Durham vs Lynchburg
The short version
- Lynchburg is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 8% lower than in the Durham area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $229,800 in Lynchburg and $392,800 in Durham.
- Households earn more in Durham ($81,619 vs $57,947 median).
- Durham has the warmer winter: January highs of 52°F vs 46°F.
- Durham has more scorching days: 52 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 27.
- Durham is growing faster: +7.6% since 2020 vs +3%.
- Commutes are shorter in Lynchburg (17 vs 22 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Lynchburg, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 305,561 | 81,347 |
| Growth since 2020 | +7.6% | +3% |
| People per square mile | 2,571 | 1,663 |
| Median age | 35.1 | 28.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57% | 39% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $81,619 | $57,947 |
| Median home value | $392,800 | $229,800 |
| Home value to income | 4.8× | 4.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,508 | $1,073 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.6 | 89.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 98.9 | 63.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,200 | $67,000 |
| Homeowners | 52% | 49% |
| Top state income tax | 3.99% | 5.75% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.1% | 5.77% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.3 | 16.8 |
| Work from home | 23% | 14% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.8% | 5.3% |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 18.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 52° / 32° | 46° / 26° |
| July high / low | 91° / 70° | 87° / 65° |
| Precipitation per year | 46 in | 43 in |
| Snowfall per year | 5 in | 12 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 52 | 27 |
| Nights below freezing | 65 | 94 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Low |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.6 | 49.3 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | n/a |
| Home prices, past year | +1.8% | +4.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.6% | +51.2% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Durham: April to May and October. Lynchburg: April to June and August to October.
Full monthly tables: Durham weather by month and Lynchburg weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,200 in Durham and $67,000 in Lynchburg. Moving from Durham to Lynchburg, you would need about $68,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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