What it's like to live in Graham
Graham is a small city in North Carolina with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, a population that has grown fast since 2020, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Graham deals with household incomes below the national average and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Graham compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Graham
Based on Graham's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,142
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,840 a year
- 41% of Graham renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$46,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,380
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 24% below US
$1,071/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,071 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $233,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $233,800 · 41% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Alamance County is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Alamance County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 11% below US
292 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1468/100k · Graham Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 31°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 31% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (26 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Graham's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit. A year of median rent ($1,071/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget.
Other places near Graham
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