Example household · Rocky Mount, NC · $83,730 · same pay · 1 adult

Durham skyline

Uprootmap

Rocky Mount vs Durham

Rocky Mount and Durham

Photo: unknown / Wikimedia, Public domain

Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.

Same pay in both cities. One adult, one bedroom.

Swap city

Other cities

So you know: homicide deaths in Durham are above the US rate in this release, 8.7 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).

Why people look at Rocky Mount to Durham

In 2022-2023, 38 households filed a move from Rocky Mount to Durham (about 44 people, average adjusted gross income $55,132). 44 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $716 in Rocky Mount and $1,274 in Durham. Rocky Mount has a state tax on wages. Durham has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Durham is 98% of the national level for the same work, against 85% in Rocky Mount.

Durham averages 222 sunny days, with July highs around 89°F and January nights around 37°F. Rocky Mount is 221 sunny days, 89°F in July, 38°F in January. Commutes average 24 minutes in Durham and 23 in Rocky Mount.

These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.

How we figure this

Who already made this move

In 2022-2023, 38 households moved Rocky Mount → Durham (about 44 people, average AGI $55,132). 44 households went the other way.

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.

The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Rocky Mount and Durham changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 87 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$1,600–$3,000
Container or pod
$1,100–$2,050
Rent a truck
$400–$700

Movers in Durham and how to hire one →

Explore more

Questions

Is Durham cheaper than Rocky Mount after tax and rent?

No. Durham leaves about $416 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $716 in Rocky Mount and $1,274 in Durham.

Does Durham have state income tax?

Durham is in North Carolina, which taxes wage income.

Did people actually move from Rocky Mount to Durham?

Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.