I discovered the census has this public use microdata area (PUMA) that breaks down fairly small areas (Wake has 8). The one in Northwest Wake that covers 140 sq miles and includes Morrisville, Brier Creek, and up to Falls Lake has 128,000 people in it. The rest of Wake County has around a million. Downtown Raleigh is definitely within reach of more people than Downtown Durham.
Here’s a link so you can play around with it.
Wow, a whole mile! 
Too bad it’s not in their MSA.
I would argue that downtown Durham is more appealing right now. Ballpark, American Tobacco, better streetscaping, I like their restaurant selection better also. Google made the choice, would not be surprised if Meta did the same.
Downtown Durham is more lively for young adults, that’s a pretty uncontroversial statement. And without denting anyone’s pride too much UNC and Duke are recruitment target schools for Google/Salesforce/Amazon for a lot of roles in a way that NC State isn’t.
That said, Raleigh is a pretty far and away better spot for families, and DTR is obviously on the upswing, so if it keeps bringing in the occasional Pendo/Bandwidth along with Red Hat and its existing strength in government and financial/professional services it by no means will lose relative importance to Durham.
One would think that the Durham side of the Triangle would be exploding with growth due to the draw of downtown Durham and based on the big name energy flowing its way, but it just doesn’t play out that way in the data. With a larger land area than the Raleigh MSA, Durham has the possibility to be every bit as large, and the Triangle could easily be a 3M+ person metro in the future.
If you look at decisions made by each city over time, one can argue that Raleigh played the regional game in its decision making while Durham played a centralized game to its benefit.
You also have to remember that in Durham County, Durham competes with Durham. The two governments can combine to be aggressive without offending other towns.
Raleigh competes with 11 other towns and the southern 30% of the RTP that want these companies just as bad.
Also, for the longest time the real primary Economic Development Group for Raleigh has been Wake County Economic Development (again, 12 towns). Raleigh Economic Development has a new person on staff and they seem very focused on getting Raleigh its wins. It will take time. But when told correctly – no one in the region has a better story than Raleigh.
My $0.02. And very biased opinion.
People love to work in DTD, people also hate to live in DTD. Just check out 147 each morning and night.
I don’t think that’s a valid point to say that people don’t want to live there. It’s a 2 lane sub standard parkway as the main source getting downtown. That’d bog down in a city of any size. I think their rate of downtown condo and apartment development would say otherwise.
Raleigh needs to step up on some infrastructure downtown. Pave some streets. I guess they are waiting for BRT construction on Wilmington street but it looks like hell. The park that borders Martin and Hargett is always unmowed and full of trash.
I would think with the property tax Raleigh collects they would be loaded. I don’t know where the money goes.
Ehh why not.
From my experience, Durham has better bones for pedestrians and retail/restaurant renovations. Better historic building stock, a tighter grid with smaller building footprints (compared to Fayetteville st i.e.), and some europeanesque squares all make for a “cooler” city. I don’t think there is any significant cultural or artistic difference between the people of Durham and the people of Raleigh, and in fact I’d argue that Raleigh is more representative of the socio-political spectrum than Durham (makes sense b/c Ral is capitol). I certainly don’t think DT Durham’s food scene is categorically better than DT Raleigh’s.
IMO, it mostly boils down to the scale and structure of the built environment.
Add on the successful branding of “Durm” and “Bull City” and you got a winning combination from the cool kid perspective.
I watched the budget hearing yesterday and can tell you, they are hyper focused on retaining staff and recruiting. Pay raises for essential workers is happening (fire, police, trash pickup, etc)
10000000% yes - I truly do NOT understand how a city with so many people and thus SO MUCH MONEY just POURING in, day in and day out, can half-ass so much of our infrastructure and public services.
Honestly, Raleigh’s pretty functional and well-kept-up for a mid-sized American city. Obviously it’s not perfect, and we should keep pushing for better (that’s our job as citizens), but the city government seems to perform most of what it’s supposed to do quite well.
I live in and prefer Raleigh. That said, its comical to say the depth of quality restaurants in downtown Raleigh is comparable to Durham. Also if you can’t see how downtown Durham ties in better geographically to the overall engine of the triangle economy then downtown Raleigh i don’t know what to tell you. Durham is without a doubt getting more ‘inbound’ wins right now so if you disagree with the above then ask yourself why?
I don’t know that I agree with the better bones argument past its collection of interesting old tobacco buildings (which are quite nice) and the 2 major venues (DPAC/DBAP). Its grid is a mess, and that stupid downtown loop is a nightmare for both cars and pedestrians. I don’t feel much cohesiveness/connectedness downtown. The Durham Freeway comes way too close to downtown and disconnects the neighborhoods to its south (urban renewal anyone?), and the city doesn’t elegantly blend into its surrounding neighborhoods the way that downtown Raleigh does on nearly all sides.
As for the young people enjoying it, I don’t see downtown Raleigh suffering in that regard with piles and piles of young people downtown every weekend and even a growing weekday crowd of folks who live in the center of the city.
I’d have to agree. Compared to Atlanta, Raleigh / Wake county is so seamless as far as getting stuff done. Seems to function way better than any other large city when looking at the surface. We don’t have many of those “city” problems that most do.
Even Durham seems to have more of that than us.
I have lived in Raleigh 11 years now, and if you exclude work related trips, I can count on both hands the number of times I have I have been to Durham. I have not had much urge to go there, when most things are available in Raleigh and much closer. The ballpark is nice and RAL has a big gap there. Tobacco trail is nice, but Raleigh has really nice greenway trails as well, but needs a better connection to downtown (ARTery). Been to a brewery or two in Durham, but Raleigh has plenty to offer in that area. Same with restaurants.
I agree with the issues you mentioned, and I’ll add that the Ramseur St, Railroad corridor, and Pettigrew st. chasm further hurts DTD and separates the DBAP from the “grid” that I think of when I think of DTD.
However you have to admit, the area of DTD inside of the downtown loop is a very pedestrian friendly grid with more “plaza space” than anything we have in the heart of DTR.
Honestly tho, if we can get some buildings around Nash and Moore squares, our center of gravity will navigate to those public spaces. I am pretty disappointed the Nash hotel isn’t wrapping up right now… and Nexus too. Nash square has the potential to be the great connector between the success of WHD and GWS and Fay/Moore/City Market.
We for sure need a non-park plaza as well. Honestly the city of Raleigh just needs a better, younger city government, top-down. Even Mayor MAB has a very outdated view of Raleigh–she’s very hung up on ‘Drunktown’ situation that happened decades ago. We need a city council that is fresh that isn’t clinging to the past.