Durham, NC Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Durham, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Durham →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
With a population near 284,094, Durham, North Carolina sits roughly in line with the multi-city income median: households earn a typical $74,710 per year (+4% vs. that benchmark).
Home values in Durham run a median $316,600, roughly in line with the benchmark across cities in our dataset (-3%). Renters see a median monthly cost of $1,296. Mortgage rates and property taxes are worth checking before you commit either way.
Home values run about 4.2× median income in Durham, putting it squarely in the balanced range among the cities we cover. Prices in the area have gained 1.33% year over year, a moderate pace that suggests a stable market around Durham. Durham carries a Relatively Moderate hazard rating from FEMA, on the lower end of what we track.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,296/mo in Durham would take 20.8% of your income.
$572/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($316,600) would take 27.1% of your income toward principal & interest.
$53/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Durham
Median home value is $316,600 and median gross rent is $1,296/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Durham rose 1.33% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,711/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Durham's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Durham reported a violent crime rate of 507.3 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Durham
Planning a move to Durham? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Durham, NC?
- Durham's key cost-of-living figures: $316,600 median home value, $1,296 median monthly rent, and $74,710 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Durham?
- Using the standard 30%-of-income rule of thumb, affording Durham's median rent of $1,296/month takes an income of roughly $51,840 a year. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Durham.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Durham?
- Durham's median rent of $1,296/month translates to about $51,840 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $72,436 a year for principal and interest on the $316,600 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Durham safe?
- In 2025, Durham reported 507.3 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data.
See the full salary breakdown for Durham →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Durham's.