Durham, NC

Census Place

Add Comparison

2021 Population

279,106

1% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

34.6

1.47% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

13.5%

4.54% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$66,623

7.52% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$264,100

8.68% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

147,438

0.587% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Durham, NC had a population of 279k people with a median age of 34.6 and a median household income of $66,623. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Durham, NC grew from 276,341 to 279,106, a 1% increase and its median household income grew from $61,962 to $66,623, a 7.52% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Durham, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (40.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (36.7%), White (Hispanic) (6.34%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (5.3%), and Other (Hispanic) (3.69%).

None of the households in Durham, 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.

90.7% of the residents in Durham, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Durham, NC are Duke University (6,654 degrees awarded in 2021), Durham Technical Community College (1,825 degrees), and North Carolina Central University (1,616 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Durham, NC was $264,100, and the homeownership rate was 51.9%.

Most people in Durham, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Durham, NC was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Durham, NC

Photo by Geoff Alexander

United States North Carolina Durham County, NC Wake County, NC Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Raleigh, NC

Population & Diversity

Durham, NC is home to a population of 279k people, from which 90.7% are citizens. As of 2021, 14.6% of Durham, NC residents were born outside of the country (40.7k people).

In 2021, there were 1.11 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (113k people) in Durham, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 103k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 17.7k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

90.7%

2021 Citizenship

90.3%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 90.7% of Durham, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Durham, NC was 90.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Durham, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
113k ± 1.57k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
103k ± 1.8k
White (Hispanic)
17.7k ± 1.66k

13.2%

Hispanic Population

36.9k people

13.2% of the people in Durham, NC are hispanic (36.9k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Durham, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
219,250 ± 11,374 people
India
77,157 ± 6,794 people
Honduras
37,868 ± 4,769 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 219,250 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 77,157 and Honduras with 37,868.

Foreign-Born Population

14.6%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

40.7k people

14.7%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

40.7k people

As of 2021, 14.6% of Durham, NC residents (40.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Durham, NC was 14.7%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,123 ± 420
Gulf War (2001-)
2,419 ± 395
Gulf War (1990s)
2,078 ± 403

Durham, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.29 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Durham, NC employs 147k people. The largest industries in Durham, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (26,361 people), Educational Services (23,861 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (16,635 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($78,802), Finance & Insurance ($77,564), and Utilities ($72,787).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,490. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

147k

2021 Value

± 3,511

0.587%

1 Year growth

± 3.4%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Durham, NC grew at a rate of 0.587%, from 147k employees to 147k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Durham, NC, are Management Occupations (17,879 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (13,783 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (13,618 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Durham, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

147k

2021 Value

± 3,511

0.587%

1 Year growth

± 3.4%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Durham, NC grew at a rate of 0.587%, from 147k employees to 147k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Durham, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (26,361 people), Educational Services (23,861 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (16,635 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Durham, NC, though some of these residents may live in Durham, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$48,776

Median earning men ± $2,747

$41,084

Median earning women ± $1,433

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($81,970), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($72,946), and Public Administration ($70,129).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($65,136), Public Administration ($59,720), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($54,635).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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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

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $53.7B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($49.7B) and Machinery ($44.5B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina.

$462B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $462B. This is expected to increase 100% to $926B by 2050.

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

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

South Carolina
$32.8B
Virginia
$26.1B
Georgia
$18.1B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $32.8B, followed by Virginia with $26.1B and Georgia and $18.1B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 49.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (48.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.881%).

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

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Durham, NC. Showing the available data for North Carolina.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (49.9%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (48.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.881%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 49.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (48.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.881%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in North Carolina for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

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 Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Ted Budd

Senator from North Carolina

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.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Durham, NC awarded 10,254 degrees. The student population of Durham, NC in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 12,026 male students and 17,906 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Durham, NC are White (3,790 and 44.2%), followed by Black or African American (2,194 and 25.6%), Asian (940 and 11%), and Hispanic or Latino (886 and 10.3%).

The largest universities in Durham, NC by number of degrees awarded are Duke University (6,654 and 64.9%), Durham Technical Community College (1,825 and 17.8%), and North Carolina Central University (1,616 and 15.8%).

The most popular majors in Durham, NC are General Business Administration & Management (999 and 9.74%), Information Technology (435 and 4.24%), and Computer Science (404 and 3.94%).

The median tuition costs in Durham, NC are $39,121 for private four year colleges, and $3,728 and $16,435 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Durham, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 15.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 31.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 29,932 (40.2% men and 59.8% 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.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 29,932 students enrolled in Durham, NC, 40.2% men and 59.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 9,515 records, of which 56.9% were women and 43.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
778 degrees awarded
Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
380 degrees awarded
Theological Studies
154 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Durham, NC was General Business Administration & Management with 778 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Duke University
6,654 degrees awarded
Durham Technical Community College
1,825 degrees awarded
North Carolina Central University
1,616 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Duke University with 6,654 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 4,308 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Durham, NC, which is 0.725 times less than the 5,946 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,790 degrees mean that there were 1.73 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,194 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($39,121) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,916) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,500) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2021, 0.886% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.756% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (2.13M), Some college (1.85M), and Bachelors Degree (1.58M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Durham, NC was $264,100 in 2021, which is 1.08 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $243,000 to $264,100, a 8.68% increase. The homeownership rate in Durham, NC is 51.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Durham, NC have an average commute time of 22.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Durham, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Durham, NC is $66,623. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in Durham, NC was Census Tract 20.08 with a value of $192,500, followed by Census Tract 20.20 and Census Tract 112.04, with respective values of $166,008 and $158,750.

Housing

Property

$264,100

Median Property Value 2021

±$5,327

$61,047

Median Property Taxes

±$2,139

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, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

51.9%

Homeownership

2021

67.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 51.9% of the housing units in Durham, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 51.6%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 20.08
Census Tract 20.20
Census Tract 112.04

In 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Durham, NC was Census Tract 20.08 with a value of $192,500, followed by Census Tract 20.20 and Census Tract 112.04, with respective values of $166,008 and $158,750.

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

Household Income

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

$66,623

Median Household Income

± $2,223

118k

Number of Households

± 3,191

In 2021, the median household income of the 118k households in Durham, NC grew to $66,623 from the previous year's value of $61,962.

The following chart displays the households in Durham, 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.

Wage Distribution

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

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2021, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.00774% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (70.7%)
Worked At Home (14.6%)
Carpooled (7.99%)

In 2021, 70.7% of workers in Durham, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14.6%) and those who carpooled to work (7.99%).

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.

Commute Time

22.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Durham, NC have a shorter commute time (22.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.39% of the workforce in Durham, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

13.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Durham, NC (36.3k out of 268k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Durham, 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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

88.1% of the population of Durham, NC has health coverage, with 53% on employee plans, 14% on Medicaid, 9.17% on Medicare, 10.9% on non-group plans, and 1.01% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Durham County, NC see 790 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.5% decrease from the previous year (802 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1358 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 150 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Durham County, NC.

790 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Durham County, NC

Primary care physicians in Durham County, NC see an average of 790 patients per year. This represents a 1.5% decrease from the previous year (802 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.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.6% under 18 years, 28.4% between 18 and 34 years, 36.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46% were men and 54% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.9%

Uninsured

53%

Employer Coverage

14%

Medicaid

9.17%

Medicare

10.9%

Non-Group

1.01%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Durham, NC declined by 3.49% from 12.3% to 11.9%.

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