But, for the most part, Raleigh has more to do, more to eat and drink, and more concerts and events to see. Raleigh also has significantly more things for free. However Raleigh and Durham are only about 30 minutes apart, so you could make the trip and visit both. While you are here, there is so much more to see in Central North Carolina that makes the trip worthwhile. Come visit us and decide for yourself. If you want to learn more about Raleigh, read our post about things to do in the city here.
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