Durham County, NC

County

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    2024 Population
    332,353
    US Senator
    Thom Tillis
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    Ted Budd
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    36.1
    0.838% 1-year increase
    2024 Poverty Rate
    11.5%
    4.19% 1-year decrease
    2024 Median Household Income
    $82,316
    3.54% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $389,400
    10.7% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    177,032
    1.85% 1-year growth

    About

    None of the households in Durham County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

    90.4% of the residents in Durham County, NC are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Durham County, NC are Duke University (7,761 degrees awarded in 2024), North Carolina Central University (1,559 degrees), and Durham Technical Community College (870 degrees).

    In 2024, the median property value in Durham County, NC was $389,400, and the homeownership rate was 55.5%.

    Most people in Durham County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Durham County, NC was 2 cars per household.

    About the photo: Durham, NC
    Photo by Geoff Alexander
    United StatesNorth CarolinaDurham-Chapel Hill, NC

    Population & Diversity

    Durham County, NC is home to a population of 332k people, from which 90.4% are citizens. As of 2024, 15.3% of Durham County, NC residents were born outside of the country (50.9k people).

    In 2024, there were 1.31 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (139k people) in Durham County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 106k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 27.4k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    90.4%
    2024 Citizenship
    90.5%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 90.4% of Durham County, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Durham County, NC was 90.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Durham County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Durham County, NC
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      139k ± 660
    2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
      106k ± 1.3k
    3. Other (Hispanic)
      27.4k ± 1.77k
    15.8%
    Hispanic Population
    52.5k people

    In 2024, there were 1.31 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (139k people) in Durham County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 106k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 27.4k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    15.8% of the people in Durham County, NC are hispanic (52.5k people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Durham County, NC as a share of the total population.

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    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Mexico
      228,441 ± 11,609 people
    2. India
      90,815 ± 7,367 people
    3. Honduras
      52,061 ± 5,588 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 228,441 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 90,815 and Honduras with 52,061.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    15.3%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    50.9k people
    15.1%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    49.8k people

    As of 2024, 15.3% of Durham County, NC residents (50.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Durham County, NC was 15.1%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

    The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Durham County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Gulf War (2001-)
      4,008 ± 624
    2. Vietnam
      3,435 ± 372
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      2,697 ± 524

    Durham County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.17 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Durham County, NC.

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    Health

    89.2% of the population of Durham County, NC has health coverage, with 52.5% on employee plans, 13% on Medicaid, 10.7% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 1.16% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Durham County, NC see 836 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (836 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1325 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 130 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    836 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Durham County, NC

    Primary care physicians in Durham County, NC see an average of 836 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (836 patients).

    The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Durham County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22% under 18 years, 26.5% between 18 and 34 years, 37.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.3% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

    The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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    Uninsured People

    10.8%
    Uninsured
    52.5%
    Employer Coverage
    13%
    Medicaid
    10.7%
    Medicare
    11.9%
    Non-Group
    1.16%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Durham County, NC declined by 6.92% from 11.6% to 10.8%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Durham County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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    Health Indicators

    Health Outcomes

    Indicator

    In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 4.63 in Durham County, NC.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Durham County, NC.

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    Health Behaviors

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 32.5% in Durham County, NC.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Durham County, NC.

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    Clinical Care

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 10.6% in Durham County, NC.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Durham County, NC.

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    Economy

    The economy of Durham County, NC employs 177k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Durham County, NC were Health Care & Social Assistance (31,431 people), Educational Services (28,096 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (23,139 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($97,007), Finance & Insurance ($92,042), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($90,075).

    Employment

    Occupations

    177k
    2024 Value
    ± 4,118
    1.85%
    1 Year growth
    ± 3.22%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Durham County, NC grew at a rate of 1.85%, from 174k employees to 177k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Durham County, NC, are Management Occupations (23,436 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (15,219 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (14,970 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Durham County, NC.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

    The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    177k
    2024 Value
    ± 4,118
    1.85%
    1 Year growth
    ± 3.22%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Durham County, NC grew at a rate of 1.85%, from 174k employees to 177k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Durham County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (31,431 people), Educational Services (28,096 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (23,139 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Durham County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Durham County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $58,308
    Median earning men ± $2,361
    $51,760
    Median earning women ± $1,854

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($89,074), Information ($87,008), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($82,448).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($75,658), Wholesale Trade ($75,202), and Information ($70,708).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
    Y-Axis
    3.04%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

    Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

    The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 826
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
    2. 456
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    3. 450
      Other Services (except Public Administration)

    The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

    The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $5.17M
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
    2. $3.48M
      Wholesale Trade
    3. $2.29M
      Health Care and Social Assistance

    The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (47.6%), followed by Other (0.675%).

    Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Durham County, NC. Showing the available data for North Carolina.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (50.9%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (47.6%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Other (0.675%)
      Other Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (47.6%), followed by Other (0.675%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in North Carolina for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from North Carolina

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
    Thom Tillis
    Senator from North Carolina2
    Assumed office on January 3, 2015
    Ted Budd
    Senator from North Carolina3
    Assumed office on January 3, 2023

    Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Durham County, NC awarded 10,271 degrees. The student population of Durham County, NC in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 12,186 male students and 19,214 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Durham County, NC are White (3,408 and 44%), Black or African American (1,791 and 23.1%), Asian (1,065 and 13.7%), and Hispanic or Latino (828 and 10.7%).

    The largest universities in Durham County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Duke University (7,761 and 75.6%), North Carolina Central University (1,559 and 15.2%), and Durham Technical Community College (870 and 8.47%).

    The most popular majors in Durham County, NC are Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods (1,078 and 10.5%), Computer Science (484 and 4.71%), and General Business Administration & Management (432 and 4.21%).

    The median tuition costs are $43,443 for private four year colleges, and $3,728 and $16,764 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    University
    Measure

    In 2024 in Durham County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 27%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 18.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 31,400 (38.8% men and 61.2% women).

    The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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    Enrollments by Gender and Races

    Universities

    In 2024 there were 31,400 students enrolled in Durham County, NC, 38.8% men and 61.2% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 9,508 records, of which 70.6% were women and 29.4% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
      1,062 degrees awarded
    2. Engineering & Industrial Management
      298 degrees awarded
    3. General Business Administration & Management
      265 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Durham County, NC was Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods with 1,062 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Masters Degree from schools in Durham County, NC according to their major.

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    Universities

    Gender
    Race
    Largest Universities by degrees awarded
    1. Duke University
      7,761 degrees awarded
    2. North Carolina Central University
      1,559 degrees awarded
    3. Durham Technical Community College
      870 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Duke University with 7,761 degrees awarded.

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    Student Diversity

    University

    In 2024, 4,294 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Durham County, NC, which is 0.718 times less than the 5,977 female students who received degrees in the same year.

    In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,408 degrees mean that there were 1.9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,791 degrees awarded.

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    Awarded Degrees over Time

    The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Universities

    Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($43,443) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Public, 4-year or above ($2,971) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,602) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

    The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Durham County, NC was $389,400 in 2024, which is 1.17 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $351,700 to $389,400, a 10.7% increase. The homeownership rate in Durham County, NC is 55.5%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Durham County, NC have an average commute time of 22.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Durham County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    In 2025, 15.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Durham County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.18%.

    Housing

    Property

    $389,400
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$6,104
    $78,724
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$2,268

    The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Durham County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

    The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Durham County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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    Rent vs Own

    55.5%
    Homeownership
    2024
    67.6%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 55.5% of the housing units in Durham County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 55%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Durham County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $82,316
    Median Household Income
    ± $1,930
    142k
    Number of Households
    ± 3,538

    In 2024, the median household income of the 142k households in Durham County, NC grew to $82,316 from the previous year's value of $79,501.

    The following chart displays the households in Durham County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

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    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Durham County, NC is from North Carolina.
    0.466
    2024 Wage GINI in North Carolina
    0.467
    2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina

    In 2024, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.16% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

    This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (62.7%)
    2. Worked At Home (22.9%)
    3. Carpooled (8.41%)

    In 2024, 62.7% of workers in Durham County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (22.9%) and those who carpooled to work (8.41%).

    The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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    Commute Time

    22.6 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Durham County, NC have a shorter commute time (22.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.42% of the workforce in Durham County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

    The chart below shows how the median household income in Durham County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

    The following chart displays the households in Durham County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Durham County, NC have 2 cars.

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    Poverty

    Severe Housing Problems

    In 2025, 15.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Durham County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.18%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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    Poverty & Diversity

    11.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Durham County, NC (36.8k out of 320k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Durham County, NC is Black, followed by Hispanic and White.

    The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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    Children in Poverty

    In 2025, 15.1% of the children was living in poverty in Durham County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 12.5%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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    Security

    Crimes & Accidents

    Indicator

    In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 666 in Durham County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 25% per 100,000 population.

    The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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