About Durham
What it's like to live here
Durham is a Middlesex County town of about 7,200 people spread over nearly 24 square miles between Middletown and New Haven. Routes 17, 68 and 77 meet near the town center, so downtown Middletown is about 15 minutes north and New Haven about 35 minutes south, while the rest of town is farmland, woods and the trap rock ridges that line its west side.
Settlers bought land here from the Wangunk around 1662, and the town was incorporated in 1708 and named for Durham, England. Residents founded a library in 1733, likely the first proprietary library in New England, and Moses Austin, whose son Stephen F. Austin led the settlement of Texas, was born here in 1761. Today the Main Street Historic District keeps the old center intact, and every September the Durham Fair draws crowds to Connecticut's largest agricultural fair.
Our Middletown office at 32 Washington Street is about 15 minutes north on Route 17, and our headquarters is at 40 West High Street in East Hampton. Our agents live and sell here.
Durham Highlights
- The Durham Fair every September, Connecticut's largest agricultural fair, held since 1916
- The Main Street Historic District, 112 historic buildings along Route 17
- Millers Pond State Park and the Mattabesett Trail on the ridge west of town
- Regional School District 13 schools, shared with Middlefield
Durham market at a glance
Durham real estate market
Year to date through August 2026, single-family homes in Durham sold for a median of $552,500, closed at a median of 105.0% of list price, and spent a median of 32 days on the market. At the end of August, 8 single-family homes were for sale (2.1 months of supply). Condos and townhouses sold for a median of $203,000.
Written figures: SmartMLS Local Market Update, single-family, year to date through August 2026. Charts update automatically from SmartMLS, include all property types, and show rolling 12-month data.
Neighborhoods
Getting to know Durham
Main Street Historic District
The town center along Main Street (Route 17), listed on the National Register in 1986 with 112 historic buildings over 160 acres.
Durham Fairgrounds
The fairgrounds near the junction of Routes 17, 68 and 77, home of the four-day Durham Fair each September.
Durham Meadows
Wet meadows along the Coginchaug River behind the fairgrounds, managed by the state as the Durham Meadows Wildlife Management Area.
Millers Pond
Millers Pond State Park, a 33-acre pond with an easy trail that circles the shoreline.
Trimountain and the western ridge
The trap rock ridge on the west side of town, including Trimountain and Fowler Mountain, crossed by the 50-mile Mattabesett Trail.
Pickett Lane
The school campus that is home to Coginchaug Regional High School and the Regional School District 13 offices.
Buying or selling
Why Durham?
Why buy in Durham
- Route 17 reaches downtown Middletown in about 15 minutes, and New Haven is about 35 minutes away
- Regional School District 13, shared with Middlefield: Brewster, John Lyman, Strong and Coginchaug Regional High School
- Time outdoors at Millers Pond State Park, Durham Meadows and the Mattabesett Trail
- The Durham Fair, Connecticut's largest agricultural fair, right in town every September
- The Main Street Historic District, with 18th- and 19th-century homes, churches and the 1901 library
Why sell in Durham now
- Single-family homes are selling in a median of 32 days (year to date through August 2026)
- Sellers are getting a median of 105.0% of list price
- The single-family median sale price is $552,500 year to date
- About 2.1 months of supply, still a seller's market
Questions
Durham real estate FAQ
What is the median home price in Durham, CT?
For single-family homes, $552,500 year to date through August 2026, according to the SmartMLS Local Market Update. Condos and townhouses: $203,000. The live charts above show the latest trend.
What is the property tax rate in Durham?
The mill rate for fiscal year 2026-27 is 28.00 for real estate, per the Town of Durham. That is $28.00 in tax per $1,000 of assessed value, and Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of market value.
How far is Durham from Middletown and New Haven?
Downtown Middletown is about 7 miles north, roughly 15 minutes via Route 17. Downtown New Haven is about 22 miles, roughly 35 minutes, and downtown Hartford is about 24 miles, roughly 35 to 40 minutes.
What schools serve Durham?
Durham shares Regional School District 13 with Middlefield: Frederick Brewster School (PK-1) in Durham, John Lyman School (2-4) in Middlefield, Frank Ward Strong School (5-8) in Durham and Coginchaug Regional High School (9-12) in Durham.
Does Carl Guild & Associates have an office near Durham?
Yes. Our Middletown office at 32 Washington Street is about 15 minutes north on Route 17, and our headquarters is at 40 West High Street in East Hampton. Call 860-474-3500.
Currently on the market
Homes for sale in Durham
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Nearby
Other towns in Middlesex County
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