Durham, NH Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Durham, NH Summary

Cost of living in Durham research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Durham is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Hampshire, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Durham is 132, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Durham is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Durham ranks as the #22 cheapest in New Hampshire out of 26.

  • Durham ranks as the #5,080 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Durham is $688,127.

  • The median income in Durham is $109,934.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
132
Durham's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Durham, NH?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Durham has an overall cost of living index of 132, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Hampshire, Durham has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than New Hampshire's index of 116.

The standard of living in Durham ranks as #22 most affordable out of the 26 places we measured in New Hampshire. By definition, that implies Durham ranks as the #4 most expensive place in the Granite State.

For more reading on life in Durham, check out:

22 out of 26
In New Hampshire
5,080 out of 6,489
In America

Durham Cost Of Living Vs. New Hampshire

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Durham. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Durham is 120.

  • The Groceries index in Durham is 100.

  • The Health index in Durham is 112.

  • The Housing index in Durham is 172.

  • The Transportation index in Durham is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Durham is 130.

Living Expense Durham New Hampshire National Average
Overall 132 116 100
Services 120 118 100
Groceries 100 103 100
Health 112 114 100
Housing 172 122 100
Transportation 110 110 100
Utilities 130 132 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Hampshire, check out:
Durham Cost of Living Vs. NH

Durham, NH Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Hampshire, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Durham is $688,127.

  • The Median Rent in Durham is $1,338.

  • The Median Income in Durham is $109,934.

  • The Home Value To Income in Durham is 6.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Durham is 0.15x.

Statistic Durham New Hampshire United States
Median Home Value $688,127 $501,649 $303,400
Median Rent $1,338 $1,423 $1,348
Median Income $109,934 $95,628 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.3x 5.2x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.18x 0.21x
$688,127
Median Home Value
$1,338
Median Rent
$109,934
Median Income

Durham, NH Costs By Category

Detailed Durham Services Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Durham New Hampshire
Shampoo $1.25 $1.28
Movie $13.07 $12.13
Bowling $25.44 $18
Haircut $26.58 $24.26
Beauty Salon $67.97 $45.56

Detailed Durham Groceries Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Durham New Hampshire
Ground Beef $5.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.44 $1.57
Milk $4.75 $4.67
Potatoes $5.01 $4.93
Pizza $11.66 $12.09
Beer $9.82 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed Durham Health Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Durham New Hampshire
Optometrist $115.0 $125.68
Doctor $164.0 $135.78
Dentist $136.17 $113.29

Detailed Durham Transportation Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Durham New Hampshire
Gasoline $3.33 $3.46
Tire Balancing $86.0 $59.92

Detailed Durham Utilities Costs Vs. New Hampshire

Item Durham New Hampshire
All Electricity $294.4 $193.99
Phone $186.72 $192.25

Durham SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
5
Diversity
6
Safety
9
Amenities
9
Education
10
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Durham

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Durham. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Dover, NH has a cost of living index of 123, 0.9x Durham.

  • Rochester, NH has a cost of living index of 113, 0.9x Durham.

  • Portsmouth, NH has a cost of living index of 148, 1.1x Durham.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Durham
Dover, NH 33,070 123 0.9x
Rochester, NH 32,866 113 0.9x
Portsmouth, NH 22,332 148 1.1x
Somersworth, NH 12,060 117 0.9x
Exeter, NH 10,138 122 0.9x
Hampton, NH 9,960 139 1.1x
Newmarket, NH 5,730 127 1.0x
Kittery, ME 5,284 130 1.0x

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