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Chapel Hill, NC vs Durham, NC Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Chapel Hill crime rate · Durham crime rate

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Is Chapel Hill, NC or Durham, NC Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Chapel Hill, NC is safer than Durham, NC (Safety Score 25/100 vs 6/100), with a total crime rate of 2,687 per 100,000 versus 4,420 for Durham, NC — 39% lower. Chapel Hill has lower rates in 7 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Chapel Hill has a 87% lower rate.

Note: Durham is 4.7x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Chapel Hill, NC?

Chapel Hill — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Durham — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Flat Property Flat Total

Chapel Hill, NC

Chapel Hill, NC
Safety Score 25/100
Coverage 63,906
Total Crime Rate 2,686.8
Category Wins 7/7

Durham, NC

Durham, NC
Safety Score 6/100
Coverage 300,208
Total Crime Rate 4,420.3
Category Wins 0/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Chapel Hill Durham Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,686.8 4,420.3 -1,733.5
Violent Crime Rate 172.1 620.6 -448.4
Murder Rate 1.6 12.3 -10.8
Rape Rate 12.5 57.3 -44.8
Robbery Rate 45.4 160.9 -115.5
Aggravated Assault Rate 112.7 388.7 -276.1
Property Crime Rate 2,514.6 3,799.7 -1,285.1
Burglary Rate 339.6 450.4 -110.8
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,988.9 2,725.4 -736.6
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 186.2 623.9 -437.7

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Chapel Hill, NC to Durham, NC?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chapel Hill or Durham safer?

Chapel Hill, NC is safer with a total crime rate of 2,687 per 100K vs 4,420 for Durham, NC — a 39% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Chapel Hill has a violent crime rate of 172.1 per 100K while Durham has 620.6. Chapel Hill has lower violent crime.

About Chapel Hill, NC

Chapel Hill, home to the nation's first public university, is a vibrant town in Orange County, North Carolina. Its youthful population, largely influenced by UNC, enjoys the rolling Piedmont hills. With a safety score of 25/100 and a population coverage of 63,906, Chapel Hill has a total crime rate of 2,686.8 per 100,000 residents.

About Durham, NC

Durham, North Carolina, known as the "Bull City," grew around its tobacco industry. It's a diverse city in the Piedmont region, home to Duke University and a thriving tech scene. With a safety score of 6/100 and a population coverage of 300,208, Durham has a total crime rate of 4,420.3 per 100,000 residents.

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