Average Rent in Durham, NC (2026)

Typical asking rent in Durham is $1,711. Across the 8 ZIP codes with data it runs from $1,403 to $2,262, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of July 2026.

Median rent
$1,711
Average rent
$1,746
Lowest ZIP
$1,403
Highest ZIP
$2,262

Rent by ZIP code in Durham

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
27712Durham County$2,262+32%
27703Durham County$1,868+9%
27704Durham County$1,788+5%
27701Durham County$1,766+3%
27705Durham County$1,656-3%
27709Durham County$1,652-3%
27713Durham County$1,576-8%
27707Durham County$1,403-18%

Rent by bedroom count in Durham

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Durham County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for. Durham County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,830 to $1,920 depending on the Durham ZIP code.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$1,498+5.7%
1 bedroom$1,554+3.1%
2 bedroom$1,745+2.0%
3 bedroom$2,161+2.1%
4 bedroom$2,486-1.6%

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Durham?

Typical rent across Durham County is $1,652 as of August 2026. That is up 1.7% from a year earlier and up 15.9% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Durham CountyChange
2021$1,491+15.9%
2022$1,600+7.3%
2023$1,622+1.3%
2024$1,609-0.8%
2025$1,631+1.4%
2026 (through August)$1,652+1.3%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Durham rent questions

What is the average rent in Durham, NC?
Typical asking rent in Durham is $1,711 a month as of July 2026, across 8 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,403 to $2,262.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Durham?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Durham County is $1,745 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,554 and a three bedroom is $2,161. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Durham?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Durham County is $1,652 as of August 2026, up 1.7% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Durham?
ZIP 27707 has the lowest typical asking rent in Durham at $1,403 a month, compared with $1,711 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Durham?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Durham rent of $1,711, that is about $5,133 a month, or $61,596 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Durham sits in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area.

Other North Carolina cities

Would a rental in Durham cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Durham median rent of $1,711 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.