Durham-Chapel Hill cost of living
Prices in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area run at 97.6 against a national average of 100, ranking it #119 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 98.9.
What drives the number
Prices in Durham-Chapel Hill run at 97.6 where the national average is 100, so about 2.4 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #119 of 387 metro areas. Against North Carolina as a whole it is 3.3 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 96.6, rents at 98.9, other services at 89.3. That is less common than it sounds. In most places rents sit well away from the other two, and the overall figure is really a housing figure in disguise.
A salary here goes further than the same salary somewhere at 100. Divide by 97.6 and multiply by 100 to get the nationally comparable figure, and it will come out higher than the headline.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Durham-Chapel Hill is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 8,610 | $131,980 | $135,225 | $133,080 |
| Retail Salespersons | 5,630 | $31,220 | $31,988 | $34,580 |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 5,390 | $45,500 | $46,619 | $44,640 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 5,230 | $46,260 | $47,398 | $42,830 |
| Cashiers | 5,150 | $29,070 | $29,785 | $31,190 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,980 | $29,580 | $30,307 | $30,480 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,980 | $36,450 | $37,346 | $38,940 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 4,440 | $28,760 | $29,467 | $30,160 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 97.6.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | 98.2 | 103.5 | #111 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | 97.9 | 99.8 | #116 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | 97.3 | 97.6 | #122 |
| Asheville | 96.5 | 93.4 | #136 |
| Wilmington | 96.4 | 93.2 | #142 |
| Burlington | 93.2 | 77.9 | #204 |
Durham-Chapel Hill: common questions
Is Durham-Chapel Hill expensive?
Prices are 2.4% below the national average, a parity of 97.6 where the country is 100. It ranks #119 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against North Carolina as a whole it is 3.3 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The median worker there earns $59,740, which buys what $61,209 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 98.9 against goods at 96.6. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.