Living in Durham
In Durham, the median gross salary is €3,931 a month (2024).
There were 725 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2026. The city had 55 schools in 2026. In July 2026, owner occupation was 52.3% and the vacancy rate was 7.52%. Its population was 291,467 in July 2026.
More recorded crime than 94% of American cities that publish it and dirtier air than 93% of American cities that publish it.
Which United States-wide rules apply when you move to Durham?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
Median gross rent was US$1,508 per month, while the median home value was US$392,800 in July 2026. 48.5% of renter households spent at least 30% of income on housing in July 2026.
Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness club membership, monthly | 38.09 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in Durham (Wayback Machine capture 20251122063243)33Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 52.24 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in Durham (Wayback Machine capture 20251122063243)33Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Private kindergarten, monthly | 1,148 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in Durham (Wayback Machine capture 20251122063243)33Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 50.07 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in Durham (Wayback Machine capture 20251122063243)33Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² home | 197.6 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in Durham (Wayback Machine capture 20251122063243)33Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Median gross rent | $1,508/month | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent4Official |
| Households spending over 30% of income on rent | 48.45 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent4Official |
| Housing vacancy rate (legacy series) | 7.52 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent4Official |
| Property crime per 100,000 residents | 3,808 per 100,000 people | 1 Jul 2026 | FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics12Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · agency service area |
| Average monthly rent (whole dwelling) | 1,428 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2020 | ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent)2Official |
| Median monthly rent | 1,325 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables26Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Recorded property crimes | 11,002 offenses/year | 31 Dec 2025 | FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)13Official |
Is Durham a good place to live?
There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.
Worked out from these numbers
How international is the population?
14.7% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 44,974 of 305,561 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.
Work and income
Median household income was US$81,619 a year in July 2026.
Durham 3.8%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | 81,619 USD/year | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Households with cable, fibre or DSL broadband | 83.67 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.71 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Households with internet but no subscription | 2.27 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Households without internet | 3.99 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Households with satellite internet | 4.67 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Median gross salary | 3,931 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | ACS 2024 1-year table-based Summary File, table B20002 (Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars) by Sex for the Population 16 Years and Over with Earnings), place records3Official |
| Unemployment rate | 3.84 % | 31 Dec 2024 | Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables26Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
What does a salary buy in Durham?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentUtilitiesInternetMobileLeft over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
| Each month | € |
|---|---|
| Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08. | €3,068 |
| Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) · 2020-12-31 | − €1,428 |
| Public transport passnot published for this city | — |
| Utilities, 85 m²€198 · market price · Numbeo - Cost of Living in Durham (Wayback Machine capture 20251122063243) · 2025-12-31 | − €198 |
| Internet€52 · market price · Numbeo - Cost of Living in Durham (Wayback Machine capture 20251122063243) · 2025-12-31 | − €52 |
| Mobile plan€50 · market price · Numbeo - Cost of Living in Durham (Wayback Machine capture 20251122063243) · 2025-12-31 | − €50 |
| Left overbefore the bill this city does not publish | €1,340 |
Public employment service
No exact public employment office is currently linked to Durham. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.
American Job Centers — Public employment service
Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Durham. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.
Family and education
Healthcare
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental health provider ratio | 40 ratio | 30 Jun 2026 | HRSA mental health provider ratio15Official |
| Primary care doctors per 100,000 residents | 725 per 100,000 people | 30 Jun 2026 | HRSA mental health provider ratio15Official |
| Preventable hospitalizations | 1,648 per 100,000 people | 30 Jun 2026 | HRSA mental health provider ratio15Official |
| GP practices | 972 count | 13 Sept 2026 | NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 — September 202619Official |
| Hospitals | 4 count | 30 Sept 2026 | CMS Hospital General Information9Official |
| Pharmacies | 87 count | 13 Sept 2026 | NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 — September 202619Official |
| Physicians per 100,000 residents | 1,134 per 100,000 | 13 Sept 2026 | NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 — September 202619Official |
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Durham when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.
Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.
Open the official coverage guideSafety
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglaries per 100,000 residents | 451 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | US-FBI-CDE-NC0320100-202424Official |
| Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents | 4,419 offences per 100,000country median 1,586 | 31 Dec 2024 | FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting14Official |
| Violent crime per 100,000 residents | 621.2 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | US-FBI-CDE-NC0320100-202425Official |
| Recorded violent crimes | 1,556 offenses/year | 31 Dec 2025 | FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)13Official |
Mobility and administration
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average commute time | 22.35 minutes | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Workers commuting by bicycle | 0.59 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Workers commuting by public transport | 1.9 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Workers walking to work | 2.2 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Destinations from nearest airport | 39 count | 3 Aug 2026 | OpenFlights20Official |
| Nearest airport | RDU | 3 Aug 2026 | OurAirports21Official |
| Distance to nearest airport | 16 km | 3 Aug 2026 | OurAirports21Official |
Language courses and integration
No exact city-level course record is currently published for Durham. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.
Adult Education and English Language Acquisition (AEFLA) — State Language Course
U.S. Department of Education
For adult learners, adult English-language learners.
USCIS English and citizenship class finder — Civic Orientation
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
For immigrants, future citizens.
Climate and air quality
Night-time low to daytime high
mm
Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³
City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.
Durham 9.7
Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 9.71 µg/m³country median 7.0 | 31 Dec 2024 | EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 202411Official |
| Average daytime high by month | Jan 9.39 · Feb 11.39 · Mar 15.94 · Apr 21.28 · May 24.78 · Jun 28.5 · Jul 30.56 · Aug 29.22 · Sep 26.28 · Oct 20.83 · Nov 15.56 · Dec 11.17 °C | 1991–2020 | NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-202018Official |
| Average night-time low by month | Jan -2.28 · Feb -0.94 · Mar 2.89 · Apr 7.78 · May 13 · Jun 17.89 · Jul 20.44 · Aug 19.56 · Sep 16.06 · Oct 8.89 · Nov 2.83 · Dec 0.11 °C | 1991–2020 | NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-202018Official |
| Average temperature by month | Jan 3.56 · Feb 5.22 · Mar 9.44 · Apr 14.5 · May 18.89 · Jun 23.22 · Jul 25.5 · Aug 24.39 · Sep 21.17 · Oct 14.89 · Nov 9.22 · Dec 5.67 °C | 1991–2020 | NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-202018Official |
| Average precipitation by month | Jan 101.1 · Feb 73.91 · Mar 114.6 · Apr 92.96 · May 96.52 · Jun 133.1 · Jul 106.7 · Aug 132.8 · Sep 119.4 · Oct 85.09 · Nov 92.71 · Dec 84.84 mm | 1991–2020 | NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-202018Official |
| PM2.5, highest monitored reading | 47.4 µg/m³ | 1 Jul 2026 | EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean10Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county |
| PM2.5, annual mean | 8.81 µg/m³ | 1 Jul 2026 | EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean10Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county |
| PM2.5 monitoring sites | 5 monitors | 1 Jul 2026 | EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean10Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county |
| Annual precipitation | 1,190 mm | 30 Jun 2026 | NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals17Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation |
| Maximum July temperature | 26.67 °C | 30 Jun 2026 | NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals17Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation |
| Average annual temperature | 16.63 °C | 30 Jun 2026 | NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals17Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation |
| Minimum January temperature | 8.77 °C | 30 Jun 2026 | NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals17Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation |
Population and city profile
By nationality
National passport85.3%Foreign residents14.7%
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| City area | 311.5 km² | 31 Dec 2026 | TIGERweb Places (2026 BAS vintage) — AREALAND22Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 15.43 % | 31 Dec 2020 | ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B05002 (Place of Birth by Nativity and Citizenship Status), place records1Official |
| Foreign residents | 44,974 people | 31 Dec 2020 | ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B05002 (Place of Birth by Nativity and Citizenship Status), place records1Official |
| Transit service area population | 2,208,311 people | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Population density | 992.8 people/km² | 31 Dec 2025 | Census Reporter / U.S. Census Bureau8Official |
| Population | 305,561 people | 31 Dec 2025 | U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program23Official |
| Population covered by crime statistics | 307,140 people | 31 Dec 2025 | FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)13Official |
Additional context
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | 392,800 USD | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent4Official |
| Owner-occupied homes | 52.31 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent4Official |
| Labour force participation rate | 69.23 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Residents born abroad | 15.43 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Naturalized citizens, share of residents | 5.85 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Non-citizens, share of residents | 9.58 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Flu vaccination coverage | 66.89 % | 30 Jun 2026 | CDC BRFSS flu vaccination coverage6Official |
| Mammography screening coverage | 80.5 % | 30 Jun 2026 | CDC mammography screening rate7Official |
| Residents without health insurance | 10.74 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent4Official |
| Residents with a bachelor's degree or higher | 57.27 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent4Official |
| Crime reporting agencies | 0 agencies | 1 Jul 2026 | FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics12Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · agency service area |
| Households with a vehicle available | 92.78 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent4Official |
| Public transport agencies in the National Transit Database | 2 agencies | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Transit passenger trips, 2022 | 6,435,054 trips | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Transit vehicles in peak service, 2022 | 171 vehicles | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Workers aged 16 and over | 156,140 workers | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Workers mainly working from home | 23.35 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
| Households using cellular data plans | 88.9 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population5Official |
Alternatives for people set on Durham
Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.
Cary as a Durham alternative in the same region
26 km away, better on 6 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.
- Median gross pay, city: €5,791 Cary vs €3,931 Durham+47%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 1,388 Cary vs 4,419 Durham−69%
- Foreign residents: 23.9% Cary vs 15.4% Durham+55%
- Annual PM2.5: 7.6 µg/m³ Cary vs 9.7 µg/m³ Durham−22%
- Residents: 183,582 Cary vs 305,561 Durham−40%
- Nearest airport: 10.0 km Cary vs 16.0 km Durham−38%
- Unemployment: 3.5% Cary vs 3.8% Durham−10%
Plano as a Durham alternative in the same country
A move, not a commute, at 1665 km, better on 5 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2.
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 1,618 Plano vs 4,419 Durham−63%
- Foreign residents: 29.3% Plano vs 15.4% Durham+90%
- Median gross pay, city: €4,875 Plano vs €3,931 Durham+24%
- Basic utilities, 85 m²: €158 Plano vs €198 Durham−20%
- Unemployment: 4.0% Plano vs 3.8% Durham+4%
- Annual PM2.5: 10.4 µg/m³ Plano vs 9.7 µg/m³ Durham+7%
- Nearest airport: 14.0 km Plano vs 16.0 km Durham−13%
Cities near Durham
Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.
Alternative cities in United States
Other cities in United States to compare with Durham, nearest in population first.
How does Durham compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Durham's.
Durham in rankings
Common questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
What is the unemployment rate in Durham?
The unemployment rate is 3.84 %. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables.
Is the air quality good in Durham?
The annual PM2.5 mean is 9.71 µg/m³. The WHO 2021 guideline is 5 µg/m³ and the EU limit value is 25 µg/m³, so this reading is above the WHO guideline but within the EU limit. Source: EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024.
How safe is Durham?
Police recorded 4,419 offences per 100,000. This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting.
How many people live in Durham?
The published population is 305,561 people. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program.
How many foreign residents live in Durham?
44,974 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B05002 (Place of Birth by Nativity and Citizenship Status), place records.
Is Durham a good place to live?
Durham may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.
Which cities are near Durham?
Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Morrisville, Hillsborough, Butner are near Durham. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.
Cite this page
Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.
APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Durham, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs, taxes [ImmigrationDB compilation; version bf7479a8d9cdb7d0188c164a21806ab3]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/durham/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_durham-united-states-population-rent-salary-jobs-taxes_bfd353212f34,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Durham, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs, taxes},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-16},
version = {bf7479a8d9cdb7d0188c164a21806ab3},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/durham/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Durham, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs, taxes](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/durham/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version bf7479a8d9cdb7d0188c164a21806ab3; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.
Sources
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B05002 (Place of Birth by Nativity and Citizenship Status), place records www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-18
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-19
- ACS 2024 1-year table-based Summary File, table B20002 (Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars) by Sex for the Population 16 Years and Over with Earnings), place records www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-18
- ACS median gross rent api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-04
- ACS total population api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-04
- CDC BRFSS flu vaccination coverage data.cdc.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- CDC mammography screening rate data.cdc.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- Census Reporter / U.S. Census Bureau api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-08-03
- CMS Hospital General Information data.cms.gov · checked 2026-09-15
- EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-07-01
Show 24 more sources
- EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024 aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-07-26
- FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-07-01
- FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip) cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-09-05
- FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-08-04
- HRSA mental health provider ratio data.hrsa.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- NCES CCD public school count nces.ed.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-26
- NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 — September 2026 NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 · download.cms.gov · checked 2026-09-18
- OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
- OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
- TIGERweb Places (2026 BAS vintage) — AREALAND TIGERweb Places (2026 BAS vintage) · tigerweb.geo.census.gov · checked 2026-09-19
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program www2.census.gov · checked 2026-08-03
- US-FBI-CDE-NC0320100-2024 cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-09-15
- US-FBI-CDE-NC0320100-2024 cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-09-15
- Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-26
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Numbeo - Cost of Living in Durham (Wayback Machine capture 20251122063243) numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-31
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q1008927 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.