Durham County · North Carolina · South · 291k residents
Durham, NC: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Durham: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the North Carolina median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,997/wk. North Carolina's corporate income tax rate is 2.25%. Commercial electricity averages 10.6¢/kWh.
Compare Durham side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,997/wk
Corporate income tax
2.25%
Bachelor's degree or higher
57.3%
Commercial electricity
10.6¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Durham's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
43/100
Steady
Ranks Durham's residential building-permit and jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $400,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $225 |
| Property tax rate | 0.95% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,350/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,600/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.15% |
| Sales tax | 7.5% |
| Corporate income tax | 2.25% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,997/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.3% |
| Commercial electricity | 10.6¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 34.7/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $135,620 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $84,350 |
| Wage: General manager | $113,930 |
| Wage: Customer service | $46,800 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $36,410 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $53,280 |
| Wage: Electrician | $59,220 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $31,790 |
| Cost of living index | 96 |
| Groceries index | 98 |
| Utilities | $150/mo |
| Transit pass | $0/mo |
| Gas price | $3.05/gal |
| Healthcare index | 98 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,250/mo |
| Median household income | $74,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% |
| Population | 291k |
| Crime index | 46/100 |
| School rating | 7.0/10 |
| Walkability | 31/100 |
| Disaster risk | 90/100 |
| Avg. commute | 23 min |
| Sunny days / year | 212 days |
| July high | 87°F |
| January low | 28°F |
| Annual snowfall | — |
| Home price YoY | -3.1% |
| Home price MoM | -0.5% |
| Rent YoY | +1.2% |
| Rent MoM | +0.2% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | -1.3% |
| Building permits YoY | +60.5% |
| Ocean coast | 138 mi |
| Big lake | 65 mi |
| Mountains | 154 mi |
| Major airport | 10 mi |
| Ski resort | 134 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Chapel Hill, NC · 62k
- Morrisville, NC · 31k
- Carrboro, NC · 21k
- Cary, NC · 179k
- Apex, NC · 71k
Similar size
- Greensboro, NC · 301k
- Winston-Salem, NC · 252k
- Fayetteville, NC · 211k
- Wilmington, NC · 121k
- High Point, NC · 116k
Real listings in Durham
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Durham a good place to run a business?
- North Carolina's corporate income tax rate is 2.25%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,997/wk; commercial electricity averages 10.6¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Durham, NC?
- Durham indexes at 96 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,600/mo and a median home value of $400,000.
- How much does a house cost in Durham?
- The median home value in Durham is $400,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Durham?
- A two-bedroom in Durham rents for about $1,600/mo.