Durham, NC Housing Market
AI-powered market intelligence for the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area.
PropertyIQ Scores
Durham, NC Market Analysis
Market Overview
Durham’s housing market currently scores 11 out of 100 on the PropertyIQ Index, placing it in weak territory. The top score drivers all point to cooling conditions: 12-month home value momentum is -0.15%, three-month momentum is -2.20%, the median days on market is 61, and 22.1% of listings have a price cut. These metrics indicate that homes are taking longer to sell and sellers are adjusting prices more often than would be expected in a stronger market.
Compared with state benchmarks, Durham is a higher-cost and higher-income market. The median home value is $405,282, well above the state average of $334,773. The rent index is $1,649, also above the state average of $1,228. Median household income is $83,500, versus $72,388 statewide. Unemployment is 3.8%, slightly higher than the state average of 3.6%. So while local fundamentals such as income and rents are above state levels, housing-specific metrics are weak.
The median home value year over year is down $2, which is essentially flat, but the more recent three-month momentum of -2.20% shows that price softness has developed recently. There are 2,194 homes for sale, and population growth data is not available in this dataset, so the supply picture cannot be matched against a migration or household formation trend.
Key Trends
The first trend is negative and accelerating home value momentum. The 12-month change is -0.15%, but the three-month change is -2.20%. That gap suggests price weakness has become more pronounced in the most recent period. With a median home value of $405,282, even modest percentage declines can be meaningful in dollar terms.
The second trend is a slower sales environment. Median days on market is 61 days, and 22.1% of listings have a price cut. More than one in five sellers is reducing the asking price, which is consistent with a market where buyers have more time and negotiation leverage. Inventory stands at 2,194 homes for sale.
The third trend is a gap between home prices and local incomes. Durham’s median household income of $83,500 is above the state average of $72,388, but the median home value of $405,282 is also well above the state average of $334,773. In simple terms, Durham’s median home value is about 4.9 times median household income, while the state-level ratio is about 4.6 times. That indicates affordability is somewhat tighter in Durham than across the state.
The fourth trend is a relatively strong rental market. Durham’s rent index of $1,649 is $421 above the state average of $1,228, a larger percentage gap than the home-value gap. That may support landlord economics, but it does not override the weak price momentum captured in the PropertyIQ score.
Who Is This Market For
This market is likely best suited to buyers and investors who can handle near-term price softness and plan to hold for a longer period. The rent index of $1,649 and median household income of $83,500 are above state averages, which may interest buy-and-hold investors looking for rental income. However, the low PropertyIQ score of 11 out of 100 and negative home value momentum mean that investors should not expect immediate price appreciation.
Patient homebuyers may also find opportunity here. With 61 days on market, 2,194 homes for sale, and 22.1% of listings with a price cut, buyers have more room to negotiate than they would in a fast-moving market. First-time buyers may still face challenges because the median home value of $405,282 is high relative to the local median household income of $83,500, and it is well above the state median home value of $334,773. Move-up buyers with existing equity may be better positioned, but the recent negative price momentum could affect how much equity they can access. Population growth is not available, so it is hard to say whether new household formation is supporting demand.
Outlook
The near-term outlook for Durham is cautious. The three-month home value momentum of -2.20% is weaker than the 12-month momentum of -0.15%, and it is paired with a median days on market of 61 and a 22.1% share of listings with price cuts. Those indicators suggest that buyer leverage may persist until inventory or price conditions shift. At the same time, unemployment of 3.8% is close to the state average of 3.6%, and median household income of $83,500 is above the state average of $72,388, so the local economy is not flashing severe distress. The data supports a soft or weak near-term housing market rather than a sharp downturn, but the missing population growth data leaves a key demand-side question unanswered.
AI-generated analysis based on current market data. Last updated October 4, 2026.
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Durham, NC market data
Durham, NC Housing Market Overview
Durham, NC's median home value is $405K, down 0.2% over the past year. Homes here sell in a median 61 days. Its PropertyIQ Score of 11 sits below the state average of 50, marking a market positioned to lag its state over the next three years.
Understanding the Durham, NC housing market requires looking beyond headline price figures. The PropertyIQ Score reads both sides of market strength: Zillow price momentum across 3- and 12-month windows, and Realtor.com flow signals — days on market and the share of listings with price cuts. Together they predict how this NC metro is set to perform relative to the rest of its state.
The South Atlantic region continues to attract domestic migration with its combination of job growth, favorable tax environments, and year-round climate. Markets range from rapidly appreciating tech corridors to established retirement destinations with strong rental demand. Within the South Atlantic, Durham, NC's PropertyIQ Score of 11 runs below the South Atlantic norm.
North Carolina's Research Triangle and Charlotte financial corridor drive two distinct housing economies, with university and healthcare employment providing stability across smaller metro areas.
Each month, PropertyIQ updates its score for Durham, NC using four inputs: Zillow ZHVI twelve-month and three-month momentum, Realtor.com median days on market, and the Realtor.com share of listings with price cuts. These four signals are combined into a single 1 to 99 score computed across all metro markets and calibrated so 50 represents the state average, making it a direct read of how this market is positioned to perform relative to its state. Momentum here has been negative, with home values down 0.2% over the past year.
View Durham, NC's complete market profile including historical price trends, score history, and AI-generated analysis. Compare this market against any other US metro to find the best opportunities for your investment strategy.
Counties in the Durham, NC metro area
ZIP codes in the Durham, NC metro area
View all 30 →Market data through August 2026. Sourced from Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, U.S. Census Bureau, FRED, BLS, and BEA. Per-statistic source and date shown above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Durham, NC a good place to buy real estate in 2026?
PropertyIQ doesn't label markets simply good or bad. Instead, the PropertyIQ Score measures a market's demand momentum against its own state, where 50 marks the state average. Durham, NC currently scores 11, a very weak-momentum reading that leaves it positioned to lag its state over the next three years. For buyers, cooling demand usually brings more inventory, longer sale times, and real leverage to negotiate on price. Backing that up, the median home value here is $405K, down 0.2% over the past year. So whether Durham, NC is right for you comes down to your goals: a rising-momentum market can favor long-term appreciation but offers less room to negotiate, while a cooling one hands buyers more leverage. Treat the score as a timing signal to weigh alongside your budget, holding period, and plans for the property, not a verdict on the market's quality.
What is the PropertyIQ Score for Durham, NC?
Durham, NC's PropertyIQ Score is 11, indicating very weak momentum on a 1-to-99 scale. The score distills four transparent inputs into a single number: Zillow home-value momentum over the past 12 months, Zillow home-value momentum over the past 3 months, the median days homes spend on the market from Realtor.com, and the share of listings with a price cut, also from Realtor.com. Rising values and faster sales push the score up, while slow sales and frequent price cuts pull it down. The scale is calibrated so 50 equals the state average, meaning a score above 50 predicts the market will outperform its state over the next three years and a score below 50 predicts underperformance. PropertyIQ computes the score across every US market nationally, then recenters it against each state, so 11 places Durham, NC below its state benchmark.
Are home prices in Durham, NC rising or falling?
Home prices in Durham, NC are falling. Over the past year, the median home value declined 0.2%, reaching $405K. Over the latest three months, values slipped 2.2%, a sign near-term demand is softening. PropertyIQ derives these figures from Zillow's home-value index, which tracks the typical value across the market rather than only the homes that happened to sell, giving a steadier read than a raw median sale price. Both the 12-month and 3-month momentum readings feed directly into the PropertyIQ Score, so this price trend is one of the core signals behind Durham, NC's current score. Keep in mind that appreciation can vary widely by neighborhood and price tier across the metro area, so treat these figures as the market-wide baseline rather than a guarantee for any single property.
How quickly do homes sell in Durham, NC?
In Durham, NC, homes sell in a median of 61 days from listing to pending sale, based on Realtor.com market data. Median days on market is one of the clearest real-time reads on local demand: when homes move quickly, buyers are competing and sellers hold the advantage, while lengthening timelines signal cooling interest and more room to negotiate. Alongside sale speed, about 22% of active listings here have taken at least one price cut — a complementary demand gauge, since a rising share of reductions often precedes slower sales and softer prices. Both median days on market and the price-cut share feed directly into the PropertyIQ Score, where faster sales and fewer cuts push the score higher. As a general guide, medians under about 30 days indicate a brisk, competitive market, while medians well beyond 60 days point to buyers regaining leverage. Actual time on market still varies by price band, property type, and season, so treat the median as a market-wide baseline.
How current is this metro area data?
This Durham, NC market data is refreshed on a monthly cycle, with the latest figures current through August 2026. PropertyIQ ingests fresh data every month from a range of authoritative sources: home values and rents from Zillow, days on market and price-cut activity from Realtor.com, additional housing signals from Redfin, demographic and housing-stock data from the U.S. Census Bureau, mortgage and macroeconomic series from FRED, and employment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The PropertyIQ Score itself is recomputed every month once the new source data lands, so the score and its four underlying inputs always reflect the most recent complete reporting period rather than a static snapshot. Because official housing data is typically released with a short lag, the current-through date usually trails the present by a few weeks, which is normal across the industry and not a sign the data is out of date.