Thomas Lyman House · National Register of Historic Places
Durham’s story
327 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1699Durham is settled
DurhamCT
A town of 7,208, settled in 1699. Public schools that outperform most of Connecticut.
9 bordering townsMap →
Photo: 5ju989nfhs50 at English Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0
Population
7,208
residents
Typical home
$512K
+4.3% in a year
Household income
$159K
median
Median age
45.5
years
Jobs based here
2,247
A commuter town
What makes Durham stand out
The 3 things Durham does most differently from other towns.
B+School Grade
Schools
Better than 67%
of CT districts
School Grade B+.
Outdoors
#33 most conserved land in CT
49 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
23.5% of the town is conserved land.
Thomas Lyman HouseHistory
Settled in 1699
2 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 327 years.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Durham for work
Where Durham’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,247jobs based in Durham
8%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Durham’s report card
Now in Durham
What neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Residents weigh in
Durham is #4 of 133 in CT for “Highest graduation rate”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Durham’s Town Square.
Weather
Forecast →57°
Mostly Cloudy
H 71° · L 52°
Local news
All →- Coginchaug vs Lyme-Old Lyme - Girls Junior Varsity Soccer 10/05/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 26
- Coginchaug vs Westbrook - Boys Varsity Basketball 01/08/2027 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 24
- Coginchaug vs Hale Ray - Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball 10/07/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 22
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Durham. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Durham’s public schools outperform 67% of Connecticut districts
The public schools Durham’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 67% of Connecticut’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
B+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick Brewster School | PK–1 | 214 | C− |
| Frank Ward Strong School | 6–8 | 319 | B+ |
| Coginchaug Regional High School | 9–12 | 356 | A− |
| Yeshiva Gedolah of Waterbury- Mesivta Durham Private | 9–12 | 147 | |
| Rushford Academy School Private | 10–12 | 8 |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CT on state tests and graduationAll 5 schools →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Durham
Most working residents leave Durham for work: only 8% work in town. The top destinations are New Haven (10%), Wallingford (7%) and Hartford (7%). Half commute less than 15 miles.
8%work in town
Where working residents work
In Durham8%
New Haven10%
Wallingford7%
Hartford7%
Middletown6%
15 mi
median commute distance
2,247
jobs based in Durham
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
23.5% of Durham is conserved land
49 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves.
#34for trails in CT
23.5%
conserved · 3,556 of 15,151 acres
49 mi
of trails · 2.1 per sq mi
#33
most conserved land in CT
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cockaponset State Forest | 10.1 mi | 1,210 |
| 2. Mount Pisgah Open Space | 8.7 mi | 186 |
| 3. Millers Pond State Park | 4.9 mi | 179 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Durham beats the Connecticut average on 13 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
AHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Connecticut
13 better18 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Durham | CT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.4% | 14.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.5% | 10% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.7% | 8.5% |
Middlesex Hospital
5.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
76th
percentile among CT towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Durham has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 19°.
84°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–39°
Spring37–59°
Summer60–81°
Fall43–63°
Oct 16
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
84°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Housing
A typical Durham home is worth about $512K
The typical Durham home is worth about $512,000, up 4.3% in a year, 13% above the Connecticut typical home.
$512KZillow home value
Typical home value
Durham$512K
Connecticut$451K
+4.3%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 48% of U.S. communities.
48risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanes
4
paid flood claims since 2008
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Landmarks
2 places in Durham on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Durham
Town in Connecticut, United States
Durham ( DURR-əm) is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. Durham is a former farming village on the Coginchaug River in central Connecticut. The town is part of the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region. The population was 7,152 at the 2020 census. Every autumn, the town hosts the Durham Fair, the largest volunteer agricultural fair in New England. The Durham town center is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place. The core of the town center has also been listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1699
- Population
- 7,152
- Area
- 24 sq mi
- Elevation
- 171 ft
- ZIP code
- 06422
- Area code
- 860
Durham’s neighbors
9 towns share a border with Durham.
HaddamGuilfordKillingworthMiddlefieldWallingfordNorthfordNorth BranfordMadisonMiddletownDurham
More about Durham
Still missing for Durham:archive photosupcoming events