What is the average Class A rent in Raleigh-Durham?

Around 36 USD/sqft/yr ($36 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Downtown Raleigh command 20–40% above that.

How many months of rent-free are normal in Raleigh-Durham?

12 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.

Are rents rising or falling in Raleigh-Durham?

The Raleigh-Durham Class A market is currently rising. Vacancy is 16.8%, which sets the negotiating context.

Headline Class A rent in Raleigh-Durham is around 36 USD/sqft/yr ($36 USD), with 12 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

Headline Class A rent: 36 USD/sqft/yr ($36 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Downtown Raleigh) push to roughly $44/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 12 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 16.8% — market trend is rising.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Raleigh-Durham Class A office rents and incentives

Headline Class A rent in Raleigh-Durham is around 36 USD/sqft/yr ($36 USD), with 12 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

TL;DR

Headline Class A rent: 36 USD/sqft/yr ($36 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Downtown Raleigh) push to roughly $44/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 12 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 16.8% — market trend is rising.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Headline rent vs. effective rent

Asking rents in Raleigh-Durham are quoted in USD per sqft per year. Across the broad Class A index the figure is 36, but the trophy tier in Downtown Raleigh reaches roughly $44/sqft/yr. Always discount headline rent by the present value of free rent and fit-out-capex">tenant improvement allowance to land on effective rent — the only number that compares cleanly across deals.

Rent-free and TI

Standard Raleigh-Durham concessions on a 10-year Class A lease run to 12 months of base-rent abatement. Trophy lease-ups can push rent-free 25–40% above that benchmark. Local cost-of-occupancy is also shaped by tax — 21% federal plus North Carolina's declining 2.25% corporate income tax. Combined effective rate around 23%, one of the lowest in the US.

Where rents land by submarket

Downtown Raleigh sits at the top end (~$44/sqft/yr). Downtown Durham clears around $42/sqft/yr as the prime tier. Cary / Morrisville represents the value end at ~$32/sqft/yr. The full submarket map is on the Raleigh-Durham city page.

Key facts

city	Raleigh-Durham
country	United States
region	Americas
classARentLocal	36 USD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$36/sqft/yr
vacancy	16.8%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	12
submarkets	5
primeYieldPct	6.9%
trophyRent	$44/sqft/yr
primeRent	$42/sqft/yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Class A rent in Raleigh-Durham?: Around 36 USD/sqft/yr ($36 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Downtown Raleigh command 20–40% above that.
How many months of rent-free are normal in Raleigh-Durham?: 12 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.
Are rents rising or falling in Raleigh-Durham?: The Raleigh-Durham Class A market is currently rising. Vacancy is 16.8%, which sets the negotiating context.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Class A Atlas Editorial Desk — House byline · global editorial team. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

Full sources index · Submit a correction