Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Durham, NC
The average asking rent in Durham, NC is $1,707/month as of 2026-04. That is +0.9% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,707/mo
as of 2026-04
Year-over-Year Change
+0.9%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Durham, NC.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-04 | $1,707 | +0.23% |
| 2026-03 | $1,703 | +0.59% |
| 2026-02 | $1,693 | +0.00% |
| 2026-01 | $1,693 | +0.36% |
| 2025-12 | $1,687 | -0.35% |
| 2025-11 | $1,693 | +0.24% |
| 2025-10 | $1,689 | -0.24% |
| 2025-09 | $1,693 | -0.47% |
| 2025-08 | $1,701 | -0.35% |
| 2025-07 | $1,707 | -0.18% |
| 2025-06 | $1,710 | +0.65% |
| 2025-05 | $1,699 | +0.41% |
| 2025-04 | $1,692 | +0.59% |
| 2025-03 | $1,682 | +0.96% |
| 2025-02 | $1,666 | -0.18% |
| 2025-01 | $1,669 | +0.42% |
| 2024-12 | $1,662 | -0.48% |
| 2024-11 | $1,670 | +0.24% |
| 2024-10 | $1,666 | -0.95% |
| 2024-09 | $1,682 | -0.65% |
| 2024-08 | $1,693 | -0.12% |
| 2024-07 | $1,695 | +0.12% |
| 2024-06 | $1,693 | +0.83% |
| 2024-05 | $1,679 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices