Durham, NC
Census place 3719000 · pop 291,467
The 'Bull City,' a former tobacco-industry powerhouse home to Duke University and part of the Research Triangle.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
52.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
51 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$392,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
36.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
10.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
11.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,722/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
87/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$81,619 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.83% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
22.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+8.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
57.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Not measured for Durham: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Durham, NC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Durham scores 56/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is homeownership. North Carolina overall ranks #16 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Durham, NC expensive to live in?
- Durham has a median home value of $392,800 and typical rent around $1,722/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Durham, NC?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (52.3%) — 19/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Durham, NC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (57.3%) — 89/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: The 'Bull City,' a former tobacco-industry powerhouse home to Duke University and part of the Research Triangle.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.