Durham County, North Carolina
Among the top 1% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 3% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 92% of US counties
- top 2% for airport distance
- top 6% for broadband access
- bottom 3% for property crime
Durham County is a county in North Carolina with about 325,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, broadband access, and walkability. It rates lower on cost of living and property crime.
Official websitedconc.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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61%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in3.4 in
muggy 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$75k82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$62kbetter than 4% of US counties
Home Value$311k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 9% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 18% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.93%better than 44% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.67%better than 29% of US counties
Unemployment4.3%better than 60% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.3 in67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.7 inbetter than 67% of US counties
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 27% of US counties
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 52% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk89.6better than 10% of US counties
Air Quality52 AQIbetter than 10% of US counties
School Quality53.0better than 47% of US counties
Violent Crime1808/100kbetter than 9% of US counties
Property Crime3199/100kbetter than 3% of US counties
Community
Population325,10193rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.811th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6497th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.938th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+631st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)42.6%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)34.0%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)13.8%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.2%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.4%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 65% of US counties
Walkability10.1/20better than 93% of US counties
Airport Distance12 mibetter than 98% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.7%better than 94% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.46better than 74% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 57% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Durham County an affordable place to live?
- Durham County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $62k, better than 4% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Durham County?
- The median home value in Durham County is $311k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Durham County?
- Median household income in Durham County is $75k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Durham County?
- Median gross rent in Durham County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Durham County safe?
- Durham County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1808/100k (better than 9%). Property crime is 3199/100k.
- What is the weather like in Durham County?
- Durham County averages 79°F in July and 41°F in January, with 48.3 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Durham County?
- Public-school quality in Durham County is about average, scoring better than 47% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Durham County?
- The average one-way commute in Durham County is 22 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)