Side-by-side comparison of Wilmington, NC and Durham, NC — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Wilmington has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 3.54% compared to Durham's 3.43%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $340,000 in Wilmington vs $345,000 in Durham, while rents come in at $1,520/mo and $1,520/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Wilmington is growing faster at 1.8% annually vs Durham's 1.8%. Wilmington leads on home value appreciation at 3.7% per year. Strong population growth typically translates to sustained rental demand and long-term price support.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.76% in Wilmington vs 0.8% in Durham. Vacancy rates of 5% and 4.8% are both healthy, suggesting strong tenant demand in both markets.
Bottom line: Wilmington edges out Durham on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.54%, Wilmington's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Wilmington or Durham.