Housing in Durham

Durham's housing market runs genuinely tight and expensive, shaped directly by University of New Hampshire student demand competing with resident housing needs.

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A student-demand-driven housing market

Durham's median home value ran approximately $498,000, with new homes averaging at least $500,000; rents commonly run $3,000-$4,000/month per unit given the University of New Hampshire's dominant student population (base record).

A real, disclosed workforce-housing gap

Durham's own Housing Needs Analysis (May 2024) found that student-housing demand makes it genuinely difficult to develop workforce housing affordable for homeowners at 100% AMI or renters at 60% AMI (base record).

A real, disclosed property-tax cross-source spread

Ownwell's cited 2.90% effective property tax rate (Strafford County's highest) runs above a separately cited $18.87-per-$1,000 town rate and closer to a Seacoast-brokerage source's $28.17-per-$1,000 figure -- a real, disclosed spread this record does not force to one number (base record).

Confirm current, address-specific listings directly

Given Durham's unusual, student-demand-driven market dynamics, confirm current listings and comparable sales directly with a local agent before setting a firm budget.

Key takeaways

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Read the full Durham overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.