How much is rent in Durham, NC?

The median 2-bedroom in Durham rents for $1,630 a month with utilities, $67 more than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,403 and a 3-bedroom $1,896.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$1,6302-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,4031-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$65,200Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
21%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Durham by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$1,420/mo
Durham
$1,420
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $56,800²
1 bedroom$1,403/mo
Durham
$1,403
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $56,120²
2 bedrooms$1,630/mo
Durham
$1,630
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $65,200²
3 bedrooms$1,896/mo
Durham
$1,896
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $75,840²
4 bedrooms$2,738/mo
Durham
$2,738
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $109,520²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Durham

Where rent costs less than Durham

34 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Durham
Paducah, KY	$886	$744/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$729/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$711/mo
Columbus, OH	$1,528	$102/mo
Houston, TX	$1,562	$68/mo
Charlotte, NC	$1,589	$41/mo

Rent in Durham: questions people ask

How much is rent in Durham?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $1,632 a month. By size: studio $1,420, 1 bedroom $1,403, 2 bedrooms $1,630, 3 bedrooms $1,896, 4 bedrooms $2,738 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Durham?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $65,200 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $56,120.

What share of income goes to rent in Durham?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 21% of the median household income of $91,715 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Durham?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

Rent elsewhere in North Carolina

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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