BestCityFor

Best city for retirement? Durham, NC

B
Score
61/100
Rank #82 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Durham can work for retirement if you’re optimizing for typical rent (2br) and typical home value. Overall, it’s around the middle of the pack (#82 of 200). The biggest tradeoff is age 65+ share.

Methodology · Sources · NC rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. Popular retirement destinations can look very different at the metro level.

Why Durham ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,430/mo (1% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Typical home value: $355,300 (2% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Median household income: $79,234 (5% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Age 65+ share: 13% (4% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 93% (2% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
288,465
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 47%Female 53%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,430/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Typical home value
$355,300
National median: $347,900
Age 65+ share
13%
National median: 14%
Median age
35
National median: —
Median household income
$79,234
National median: $75,598
Broadband subscription
93%
National median: 91%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and typical home value.
70/100
Retiree Signals
Age mix and income as broad service proxies.
28/100
Connectivity
Broadband access for everyday logistics.
93/100
Comfort
Climate comfort and commute friction.
91/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

9%
Less than HS
36%
HS / Some college
29%
Bachelor’s
27%
Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 65+ (ACS).

13%
Age 65+
87%
Under 65

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

93%
Broadband
7%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,430/mo
Typical home value
National median $347,900
$355,300
Age 65+ share
National median 14%
13%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$79,234
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
93%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
9%

Similar cities (by score)

#80 Bakersfield, CA
61/100
#81 Joliet, IL
61/100
#83 Clarksville, TN
61/100
#84 Norfolk, VA
61/100

FAQ

›What is Durham’s retirement score and rank?
Durham, NC scores B (61/100) and ranks #82 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Durham city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level retirement patterns can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Durham, NC?
Population is about 288,465 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Durham, NC?
About 47% male and 53% female (ACS 2023).
›How affordable is housing in Durham, NC?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,430/mo (national median: $1,441/mo). Typical home value is $355,300 (national median: $347,900).
›What share of residents are 65+ in Durham, NC?
Age 65+ share is 13% (national median: 14%).
›How common is broadband internet in Durham, NC?
Broadband subscription is 93% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Durham, NC?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 9%, HS/some college 36%, bachelor’s 29%, advanced 27%.
›Where does this data come from for Durham, NC?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (healthcare access, neighborhoods, taxes, climate preferences, support network).