The Town FilesDurham, North Carolina
City in Durham County · population 283,506 (2020 Census) · spans 3 counties
- Median home
- $392,800
- Household income
- $81,619
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 35.1
Durham is a city of 283,506 people in Durham County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $392,800, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of North Carolina towns, better transit than 98% of North Carolina towns, more vibrant than 97% of North Carolina towns.
How Durham ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Durham is worth $392,800, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $81,619, which is more affordable than 20% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,508 a month. 52.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Durham | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $392,800 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,508 | $969 |
| Median household income | $81,619 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 52.3% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Durham
| People | Durham | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.3% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.4% | — |
| Work from home | 23.3% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.7% | 89.5% |
Weather in Durham
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 27.9°F. About 48.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.2 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 84 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Durham since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 5, 1989 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 23, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 73 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 24, 1955.
Severe weather in Durham County since 1996
Durham County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 11, 2025 | Tropical Depression | DR-4889: Tropical Depression Chantal |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Durham County
Durham County had 236,749 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $98,601 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Durham itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Durham
67 public schools with 38,361 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| C E Jordan High | 9-12 | 2,068 | 17.8 |
| Riverside High | 9-12 | 1,851 | 18.3 |
| Durham School of the Arts | 6-12 | 1,767 | 16.1 |
| Hillside High | 9-12 | 1,454 | 15.3 |
| Voyager Academy (charter) | K-12 | 1,363 | 13.2 |
| Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi | 9-12 | 1,352 | 18.0 |
| Northern High | 9-12 | 1,334 | 16.7 |
| Excelsior Classical Academy (charter) | K-12 | 1,029 | 24.5 |
| Sherwood Githens Middle | 6-8 | 811 | 14.2 |
| Durham Charter School (charter) | K-10 | 777 | 12.5 |
| Neal Middle | 6-8 | 770 | 13.5 |
| Pearsontown Elementary | PK-5 | 740 | 14.5 |
Towns near Durham
- Chapel Hill, NC8.7 mi · 61,960 people · home $613,700
- Morrisville, NC10.3 mi · 29,630 people · home $518,800
- Carrboro, NC11.2 mi · 21,295 people · home $539,400
- Hillsborough, NC13.1 mi · 9,660 people · home $460,100
- Butner, NC13.9 mi · 8,397 people · home $231,100
- Cary, NC14.2 mi · 174,721 people · home $580,200
- Creedmoor, NC16.0 mi · 4,866 people · home $281,400
- Fearrington Village, NC16.0 mi · 2,557 people · home $472,600
Durham questions
Is Durham, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Durham scores better for retirees than 19% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 7%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.1).
How much does a house cost in Durham?
The median owner-occupied home in Durham is valued at $392,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,619, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,508 a month.
What is the weather like in Durham?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 27.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 5.2 inches of snow.
Does Durham get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Durham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 5, 1989. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)