HEAD TO HEAD
New York vs Raleigh
Raleigh leads New York on 4 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
New York, NY
wins 1 of 5 factors
Raleigh, NC
wins 4 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | New York | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 59 | 78 ◆ |
| Affordable to rent | 4 | 69 ◆ |
| Climate comfort | 64 | 78 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 40 | 56 ◆ |
| Big-city amenities | 100 ◆ | 90 |
By the numbers
| Figure | New York | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $728K | $438K |
| Typical rent | $3,503/mo | $1,694/mo |
| Average temperature | 12.3°C | 15.4°C |
| Sunshine (solar energy) | 3.92 kWh/m²/day | 4.47 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank (US) | #1 | #43 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.