Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Durham County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $321,880 | $265,624 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 12.2% | 9.9% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,413 | $1,162 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 6.3% | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Durham County is about 21% higher than in North Carolina. Rent is about 22% higher than the North Carolina average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Durham County, up about 12.2% and 6.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Durham County rose about 58.0% between 2015 and 2023, from $894 to $1,413. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 45.9%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.0 yearly household incomes in Durham County.
Buying the median-priced home in Durham County costs roughly 19.0 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Durham County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 19.1.
| Metric | Durham County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $321,880 | $265,624 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $80,159 | $69,937 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Durham County rose about 141.5%, while median household income rose about 60.5% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Durham County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 51.2% | 57.7% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 41.7% | 29.2% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 7.1% | 13.0% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 13.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2013 | 2011 | 2011 |
Durham County has a homeownership rate of 51.2%, lower than the North Carolina average of 57.7%. Its housing vacancy rate is 7.1%, compared with 13.0% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Durham County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.28 people | 2.46 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1990 | 1988 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Durham County was built around 1990. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.3 rooms, staying for about 13.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Durham County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Durham County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Durham County, North Carolina is $321,880, higher than the North Carolina average of $265,624.
What is the average home price in Durham County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Durham County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Durham County, North Carolina is $1,413 per month, higher than the North Carolina average of $1,162.
What was the median gross rent in Durham County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Durham County, North Carolina was $1,102 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Durham County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Durham County, North Carolina is about 19.0, meaning it would take roughly 19.0 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Durham County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Durham County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Durham County, up about 12.2% and 6.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Durham County, North Carolina?
51.2% of households in Durham County, North Carolina own their home, lower than the North Carolina average of 57.7%.
What is the vacancy rate in Durham County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Durham County, North Carolina is 7.1%, lower than the North Carolina average of 13.0%.