Rents are 8% below what Durham's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,626 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Durham usually run 1.1% below trend in December and 1.2% above it in July, about $37 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Durham is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Durham changed +3.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 North Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.9%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Durham rose 31.5% while median household income rose 38.6% ($58,905 to $81,619). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Durham is 32.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($81,619) is $2,040 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,832); a 3-bedroom is $2,280.
The priciest of 6 ZIP codes in Durham, 27703 ($1,805/mo), costs 24% more than the cheapest, 27707 ($1,458/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Durham. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Durham, NC is roughly split between renters and owners, 57.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Durham, NC has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Durham, NC has increased by $353 per month, settling near $1,626 after starting the period at $1,273. Household income in the area moved from $66,623 to $81,619 across the same window, up 22.5% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 5.2 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 279,106 to 291,467 between 2021 and 2024, a 4.4% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 52.8% to 57.3%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Durham, NC look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Durham
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Can you afford rent in Durham on your salary?
At $1,626/mo, how Durham rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Durham rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Durham. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Durham
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Durham is $1,626/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,517/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,832/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,600/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,280/mo.
At 24% of local median household income ($81,619/yr), Durham ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Durham?
At $1,626/mo, rent takes ~24% of Durham's median household income ($81,619/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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