Real Estate Investing in Durham, North Carolina (27704)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Durham County • Population: 41,346 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 27704 (Durham, NC)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (72/100)

Solid choice — stable market with a reasonable entry point and good rental backup if you ever need to move.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A cash-flow market — rent-to-price math works from day one, though value growth is modest. Great for income-focused investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Durham, NC (27704)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $311,755
Avg Monthly Rent $1,788
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $59,237
% Renters 44.2%

Market Analysis: 27704 Durham

This part of Durham County is not an easy win. The 27704 ZIP posts softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 27704 clocks in at the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

On balance, 27704 offers a low basis, the region around Durham has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

The 27704 ZIP's population of 41,346 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that reflects the need for careful underwriting.

The 27704 ZIP fits a narrow investor profile — hands-on, patient, and willing to accept that the cap rate on paper is not the cap rate in reality.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Durham:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 66/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.3× the median income
Value Trend
Declining (-0.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,788/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
61 days
Average time to sell
Slow
11.4%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 27704

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
5.3% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
1BR
+9.7% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$85,175/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $200,710 $1,480 5.3% +9.7% $200,710
2BR $254,243 $1,690 4.8% +8.1% $127,122
3BR $312,746 $2,110 4.9% +8.2% $104,249
4BR $378,137 $2,530 4.8% +8.6% $94,534
5BR $425,877 +8.6% $85,175

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$336K$286K$237K$188K$138K$89KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,839$1,689$1,539$1,389$1,239$1,089Mar 2018May 2022Jul 2026

📊 How Does 27704 Compare?

Metric 27704 Durham Durham-Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina
Home Value $311,755 $318,265 N/A $330,565
5-Year CAGR 4.7% 4.5% N/A 7.8%
Avg Rent $1,788 $1,760 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.5% 3.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 27704? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 44% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 27704 (Durham, NC). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.5%
Fair
5yr Growth
+4.7%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $311,755
Monthly Rent $1,788
Price-to-Rent 14.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 6.9%
Cap Rate 4.5%
5-Year IRR 9.2%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year -0.9% ▼
3-Year CAGR +0.5% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.7% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.4% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +0.6% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.8% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.3% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.5%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
4.5%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.7%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 27704

Population: 41,346

💰 Median Household Income
$59,237
This area
$59,237
State
$63,256
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
44.2%
This area
44.2%
State
27.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
4.3%
This area
4.3%
State
-19.3%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
30.5%
This area
30.5%
State
0.5%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
35.3 years
This area
35.3 years
State
6.5 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
4.5%
This area
4.5%
State
19.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
Black/African American 51.5%
White 29.4%
Other/Mixed 17.4%
Hispanic/Latino 13.6%
Asian 1.7%
👶 Under 18
23.4%
This area
23.4%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
12.7%
This area
12.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
12.0%
This area
12.0%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 27704

A Avg School Grade
14 Schools
12.8:1 Avg Class Size
$17,024 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Club Boulevard Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
380 Students
👨‍🏫
10.7:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Glenn Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
570 Students
👨‍🏫
10.6:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Holt Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
618 Students
👨‍🏫
10.8:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Sandy Ridge Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
477 Students
👨‍🏫
11.2:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

The School for Creative Studies

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
438 Students
👨‍🏫
11.0:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Brogden Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
693 Students
👨‍🏫
13.4:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

City of Medicine Academy

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
336 Students
👨‍🏫
14.5:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Lucas Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
413 Students
👨‍🏫
12.9:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Merrick-Moore Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
535 Students
👨‍🏫
12.4:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Neal Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
770 Students
👨‍🏫
13.5:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Northern High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,334 Students
👨‍🏫
16.5:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Lakeview School

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
70 Students
👨‍🏫
3.6:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
C+ Average

Excelsior Classical Academy

📚 K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
1,029 Students
👨‍🏫
24.4:1 Class Size
💰
$17,300 Per Student
C+ Average

Voyager Academy

📚 K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
1,363 Students
👨‍🏫
13.2:1 Class Size
💰
$10,742 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 1,232 Off-Campus Students
C
Bull City Durham Beauty and Barber College
32 students · 4.9 mi
C+
Elevate Salon Institute
85 students · 5.0 mi
C
Durham Technical Community College
4,354 students · 5.4 mi
C+
North Carolina Central University
7,965 students · 6.0 mi
C
Watts College of Nursing
134 students · 6.3 mi
A
Duke University
17,112 students · 6.6 mi
C
Paul Mitchell the School-Raleigh
133 students · 12.0 mi
D
Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill
171 students · 13.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,232 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How expensive is real estate in Durham, NC?

Median home price in Durham, NC is near $312K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been consistent and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

What kind of tenants rent in Durham, NC?

Tenant quality in Durham, NC ranks as solid. Landlords generally report even-keeled occupancy at market rents of $1,788/mo.

Are eviction rules reasonable in Durham, NC?

Durham, NC falls under NC landlord-tenant law, which is landlord-friendly. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

Is Durham, NC good for house hacking?

House hacking in Durham, NC is a challenging. With home values around $312K and rents at $1,788/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

What kind of market is Durham, NC for investors?

Our data puts Durham, NC at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $312K and rents around $1,788/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

You know 27704 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 27704 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 27704 ranks in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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