Forest Hills

Housing and prices

Directional only. The one source is a brokerage blog post (Ensemble Properties) that reports a neighborhood-level median sale price of $792,500 for March 2026, from just two sales, with a median of 130 days on market and recent sales from the upper $500,000s to above $1 million. One month and two sales is not a trend; no larger public dataset could be loaded to cross-check it. (as of 2026-03; ensemblepropertiesnc.com)

Historic single-family houses

Colonial Revival and Craftsman houses from about 1923 to 1955 on larger lots, the bulk of the National Register district.

Large-lot listings on University Drive

A Raleigh Realty listing feed shows one active listing on University Drive, a 2,087 square foot, 3-bedroom, 3-bath house on 0.43 acres, showing the lot sizes common here.

Larger-lot setting

Ensemble Properties describes curving streets and larger residential lots from the early 1920s planned layout, which affects price more than walkability.

Places to know

Getting around

Walkability

Ensemble Properties lists a Walk Score of 33 and a Bike Score of 50 for Forest Hills. Curving residential streets and larger lots make daily errands a drive for most addresses; the park and the trail are the walkable draws.

Transit

GoDurham runs fixed-route buses in Durham, with a trip planner at godurhamtransit.org. GoDurham's news page says the system is fare-free through June 2027. Ensemble Properties lists a Transit Score of 55. Check the stop nearest a given street.

Parking

Houses on these streets are single-family. Duke Gardens charges $2 per hour in its lot, which often fills before 10 a.m. on nice days; the Museum of Life and Science has free parking on Murray Avenue.

Drive to downtown

Downtown Durham is a drive from the district; use a map app for current time from a specific address. The American Tobacco Trail also leads north to the ballpark at 409 Blackwell Street.

Weekly and seasonal rhythm

• Durham Farmers' Market (Saturdays year-round; Wednesdays Apr 15 to Oct 15, 501 Foster St, Durham Central Park pavilion)
  Saturday 8 a.m. to noon April to November, 9 a.m. to noon December to March; Wednesday 3 to 6 p.m. Producers within 70 miles only. durhamfarmersmarket.com
• Forest Hills sprayground season (Seasonal, daily, weather dependent, Forest Hills Park, 1639 University Dr)
  Free, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The sprayground page lists May to September; the park page lists May to October. The Parks and Recreation pool page says Forest Hills Pool will remain closed for the 2026 season. dprplaymore.org
• Pride: Durham, NC (Annual; Durham Pride Week in the fall, Venues across Durham; run by the LGBTQ Center of Durham)
  The Center's page lists Durham Pride Week 2026 as September 27 to October 3, with the schedule posted as an image. Contact details are on the Pride page. lgbtqcenterofdurham.org
• Dyke Night at Arcana (Monthly, Arcana Bar and Lounge, 331 W Main St)
  Indy Week describes Dyke Night as a monthly themed mix-and-mingle started after employees encouraged the bar to embrace its queer identity. Confirm the date with the bar. indyweek.com
• Durham Bulls home games (Home schedule published by the team each season, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, 409 Blackwell St)
  Durham Bulls Athletic Park opened in 1995. Its site lists the home schedule; check milb.com/durham/schedule for current dates. mlb.com
• Duke Gardens dog hours (Daily before 10 a.m., Duke Gardens, 420 Anderson St)
  Grounds are open 8 a.m. to sunset every day, and dogs are permitted only before 10 a.m. The parking lot often fills before 10 a.m. on nice days. gardens.duke.edu

A perfect day

1. 8:30 a.m., Cocoa Cinnamon, Chapel Hill Rd. Order churros and a coffee or drinking chocolate before the day starts. Tip: Check current hours with the cafe before going.
2. 9:30 a.m., Durham Farmers' Market. Browse the Saturday market at Durham Central Park pavilion. Tip: Saturday hours end at noon, and every item comes from sellers within 70 miles.
3. 12:00 p.m., Guglhupf Bakery and Restaurant. Have lunch at the restaurant and biergarten and pick up something from the bakery. Tip: Closed Mondays; bakery hours run 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
4. 2:00 p.m., Forest Hills Park. Walk the park loop or play on tennis and pickleball courts, then step onto the greenway. Tip: Open dawn to dusk; Court 4 has pickleball lines, and the sprayground runs May to September.
5. 4:00 p.m., American Tobacco Trail. Ride or walk the asphalt greenway north toward the ballpark. Tip: The Durham section is a 10-foot asphalt path; the trail does not allow horses there.
6. 6:30 p.m., Nanas or The Original Q Shack. Sit down for dinner on University Drive. Tip: Nanas is open Tuesday to Saturday only and takes OpenTable reservations; Q Shack closes at 9 p.m. Saturday.
7. 9:00 p.m., Arcana Bar and Lounge. Finish with a cocktail downtown. Tip: Enter at the rear of the building; the bar closes at midnight Friday and Saturday.

Honest trade-offs

• Walk Score is 33 per Ensemble Properties, so most errands need a car, and the restaurants and cafes named here sit on University Drive, Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard and Chapel Hill Road.
• Prices appear high for Durham, but the only figure found is a March 2026 neighborhood median of $792,500 from two sales with a median of 130 days on market, so one month is not a trend.
• Forest Hills Pool will remain closed for the 2026 season per the Durham Parks and Recreation pool page; the free sprayground and courts have their own listings.
• Duke Gardens parking costs $2 per hour and often fills before 10 a.m. on nice days, per the Gardens' visit page.
• Most contributing buildings date from about 1923 to 1955, so building age is a factor to weigh when comparing listings.

FAQs

Where is Forest Hills and what are its boundaries?

Forest Hills is a historic district in Durham, roughly bounded by Kent Street, Bivins Street, Wells Street, the American Tobacco Trail, Forestwood Drive and Beverly Drive, per Wikipedia. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 28, 2005, and covers about 245 acres.

What does a house in Forest Hills cost?

Ensemble Properties, a brokerage blog, reported recent sales from the upper $500,000s to above $1 million and a $792,500 median sale price for March 2026, based on only two sales. Treat that as a directional range, not a quote, and check current listings on the street you want.

What kind of houses are in Forest Hills?

Most of the 312 contributing buildings in the National Register district date from about 1923 to 1955, in Colonial Revival and Bungalow or Craftsman styles, per Wikipedia. Ensemble Properties describes curving streets and larger residential lots in an early 1920s planned setting.

Is there a car-free route from Forest Hills to downtown Durham?

The American Tobacco Trail runs along the edge of the district and its northern end is on Morehead Avenue across from the Durham Bulls ballpark. The Durham section is a 10-foot asphalt greenway. Check a map for the exact route from your address to downtown.

What is there to do at Forest Hills Park?

The 45.86-acre park is open dawn to dusk and has four tennis courts, pickleball lines on Court 4, a tennis backboard, a playground for ages 5 to 12, a reservable picnic shelter with grill, and greenway access. The free sprayground is seasonal and weather dependent.

Is the Forest Hills pool open?

Durham Parks and Recreation says the Forest Hills Pool will remain closed at this time for the 2026 season. The sprayground has its own listing, free and open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in season. Check dprplaymore.org or call 919-560-4355 for current status.

Where do LGBTQ+ events happen near Forest Hills?

Most take place downtown. The LGBTQ Center of Durham at 118 Hunt Street runs Pride: Durham, NC, held September 27 to October 3 in 2026. Arcana at 331 W Main Street hosts a monthly Dyke Night, Queer Craft Night and Queer Dungeons and Dragons per Indy Week.

Where are the nearest grocery and market options?

The Durham Co-op Market at 1111 W Chapel Hill Street is open daily 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the Durham Farmers' Market at 501 Foster Street runs Saturdays and, April 15 to October 15, Wednesdays. Foster's Market on Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard serves breakfast, sandwiches and homemade desserts.