Investor market data · North Carolina

Durham, NC Rental Market for Investors

An estimated 46% of Durham's active listings could cash-flow as a short-term rental — here's what the numbers say for investors, as of August 2026.

See what pencils →Run a DSCR

$415,000Median list price1,308 active listings

$38,302Median STR revenue / yrprojected, gross

Homes in Durham that pencil right now

A sample of active Durham listings whose DSCR clears 1.25 using short-term rental income projections we accept as a direct lender. These are spread across the price range, not ranked, and current as of August 2026.

$140,000DSCR 2.33
3 bed · 1 bath · 1,026 sqft
House in 27703 · built 1925
STR revenue
$33,015/yr
Est. interest-only payment
$946/mo
On the market 112 days · Listed by RE MAX One Hundred
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Durham
$259,900DSCR 1.36
3 bed · 2 bath · 1,083 sqft
House in 27703 · built 1986
STR revenue
$33,201/yr
Est. interest-only payment
$1,629/mo
On the market 152 days · Listed by Navigate Realty
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Durham
$265,000DSCR 1.38
3 bed · 1.5 bath · 1,620 sqft
House in 27705 · built 1940
STR revenue
$35,421/yr
Est. interest-only payment
$1,710/mo
On the market 114 days · Listed by Keller Williams Elite Realty
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Durham
$290,000DSCR 1.55
3 bed · 1.5 bath · 1,116 sqft
House in 27704 · built 2003
STR revenue
$39,993/yr
Est. interest-only payment
$1,715/mo
On the market 276 days · Listed by eXp Realty
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Durham
$295,000DSCR 1.43
3 bed · 2 bath · 1,135 sqft
House in 27707 · built 1938
STR revenue
$39,535/yr
Est. interest-only payment
$1,840/mo
On the market 122 days · Listed by FATHOM REALTY
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Durham
$310,000DSCR 1.40
3 bed · 1.5 bath · 1,115 sqft
House in 27704 · built 1958
STR revenue
$40,304/yr
Est. interest-only payment
$1,923/mo
On the market 43 days · Listed by Rasberry Realty LLC
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Durham
$319,000DSCR 1.45
3 bed · 2.5 bath · 1,236 sqft
House in 27707 · built 2026
STR revenue
$39,229/yr
Est. interest-only payment
$1,799/mo
On the market 36 days · Listed by John Dove
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Durham
$379,777DSCR 1.36
3 bed · 1.5 bath · 1,199 sqft
House in 27704 · built 1962
STR revenue
$46,197/yr
Est. interest-only payment
$2,264/mo
On the market 158 days · Listed by Frank Ward, Realtors
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Durham

Ask about Durham deals →Run any address yourself

As of August 2026, we analyzed 1,308 active for-sale homes in Durham, North Carolina. The typical listing is priced at $415,000 and is projected to generate about $38,302 a year as a short-term rental.

After setting aside an estimated 20% for operating costs, an estimated 46.0% of those homes could still cover an investor mortgage payment on short-term-rental income — roughly in line with the 52.5% median across the 200 major metros we track, ranking Durham #125 of 200 for cash-flow potential.

On market momentum: homes in Durham sit a median of 60 days on the market, and 28% of active listings came on in just the last 30 days — a steadily paced market, which shapes how much room there is to negotiate.

For a DSCR loan — which qualifies on the property's rental income rather than your personal income — Durham runs tighter once operating costs are accounted for: many listings need a below-median price, a stronger short-term-rental setup, or more money down before the income covers the payment. It's a market where running the numbers property-by-property matters.

What actually works in Durham

Durham works for investors, but the window is specific: 234 of the 1,137 Durham homes, condos and townhomes we can price confidently clear a DSCR of 1.25. Nine in ten of them are priced under $444,000.

Share of those listings clearing an DSCR of 1.25, by price and bedroom count. The smaller figure is the median DSCR for that group.
Price	1 bed	2 bed	3 bed	4 bed	5 bed
$150k–$250k	55%1.29	75%1.46	100%1.66	—	—
$250k–$350k	—	25%1.12	54%1.26	73%1.45	—
$350k–$500k	—	0%0.70	3%0.95	3%1.01	89%1.42
$500k+	—	0%0.59	0%0.69	0%0.70	11%0.83

Darker means a larger share of that group cash-flows. “—” means fewer than 8 active listings — too few to draw a conclusion from.

Durham in full

Active for-sale homes analyzed	1,308
Median list price	$415,000
Median projected STR revenue (annual, gross)	$38,302
Median average daily rate (ADR)	$181
Median occupancy	58%
Median beds	3
Median size	1,818 sqft
Estimated cash-flow-positive share	46.0%
Median days on market	60 days
New listings (last 30 days)	27.8% of active