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☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, with a high of 80 and a low of 60.

🎂 Happy birthday to our member Sally Otvos!

🍑 Situational awareness: We are heading to Atlanta today for our annual retreat. Don't have too much fun while we're away.

Today’s newsletter is 929 words — a 3.5-minute read.

The average Raleigh renter pays over $1,700 less a month than a new home buyer in the region, per a new Zillow report.

Why it matters: As Raleigh home prices remain sticky amid high interest rates, it's more evidence that renting might be the way to go for some people.

By the numbers: The typical Raleigh renter pays $1,675 a month, whereas the typical new home buyer pays $3,460 a month for their mortgage, insurance and taxes.

• Over the course of a year, that's a $21,420 difference.

Between the lines: That cost difference between owning and renting is why some developers are still targeting Raleigh for thousands of new apartments even after a record number of apartments were built.

Zoom in: After a boom in construction during the pandemic, vacancy rates at apartments in the region spiked. That led many apartment buildings to offer deals to renters.

• As construction slowed, vacancy rates improved.

Raleigh metro area apartments currently have a 9% vacancy rate, according to the real estate data firm CoStar, which tracks more than 100,000 apartments in the Triangle.

• That is down from a peak of 12.9% in the first quarter of 2024.

Durham metro area apartments now have a vacancy rate of 10.1%, according to CoStar, down from a peak of 12.9% in the second quarter of 2025.

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N.C. State University is boosting its bet on teaching battery technology.

Why it matters: With demand rising for new-generation batteries for electric vehicles, hybrids, smartphones and AI applications, N.C. State is trying to get more students to study the technology and fill the growing jobs pipeline in North Carolina.

Driving the news: N.C. State opened its Battery and Energy Storage Technology Makerspace on its Centennial Campus on Friday. Students and researchers will use the space to gain hands-on experience with batteries.

• Industry partners such as Toyota, whose massive battery plant in Randolph County will employ thousands, will also use the space for training and research.

What they're saying: Toyota's North Carolina President Don Stewart said Toyota plans to use the space to work on battery advancements and recruit new engineers.

• "We want your help to solve [our battery] challenges ... and create that pipeline for us for the engineers of tomorrow," Stewart said.

Keep reading

⚡️ In a rare step, the N.C. Utilities Commission denied a Duke Energy request for a new gas power plant in Richmond County over data center concerns. (WUNC)

📸 A Franklin County detective was fired for misusing Flock to track a private citizen, prompting the Franklin County Sheriff's Office to stop using the service for now. (WRAL)

🏈 N.C. State survived an impressive comeback from Appalachian State, winning 41-31. (Technician)

😈 Duke's football team stayed undefeated and is close to cracking the AP Top 25. (Chronicle)

⛴️ School is remote and emergency ferries are running after the weekend nor'easter flooded roads in parts of the Outer Banks. (Island Free Press)

🗳️ Due to state law, the Durham County Board of Elections faces the challenge of finding Republican poll workers in a county dominated by Democrats and unaffiliated voters. (INDY Week)

Every day, we work to bring you the local stories, insights and updates that help you stay connected to your community.

📍 Become a member today. Your support helps us continue delivering trusted local reporting and keeps our newsroom focused on the stories that matter most.

Help keep local journalism strong where you live.

The Atlanta Braves, the juggernaut of Southeastern baseball, appear to oppose Nashville's potential bid for a Major League Baseball team.

Why it matters: Nashville is seen as one of Raleigh's biggest rivals, and Braves opposition could make the City of Oaks more attractive.

Between the lines: The Braves currently have exclusive television rights in both Nashville and Charlotte. The Raleigh market's exclusive rights are held by the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles.

What they're saying: Braves President and CEO Derek Schiller was recently asked by Sports Business Journal if he liked the idea of a Nashville expansion team.

• "No," he said. "I love Nashville. Just as a reminder, Tennessee is part of our territory, right? ... We're going to be protective of the territory [that] we have."
• The Hurricanes, which are leading Raleigh's MLB push, declined to comment.

Tell a baseball fan

Axios Social Club is bringing readers together for dinner in both Raleigh and Durham next week.

Why it matters: Your city is full of interesting people you haven't met yet. We're making it easier to change that.

How it works: Take a quick quiz, reserve your seat and we'll match you with five fellow locals for dinner at a restaurant we hand-picked.

Fun fact: The final quiz question asks for an emoji to describe yourself.

• Most popular here so far: 😄
• Also in the mix: 🤠💃👨‍🔬🏕️🦉✈️🏌️‍♂️🎾🏄‍♀️

By the numbers: More than 1,200 Axios readers across the country are already signed up to join us Oct. 6.

• You have until Sunday night to join them.

Save your seat

🎃 Zachery has a weakness for Pumpkin Delights.

🏺 Mary Helen took a wheel pottery class this weekend. Harder than it looks.

Thanks to Mike Szvetitz for editing this newsletter.