Durham, North Carolina
Among the top 2% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 24% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 14% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 34% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 37% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 4% for airport distance
- bottom 5% for property crime
Durham is a major city in North Carolina with about 284,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and natural disaster risk. It rates lower on violent crime and property crime.
Official websitedurhamnc.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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61%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in3.5 in
muggy 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$75k67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$62kbetter than 10% of US places
Home Value$317k79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 23% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 31% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.96%better than 52% of US places
Income Tax4.50%better than 61% of US places
Sales Tax7.00%better than 60% of US places
Estimated total tax burden10.87%better than 37% of US places
Unemployment4.3%better than 46% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation50.0 in78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall5.2 inbetter than 67% of US places
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 17% of US places
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 20% of US places
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 44% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk28.0better than 91% of US places
Air Quality45 AQIbetter than 54% of US places
School Quality62.6better than 57% of US places
Violent Crime1868/100kbetter than 10% of US places
Property Crime3323/100kbetter than 5% of US places
Community
Population284,094100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.721st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6596th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9030th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+632nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)40.7%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)35.8%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)13.3%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.7%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 73% of US places
Walkability15.1/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance10 mibetter than 96% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.9%better than 71% of US places
Amenities Nearby11.51better than 15% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 47% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Durham an affordable place to live?
- Durham is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $62k, better than 10% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Durham?
- The median home value in Durham is $317k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Durham?
- Median household income in Durham is $75k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Durham?
- Median gross rent in Durham is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Durham safe?
- Durham is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1868/100k (better than 10%). Property crime is 3323/100k.
- What is the weather like in Durham?
- Durham averages 79°F in July and 41°F in January, with 50.0 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Durham?
- Public-school quality in Durham is about average, scoring better than 57% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Durham?
- The average one-way commute in Durham is 22 min.
Places near Durham
Compare Durham
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)