Median rent is 26% lower in Louisville/Jefferson County ($1,120/mo vs $1,508/mo). Buying is cheaper in Louisville/Jefferson County, where the median home runs $233,900 versus $392,800. Households earn more in Durham ($81,619 vs $66,849 a year).
City A
Durham, NC
City B
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
How much would you need to earn in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY to maintain your standard of living from Durham, NC?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Durham
North Carolina
Louisville/Jefferson County
Kentucky
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Louisville/Jefferson County — median rent of $1,120/mo versus $1,508/mo in Durham, a 26% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Durham: the median home is $392,800 versus $233,900 in Louisville/Jefferson County — 40% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Durham
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Louisville/Jefferson County
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Both cities have similar air quality: Durham averages 33.0 AQI (Good) and Louisville/Jefferson County averages 32.0 AQI (Good).
Pick Durham if you prioritize higher median household income ($81,619/yr).
Pick Louisville/Jefferson County if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,120/mo median).
Is Durham cheaper than Louisville/Jefferson County?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Durham vs Louisville/Jefferson County?
Median rent is $1,508/mo in Durham, NC and $1,120/mo in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY has the lower rent by about 26%.
Which has higher salaries — Durham or Louisville/Jefferson County?
Median household income is $81,619 in Durham, NC and $66,849 in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY. Durham, NC has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY has better air quality on average: 32.0 AQI versus 33.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Durham or Louisville/Jefferson County?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Louisville/Jefferson County to match my Durham income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
