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Durham, NC is known for its vibrant culture, diverse attractions, and excellent food. It is a city that offers something for everyone—from the Durham Bulls baseball team to the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science. Visitors can explore historic neighborhoods like Brightleaf Square, Duke's East Campus, or enjoy the downtown skyline while walking along the riverwalk. For those seeking outdoor recreation, there are plenty of parks and trails throughout the city. From award-winning restaurants to art galleries and live music venues, Durham has something for everyone.
Reviews of this city are consistently positive due to its exciting attractions and entertainment options. Visitors appreciate the variety of restaurants that offer diverse cuisine from around the world. They also note how clean and well-maintained it is despite its large size. In addition, people love the fact that they can enjoy both urban amenities as well as a variety of outdoor activities in Durham. Finally, many rave about how friendly and welcoming locals are—creating an atmosphere that truly makes visitors feel at home.
based on 43 ReviewsGet to know Durham with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Durham
Great place to live despite crime rates - 5/18/2022
I was raised in this city, left for work in the 2010s, and returned in 2018. This city has changed a lot over the years for the better. Growing up there was not a ton to do, but it was an affordable city with lots of job options between the three major universities and Research Triangle Park. Crime rates per capita are honestly not great, but a majority of the crime is localized to specific areas. Being at the intersection of major highway systems makes this area a great place for commerce criminal included. Cost of living is increasing but so are
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Durham is changing - 10/10/2021
I've lived in durham for a few years and my experience is coming from someone who has traveled all over the world and has lived in many different states. First things first North Carolina is one of the most beautiful states when it comes to the mountains or the beach. In Durham you are not going to be able to do that in one day without driving 4 or 5 hours a day just to do it. So if you have a job that lets you have long weekends or weekends than that is the way to do that. The cost of living here is nowhere near as cheap as it used to be when I first moved here. People are buying houses now that were worth 150,000 4 years ago at 450,000 with all of the same problems an old house brings. I work for a plumbing and hvac company and I can't tell you how many people move here with big dreams and high hopes of a cheap cost of living only to find out their house they purchased has a lot of issues like cast iron piping that will cost 40,000 to replace. So keep that in mind before you buy a
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Love This City - 3/17/2021
I live here for my entire life and it has never gotten boring, I love the scenery, nightlife and basically everything here. There is always something new to do and somewhere fun to go for the whole
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Meh. Ready to move on. - 2/7/2021
On the whole, I really don't see what people get so excited about when pitching Durham (and the triangle) on all those "best places for 20-somethings" lists. I've had to relocate here for a few years, and initially was looking forward to the "great food scene" and "welcoming culture." Online, you read that this is a city on the upswing, with lots to do while retaining its quirky local flavor. Trying to be as objective as I can (since I obviously don't like the place), I really feel that this is more hype than reality.
Food scene: if you're into barbecue and/or southern food I guess it's pretty good, but no better than any other decently sized southern metro. Also a handful of pretty standard gastropub type operations, as well as some food trucks. Beyond that, most international foods you'd care to find (Asian, European, Latin American, African) are pretty mediocre to average, if they have it at all. The nearby town of Cary is a little better in this respect, but
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Durham, the Romance is Gone! - 1/26/2021
I'm no newbie that thinks so highly of their opinion that I would write a review having lived here for a month let alone 5 years. I moved here from Cali in 97 and although my life has revolved around living here ie (family, kids, friends and work), I cannot say I would do it again. It's unfortunate that you have to rate it 1 star when I surely would have given it less if allowed to. Durham is an odd dichotomy of "We are a stunningly progressive community" to "well, that's just the way it is and you just have to get used to it." Aside from few close friends, I would have to rate it as overall unfriendly. People here are definitely the have's and the have nots where the have nots constantly want what the have's have. I credit Dr. Suess for that one. Yes I've had my car broken into way more than I would like to admit and have had numerous thefts of property at my job sites. Once you "get used" to the crime, then you will have much more time to deal with the "special"
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The Good is Great and the Bad is Awful - 4/17/2020
The good things in Durham are great, and the bad things in Durham are awful. I have lived in Durham for 5 years.
The good: In Durham there is excellent and highly specialized medical care, good career opportunities for medical, education, and tech professionals. The area is diverse with an eclectic culture, which is also very progressive in terms of social justice. The public school system currently has a superintendent making effort to improve the schools for students and staff. There are lots of great local food/restaurants, and there are tons of free or inexpensive things to do between Durham and Raleigh like, state parks, museums, gardens, and playgrounds.
The bad: crime is rampant. My car has been broken into multiple times, gun shots at night are no longer surprising and occur multiple times per week. Gang activity is apparent, and shootings have recently been occurring during the day and along main roads (people shooting into other people’s cars midday). It
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Welcome to the GHETTO - 4/2/2019
I have been living here for 13 years and I hate it. When I first got here downtown was a ghost town. It has been rehabbed with all sorts of wacky houses and businesses. Most there is to do here is eat. DPAC is nice but VERY expensive. In fact everything here is expensive. They say average cost of housing is $700 a month but trust me you find an apartment for that low you are in the ghetto. ANd these ghettos are not kind. Gunshot crimes everyday! Crime rate is rediculously high and that is not getting better. Muggings, shootings, breakins etc. Racial divide is very prevelant. Blacks don't trust anyone. Gov makes all their rules on thinking oters are trying to get over so they make everything difficult. Mindset is still back in the day. yikes. I am leaving finally. They said caucasion population is 63% but they counted in hispanics (Mexicans and SOuth Americans). Remove them and it is 45%. Why did they scue the numbers like that? hmmmm. I tried to like it but in
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Over-hyped, Overrated Relocation Destination - 3/21/2019
Saving up to move out! Status 5 years.
Sum: Didn't take long to see it all. Southern charm left, slabbed with northeasterners moving in. Cost of living is rapidly on the rise and Durham is in a gentrification crisis.
Housing: The area is a bubble, all in it has sky rocketed. Prices for homes increased 100k in just three years. Build quality is shotty for value.
Schools: I hate to say this, but, they are deplorable. Sending a kid to private cost around 22k yr and its a lottery.
Crime: Downtown is risky at night. Violent crime has not gone down. Personally, my home has been broken into and my vehicle have been vandalized three times. Lots of aggressive pan handlers downtown. My out of town guest didn't get a safe impression. The vibes don't get better, pan handlers are always holding a sign outside traffic lights and major retail.
Traffic: Worse every day. Getting on 40 and 85 is like playing Russian roulette. I gave up honking, afraid I get a dead
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No to Durham But Yes to Wilmington NC - 12/31/2018
Durham. We had friends living locally, the marketing made it seem hip and affordable, the weather looked good. So what was not to like?
We are a couple in our 30s and 40s, looking for a walkable eclectic community, dog friendly... brew pubs, great eats... and preferably one of those beautiful, historic homes that would be affordably priced and near to all of the above.
Durham delivered on a lot of fronts, but it had a couple of significant drawbacks. We didn’t want to spend more than $400k and going below 2,000 sf was challenging. Suburban sprawl is not our thing, and the surrounding areas are an explosion of minivan metropoli. The gridlock is getting worse, not better. If you’re looking for a newer home and don’t mind sandwiched between other identical Truman Show-Esque looking homes and don’t mind driving everythwere, then there are a lot of options in that price point.
Only a few hours to the East of Durham, we discovered the port city of
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