Cost of living in the Durham Metro Area
4 counties across NC. Population: 594,291.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Durham Metro Area
Average rent across the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Durham Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 4 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Durham Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Durham Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 4 counties in the Durham Metro Area
The Durham-Chapel Hill metro area includes 4 counties. Sorted by population.
- Durham NC$3,742/moPop329,405 Rent$1,637/mo Income$79,501/yrDurham NC 329,405 $1,637/mo $79,501/yr $3,742/mo
- Orange County NC$3,636/moPop147,292 Rent$1,637/mo Income$88,553/yrOrange County NC 147,292 $1,637/mo $88,553/yr $3,636/mo
- Chatham County NC$3,789/moPop78,319 Rent$1,637/mo Income$88,534/yrChatham County NC 78,319 $1,637/mo $88,534/yr $3,789/mo
- Person County NC$2,763/moPop39,275 Rent$795/mo Income$64,927/yrPerson County NC 39,275 $795/mo $64,927/yr $2,763/mo
Compare counties in the Durham Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Durham Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Durham Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area is approximately $3,657 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 4 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Durham Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area is $1,581 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Durham Metro Area?
Person County, NC is the most affordable county in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area at approximately $2,763 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Durham Metro Area?
Chatham County, NC is the most expensive county in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area at approximately $3,789 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Durham Metro Area?
The Durham-Chapel Hill metro area covers 4 counties. The five largest by population are Durham, Orange County, Chatham County, Person County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.