Durham County, NC

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Population

311,640

1.77% growth

Median Age

35.5


Median Household Income

$59,891

11.3% growth

Poverty Rate

16.4%


Number of Employees

160,515

0.421% growth

Median Property Value

$227,200

16.6% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Durham County, NC had a population of 312k people with a median age of 35.5 and a median household income of $59,891. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Durham County, NC grew from 306,212 to 311,640, a 1.77% increase and its median household income grew from $53,832 to $59,891, a 11.3% increase.

The population of Durham County, NC is 42.4% White Alone, 35.4% Black or African American Alone, and 13.7% Hispanic or Latino. N/A% of the people in Durham County, NC speak a non-English language, and 89.6% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Durham County, NC are Duke University (5,822 degrees awarded in 2016), North Carolina Central University (1,673 degrees), and Durham Technical Community College (959 degrees).

The median property value in Durham County, NC is $227,200, and the homeownership rate is 52.2%. Most people in Durham County, NC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 22.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Durham County, NC is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Durham, NC

Photo by Geoff Alexander

United StatesNorth CarolinaDurham-Chapel Hill, NC

Economy

The economy of Durham County, NC employs 161k people. The largest industries in Durham County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (26,205 people), Educational Services (25,467 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (15,597 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($70,385), Finance & Insurance ($63,684), and Information ($62,035).

Median household income in Durham County, NC is $59,891. Males in Durham County, NC have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,208. The income inequality in Durham County, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.473, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$59,891

2017 value

± $3,454

11.3%

1 Year Growth

± 6.32%

Households in Durham County, NC have a median annual income of $59,891, which is less than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $53,832 in 2016, which represents a 11.3% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Durham County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

$62,048

Average Male Salary

± $1,147

$46,208

Average Female Salary

± $809

In 2017, full-time male employees in North Carolina made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $63,340 ± $4,747

  2. White

    $51,739 ± $820

  3. American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races

    $47,717 ± $31,159

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of North Carolina workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.22 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Durham County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.473

2017 Wage GINI

0.474

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.473 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.293% decline from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2017 the GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 20.08

  2. Census Tract 20.20

  3. Census Tract 16.04

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Durham County, NC was Census Tract 20.08 with a value of $138,971, followed by Census Tract 20.20 and Census Tract 16.04, with respective values of $127,554 and $99,808.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Durham County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

16.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Durham County, NC (47.2k out of 288k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

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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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. Black

    23,206 ± 1,259

  2. White

    16,771 ± 1,018

  3. Hispanic

    11,479 ± 914

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

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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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

161k

2017 Value

± 7,352

0.421%

1 Year growth

± 6.4%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Durham County, NC grew at a rate of 0.421%, from 160k employees to 161k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Durham County, NC, are Management Occupations (19,205 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (17,592 people), and Education, Training, & Library Occupations (14,219 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Durham County, NC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Durham County, NC, by number of employees, are Management Occupations (19,205 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (17,592 people), and Education, Training, & Library Occupations (14,219 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Durham County, NC has an unusually high number of residents working as Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (3.54 times higher than expected), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (1.87 times), and Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations (1.68 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Durham County, NC, by median earnings, are Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($75,517), Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($72,137), and Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($70,524).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

161k

2017 Value

± 7,352

0.421%

1 Year growth

± 6.4%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Durham County, NC grew at a rate of 0.421%, from 160k employees to 161k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Durham County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (26,205 people), Educational Services (25,467 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (15,597 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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Most Common

The most common industries in Durham County, NC, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (26,205 people), Educational Services (25,467 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (15,597 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Durham County, NC has an unusually high number of Educational Services (1.74 times higher than expected), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (1.3 times), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1.17 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Durham County, NC, by median earnings, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($70,385), Finance & Insurance ($63,684), and Information ($62,035).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Mixed freight

    $50.4B

  2. Pharmaceuticals

    $35.3B

  3. Machinery

    $34.5B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $50.4B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($35.3B) and Machinery ($34.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina state.

$407B

2015 Value

$632B

Projected 2045 Value

55.4% growth

In 2015, total outbound North Carolina trade was $407B. This is expected to increase 55.4% to $632B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. South Carolina

    $25.6B

  2. Georgia

    $25.4B

  3. Virginia

    $25.2B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $25.6B, followed by Georgia with $25.4B and Virginia and $25.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

87.5% of the population of Durham County, NC has health coverage, with 48.9% on employee plans, 16.4% on Medicaid, 9.43% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 0.944% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Durham County, NC was $7,264 in 2014. This is a 3.37% increase from the previous year ($7,027).

Primary care physicians in Durham County, NC see 820 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.861% increase from the previous year (813 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1398 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 186 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16.2%). Additionally, Hertford County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (40.5%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

820 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Durham County, NC see an average of 820 patients per year. This represents a 0.861% increase from the previous year (813 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 neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$7,264

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$3,859

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,225

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,260

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in North Carolina (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.37%, from $7,027 to $7,264.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

12.5%

Uninsured

48.9%

Employer Coverage

16.4%

Medicaid

9.43%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

0.944%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Durham County, NC grew by 3.55% from 12% to 12.5%.

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 Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Edgecombe County

    16.2% prevalence

  2. Robeson County

    16.1% prevalence

  3. Hertford County

    16% prevalence

Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina, at 16.2%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Durham County, NC is home to a population of 312k people, from which 89.6% are citizens. As of 2017, 13.4% of Durham County, NC residents were born outside of the country (41.9k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Durham County, NC is composed of 132k White Alone residents (42.4%), 110k Black or African American Alone residents (35.4%), 42.5k Hispanic or Latino residents (13.7%), 14.6k Asian Alone residents (4.7%), 8.58k Two or More Races residents (2.75%), 2.49k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.798%), 567 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.182%), and 230 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0738%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Durham County, NC are N/A.

Age

Age by Nativity

35

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.4

37

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.6

In 2017, the median age of all people in Durham County, NC was 35.5. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 35, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 37. But people in Durham County, NC are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Durham County, NC residents was 35.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

13.4%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

41.9k people

13.1%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

40.2k people

As of 2017, 13.4% of Durham County, NC residents (41.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Durham County, NC was 13.1%, 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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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

    237,569 ± 11,827 people

  2. India

    71,743 ± 6,553 people

  3. Honduras

    36,265 ± 4,667 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 237,569 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 71,743 and Honduras with 36,265.

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Citizenship

89.6%

2017 Citizenship

90.3%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 89.6% of Durham County, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Durham County, NC was 90.3%, 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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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    132k ± 157

  2. Black or African American Alone

    110k ± 3.63k

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    42.5k ± 5k

In 2017, there were 1.2 times more White Alone residents (132k people) in Durham County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 110k Black or African American Alone and 42.5k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

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

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  2. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  3. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

N/A% of Durham County, NC citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is approximately the same as the national average of 21.8%. In N/A, the most common non-English language spoken in Durham County, NC was N/A. N/A% of the overall population of Durham County, NC are native N/A speakers. N/A% speak N/A and N/A% speak N/A, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    4,490 ± 963

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    2,730 ± 915

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    1,963 ± 601

Durham County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.64 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Durham County, NC awarded 8,795 degrees. The student population of Durham County, NC is skewed towards women, with 13,201 male students and 17,534 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Durham County, NC are White (3,261 and 43.2%), followed by Black or African American (2,004 and 26.5%), Asian (839 and 11.1%), and Unknown (767 and 10.2%).

The largest universities in Durham County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Duke University (5,822 and 66.2%), North Carolina Central University (1,673 and 19%), and Durham Technical Community College (959 and 10.9%).

The most popular majors in Durham County, NC are General Business Administration & Management (1,017 and 11.6%), Law (401 and 4.56%), and Registered Nursing (330 and 3.75%).

The median tuition costs in Durham County, NC are $27,188 for private four year colleges, and $3,655 and $16,113 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Biological Sciences

    253 degrees awarded

  2. General Psychology

    250 degrees awarded

  3. Registered Nursing

    210 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Durham County, NC was General Biological Sciences with 253 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Duke University

    5,822 degrees awarded

  2. North Carolina Central University

    1,673 degrees awarded

  3. Durham Technical Community College

    959 degrees awarded

$3,655

Median In-State Public

$27,188

Median Private

In 2016, the Durham County, NC institution with the largest number of graduating students was Duke University with 5,822 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

3,925

Degrees Awarded to Men

4,870

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 3,925 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Durham County, NC, which is 0.806 times less than the 4,870 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Durham County, NC by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    3,261 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    2,004 degrees awarded

  3. Asian

    839 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Durham County, NC were to White students. These 3,261 degrees mean that there were 1.63 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,004 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Durham County, NC was $227,200 in 2017, which is 1.04 times larger than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $194,800 to $227,200, a 16.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Durham County, NC is 52.2%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Durham County, NC have an average commute time of 22.4 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Durham County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$59,891

Median Household Income

± $3,454

126k

Number of Households

± 6,112

In 2017, the median household income of the 126k households in Durham County, NC grew to $59,891 from the previous year's value of $53,832.

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 $75k - $100k range.

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Housing

Property Value

$227,200

2017 Median

± $8,742

$194,800

2016 Median

± $7,955

In 2017, the median property value in Durham County, NC grew to to $227,200 from the previous year's value of $194,800.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Durham County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Durham County, NC the largest share of households have a property value in the $200k - $250k range.

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Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Durham County, NC 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.

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Rent vs Own

52.2%

2017 Homeownership

52.6%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 52.2% of the housing units in Durham County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 52.6%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Durham County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

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, followed by 1 car.

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Commute Time

22.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Durham County, NC have a shorter commute time (22.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 1.78% 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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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    79.3%

  2. Carpooled

    9.67%

  3. Worked At Home

    5.17%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Durham County, NC was Drove Alone (79.3%), followed by those who Carpooled (9.67%) and those who Worked At Home (5.17%).

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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