Raleigh ranks 12th among US state capitals, up from 13th in 2018, on the new “best state capitals to live in” from economic news and information site SmartAsset. But Raleigh still fell short of Austin, which tied for sixth place with Boise, Idaho.

Raleigh often competes with Austin, Texas, for economic development projects (such as a new Apple project that went to the Texas capital) and for workplace talent. Austin slipped a spot from 2018.

So how do they compare in the criteria for the “best” capital list?

  • Austin scored better on median income after housing costs
  • It’s unemployment rate is lower
  • Raleigh has fewer dining and entertainment establishments as a percentage of all businesses
  • Raleigh has more violent crime Raleigh also has more protery crime.
  • Raleigh index score: 60.53
  • Austin index score: 72.11

The max index score is 100 based on five different criteria ranging from median income after housing costs to crime rates cited above.

Raleigh ranked much higher, No. 6, in a recent Smart Asset survey ranking cities of “best cities for young professionals.”

However, Austin scored higher on that list, too, taking the No. 2 spot.

Honolulu leads the state capital list with a 100 score.

Others in the top 10:

  • Madison, Wi
  • Concord, NH
  • Montpelier, VT
  • Boston
  • Boise, Id and Austin, Tx (tie)
  • Annapolis, Md
  • Bismarck, N.D.
  • Lincoln, Neb and Carson City, N.V.

This chart breaks down the entire list:

 

Smart Asset graphic

 

Here are the criteria used in the survey:

  • Median income after housing costs. Data comes from the Census Bureau’s 2017 5-year American Community Survey.
  • Unemployment rate. Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is for June 2019.
  • Dining and entertainment rate. This is the number of bars, restaurants and entertainment establishments as a percentage of all establishments. Data comes from the Census Bureau’s 2016 Business Patterns Survey.
  • Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents. Data comes from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Database for 2017. Data for Boise, Idaho; Carson City, Nevada; Jackson, Mississippi; Lincoln, Nebraska; Raleigh, North Carolina and Richmond, Virginia came from neighborhoodscout.com
  • Property crime rate per 100,000 residents. Data comes from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Database for 2017. Data for Boise, Idaho; Carson City, Nevada; Jackson, Mississippi; Lincoln, Nebraska; Raleigh, North Carolina and Richmond, Virginia came from neighborhoodscout.com