Durham, NC, known as 'The Bull City,' offers a unique blend of historic charm and modern urban amenities. Located in central North Carolina, Durham is a large city that serves as a major cultural and economic hub. Major nearby cities like Raleigh and Chapel Hill enhance its status as a central point in the region. Durham's blend of historic landmarks, cultural festivals, and urban amenities creates a distinctive living experience.
Durham is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Durham Performing Arts Center, the historic Duke University, and the scenic Sarah P. Duke Gardens. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the beautiful Eno River State Park to the bustling American Tobacco Historic District, known for its shopping and dining. Durham's dining scene is diverse, offering everything from Southern cuisine to international dishes.
Annual events such as the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and the Bull Durham Blues Festival highlight the city's vibrant cultural scene and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. These events celebrate Durham's rich cultural heritage and community spirit. Prestigious institutions like Duke University contribute to the city's academic and cultural vibrancy, fostering a thriving intellectual community.
The arts and culture scene in Durham is dynamic and diverse, with numerous theaters, music venues, and art galleries. The Nasher Museum of Art and the Carolina Theatre are just a few of the cultural landmarks that showcase the city's commitment to the arts. Living in Durham provides ample opportunities to engage with art, music, and history, making it an exciting place to call home.
Durham’s community is welcoming and diverse, creating a friendly environment for newcomers. The city is home to professional sports teams like the Durham Bulls (MiLB), providing plenty of excitement for sports fans. Major industries in Durham include education, healthcare, and technology, with significant employers such as Duke University Health System and IBM driving economic growth. The city has extensive public transit options, including buses and bike-sharing programs, making commuting convenient for residents.
Amenities
The area boasts an ample array of local amenities, such as restaurants, entertainment options, grocery stores and parks, all conveniently located within walking distance.
Commute
A high commute score suggests convenient, easy access to public transportation, with shorter-than-average work commute times to work.
Cost Of Living
The cost of living in this region is notably lower than the national average, encompassing everyday goods, housing, utilities, transportation and health care expenses.
Housing
High scores in the housing category are attributed to this area, possibly pointing to a favorable home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Health & Safety
Achieving a high health and safety score relies on factors including great air quality and convenient access to vital health facilities such as hospitals, doctors, clinics and police stations.
Crime
This area exhibits elevated crime rates per 100,000 residents, which may suggest it's a potentially unsafe place to reside. These rates encompass both property and violent crimes.
Located in the state of North Carolina, Durham is a big city with a population of 285,434 people. Individuals of White (48%) and Black or African American (37%) backgrounds make up a significant portion of the population of the city. Single men and women might be happy to hear that in Durham, only 45% of the population is married. On a daily basis, the typical American spends approximately 26 minutes on their one-way work commute. Reduced travel times not only contributes to increased overall happiness, but also affords more opportunities to cherish moments with family and friends. If you're living in Durham, your commute time will align closely with the national average, spanning a one-way duration of approximately 23 minutes.
Whether you’re relocating to a new town to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Durham could be a positive experience compared to other cities in North Carolina if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Finding the best places to live in Durham and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes amenities, crime, cost of living, commute, housing and other important metrics.
With a livability score of 82 out of 100, Durham is ranked #928 in the United States and #12 in North Carolina. Compared to the US average, Durham ranks among some of the best places to live in the country! Durham has also earned the rare honor of ranking in the top 10 percentile among all cities. If we dig a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Durham has higher than average scores for the following: amenities (A+), cost of living (A-), employment (B) and housing (A+). There is at least one category that you should be aware of in Durham. The following was graded with a discouraging score: crime (F).
The mantra of real estate, "location, location, location," underscores the importance of where a property is situated, making it a pivotal factor in your quest for a new home. Fortunately, when you're living in Durham, you'll discover an abundance of exceptional local amenities and lots of things to do. Among these are conveniently located grocery stores, charming coffee shops, diverse dining options and plenty of spacious parks. These local amenities contribute significantly to its overall appeal, ensuring that your daily needs are met and offering ample opportunities for leisure and recreation. When considering your next move, the thriving local scene in Durham undoubtedly enhances its desirability, affirming the significance of its prime location. Some of the more notable entertainment options include: Sarah P. Duke Gardens, DPAC - Durham Performing Arts Center, and Museum of Life + Science.
Finding affordable real estate and housing in Durham can be tricky. Having said that, this area might be the place to get the best of both worlds. Based on factors like home/rental affordability and appreciation rates, this area has received an above average score in the housing category. A healthy real estate market can lead to wealth appreciation for property owners, as rising property values can contribute to homeowners' equity, financial stability and the ability to build long-term wealth.
Assuming that Durham meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Durham. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Durham are simply unattainable. The median home price for Durham homes is $432,009, which is 49.2% higher than the North Carolina average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Durham, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 4.7, which is 14.6% higher than the North Carolina average.
| Statistic | Durham | North Carolina | National |
| Average one way commute | 23min | 24min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 74.8% | 81.1% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 8.3% | 9.8% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 3.3% | 1.1% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 2.3% | 1.8% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 9.6% | 4.8% | 4.6% |
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