At a glance
For the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area (CBSA 20500), BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity is 97.6 (U.S. = 100). Census ACS 2020–2024 estimates median gross rent at $1,466 per month and a 45+ minute commute share of 11.7% among workers who commute. These are metro estimates, not current asking rents, neighborhood figures or an individual commute forecast.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate
How Durham compares with the other 74 metros
Each measure below is ranked across the 75 curated metros, where 1st means the highest value. A high or low rank describes the number, not whether the metro is a better or worse place to live.
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| Measure | Durham | Middle value of 75 metros | Rank (1st = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEA 2024 all-items price parity (U.S. = 100) | 97.6 | 98.4 | 43rd of 75 |
| ACS median gross rent per month | $1,466 | $1,430 | 34th of 75 |
| ACS median household income | $83,500 | $83,460 | 37th of 75 |
| ACS share of commuters with 45+ minute trips | 11.7% | 13.2% | 47th of 75 |
The metros with the closest BEA price parity are Charlotte (97.3), Madison (97.3), Richmond (97.9). Similar price levels do not imply similar wages, rents or job markets; compare them with the city comparison pages or the interactive tool.
Where pay ranks highest and lowest in Durham
For each occupation reported in at least 50 metros, we ranked Durham’s price-adjusted median against the other metros reporting the same occupation. These ranks compare published medians for one occupation at a time; they are not measures of openings or of how an employer will pay.
Highest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Managers | $195,107 | 1st of 75 |
| Management Analysts | $129,248 | 1st of 74 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $126,040 | 2nd of 72 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $95,427 | 3rd of 75 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $136,658 | 3rd of 72 |
Lowest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $52,618 | 74th of 75 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | $64,875 | 72nd of 73 |
| Occupational Therapists | $85,229 | 73rd of 75 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $52,679 | 73rd of 75 |
| Machinists | $52,003 | 71st of 75 |
Occupation wages in the Durham metro area
The Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan statistical area spans its officially defined counties. Its published labor, price and housing figures describe the region, not just Durham city limits or individual neighborhoods. The BLS geographic unit is Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (CBSA 20500), rather than the limits of Durham city. Salary medians cannot be directly compared to a specific employer or neighborhood.
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| Occupation | Annual median wage | Adjusted median* | Employment estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $138,995 | 9,790 |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,790 | $32,581 | 5,850 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $37,750 | $38,689 | 5,250 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,800 | $47,965 | 4,660 |
| Office Clerks, General | $47,010 | $48,180 | 4,180 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $176,190 | $180,574 | 4,170 |
| General and Operations Managers | $113,930 | $116,765 | 3,400 |
| Project Management Specialists | $104,870 | $107,480 | 3,180 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,840 | $49,030 | 3,120 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $87,207 | 3,060 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $49,130 | $50,353 | 2,830 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $93,110 | $95,427 | 2,740 |
Show all 78 occupations, alphabetically
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The table lists the 12 occupations with the highest BLS estimated employment in this metro, not an attractiveness ranking; the full list is expandable and its columns can be sorted. The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.
Occupational wage distribution examples
These occupations are selected by the highest BLS estimated employment within our curated career set for this metro—not by pay or predicted demand. Annual wage percentiles are descriptive estimates and can be suppressed independently.
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| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $100,670 | $128,290 | $135,620 | $168,720 | $209,410 |
| Retail Salespersons | $23,990 | $28,240 | $31,790 | $37,190 | $45,620 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $18,620 | $31,770 | $37,750 | $45,040 | $47,620 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $31,840 | $37,180 | $46,800 | $52,890 | $62,360 |
| Office Clerks, General | $28,960 | $36,100 | $47,010 | $55,320 | $60,740 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $124,110 | $141,150 | $176,190 | $215,030 | $320,010 |
The employment estimate indicates modeled occupational employment, not current job openings. Missing percentiles remain Unavailable. Each job classification has a different population and wage distribution.
Understanding the local context
BEA reports a 2024 all-items regional price parity of 97.572. It reflects the general price level of goods and services in this metro compared with 100 nationwide. The Census ACS reports median gross rent of $1,466 (MOE ±$20) and median household income of $83,500 (MOE ±$1,552) over 2020–2024.
ACS gross rent includes estimated utilities and is not an asking-rent median. Household income covers all household earnings, so it is not comparable to one worker’s wage. The 45+ minute commute share is 11.7% of workers who travel to work, excluding people who work from home.
Neither the rent nor household-income median exceeds our 30% relative-MOE quality-warning threshold; estimates still have uncertainty.
Using Durham figures in a real moving budget
The BEA index places the broad metropolitan price level approximately 2.4% below the U.S. reference. At the published ACS median gross rent of $1,466 per month, twelve months of that survey benchmark would total $17,592. This is simple annualization of a survey median, not a current listing price or a budget recommendation.
The 11.7% long-commute share does not tell you how long a trip from a specific neighborhood to a specific employer will take. Gather a real offer and recent rental quotes first, then enter the unadjusted gross offer in the worksheet.