The Town FilesDurham, California
Community in Butte County · population 5,834 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $700,100
- Household income
- $95,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 50.8
Durham is a community of 5,834 people in Butte County, California. The median home is worth $700,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 91% of California towns, better for retirees than 87% of California towns, better for young professionals than 84% of California towns.
How Durham ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Durham is worth $700,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.3 times the median household income of $95,417, which is more affordable than 37% of California towns. Median rent is $1,105 a month. 70.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Durham | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $700,100 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,105 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $95,417 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 70.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Durham
| People | Durham | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 12.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 18.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Durham
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 36.2°F. About 27.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 99 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 40 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Durham since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 25, 2011 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 25, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on October 2, 2016.
Severe weather in Butte County since 1996
Butte County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 25, 2024 | Fire | FM-5519: Park Fire |
| July 2, 2024 | Fire | FM-5502: Thompson Fire |
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Butte County
Butte County had 78,999 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,521 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Durham itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Durham
3 public schools with 1,026 students, about 19.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham Elementary | K-5 | 494 | 22.5 |
| Durham High | 9-12 | 308 | 16.2 |
| Durham Intermediate | 6-8 | 224 | 18.7 |
Towns near Durham
- Chico, CA9.1 mi · 101,475 people · home $468,100
- Paradise, CA13.1 mi · 4,764 people · home $416,000
- Thermalito, CA13.1 mi · 7,198 people · home $254,900
- Oroville, CA15.4 mi · 20,042 people · home $311,600
- Magalia, CA16.3 mi · 7,795 people · home $280,600
- South Oroville, CA16.9 mi · 3,235 people · home $261,500
- Kelly Ridge, CA18.6 mi · 3,006 people · home $277,600
- Oroville East, CA18.9 mi · 8,038 people · home $405,400
Durham questions
Is Durham, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Durham scores better for retirees than 87% of California towns and quieter than 83%. 27.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.8).
How much does a house cost in Durham?
The median owner-occupied home in Durham is valued at $700,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,417, so homes cost about 7.3 times income. Median rent is $1,105 a month.
What is the weather like in Durham?
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 36.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Durham get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Durham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 25, 2011. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)