Living in Durham, NC
Mid-size city in North Carolina
Durham is a mid-size city in North Carolina, home to about 288,000 people, with 1.4 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Durham a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 4 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Highly educated: 56% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3 research universities are within 31 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 85°F
👎 Cons
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Higher crime: violent crime is 1.9× the US rate (FBI 2019)
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Durham ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Durham: common questions
What is the cost of living in Durham?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $358k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,120 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 98, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Durham?
North Carolina collects about $1,615 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.88% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Durham safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.9× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Durham?
Durham has cool winters: winter days average around 51°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 5″ of snow a year.
Does Durham get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.42 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Durham?
The nearest major airport is RDU, about 9 mi away.
How Durham scores
Each bar compares Durham with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Durham right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.