The Durham metro is home to 594,291 people (up 6.4% over five years), with a median household income of $81,017. Typical rent of $1,640/month works out to 24.3% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Durham's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 33.2% |
| Professional & management | 16.3% |
| Retail trade | 8.4% |
| Manufacturing | 7.9% |
| Arts, food & hospitality | 7.8% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 24.3% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Durham market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,640/month suggests a household income around $66,000/year. The metro's median household income is $81,017.
By workforce share: Education & health care (33.2%), Professional & management (16.3%), Retail trade (8.4%) (Census ACS 5-year).