Durham, NC

Census Place

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2020 Population

276,341

2.46% 1-year growth

US Senator

Richard Burr

Republican Party

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

2018 Median Age

33.8

0.595% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

14.2%

10.7% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$61,962

5.19% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$243,000

8.43% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

146,578

2.19% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Durham, NC had a population of 276k people with a median age of 33.8 and a median household income of $61,962. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Durham, NC grew from 269,702 to 276,341, a 2.46% increase and its median household income grew from $58,905 to $61,962, a 5.19% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Durham, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (40%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (37.1%), White (Hispanic) (8.47%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (5.32%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.36%).

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.

90.3% of the residents in Durham, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Durham, NC are Duke University (6,971 degrees awarded in 2020), North Carolina Central University (1,761 degrees), and Durham Technical Community College (1,317 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Durham, NC was $243,000, and the homeownership rate was 51.6%.

Most people in Durham, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Durham, NC was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Durham, NC

Photo by Geoff Alexander

Population & Diversity

Durham, NC is home to a population of 276k people, from which 90.3% are citizens. As of 2020, 14.7% of Durham, NC residents were born outside of the country (40.7k people).

In 2020, there were 1.08 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (110k people) in Durham, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 102k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 23.4k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

90.3%

2020 Citizenship

90%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 90.3% of Durham, NC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Durham, NC was 90%, 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)
110k ± 1.57k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
102k ± 1.48k
White (Hispanic)
23.4k ± 1.74k

13.8%

Hispanic Population

38.2k people

13.8% of the people in Durham, NC are hispanic (38.2k 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
224,275 ± 11,501 people
India
74,765 ± 6,689 people
Honduras
37,815 ± 4,766 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,275 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 74,765 and Honduras with 37,815.

Foreign-Born Population

14.7%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

40.7k people

15%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

40.4k people

As of 2020, 14.7% of Durham, NC residents (40.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Durham, NC was 15%, 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
3,088 ± 399
Gulf War (2001-)
2,509 ± 438
Gulf War (1990s)
1,973 ± 341

Durham, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.23 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 (26,797 people), Educational Services (22,269 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (15,655 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($74,328), Finance & Insurance ($63,935), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($57,505).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,357. 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

2020 Value

± 3,605

2.19%

1 Year growth

± 3.23%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Durham, NC grew at a rate of 2.19%, from 143k employees to 147k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Durham, NC, are Management Occupations (16,569 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (14,207 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (12,959 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 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

147k

2020 Value

± 3,605

2.19%

1 Year growth

± 3.23%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Durham, NC grew at a rate of 2.19%, from 143k employees to 147k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Durham, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (26,797 people), Educational Services (22,269 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (15,655 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

$43,269

Median earning men ± $1,357

$37,792

Median earning women ± $1,359

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,686), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($64,761), and Public Administration ($64,489).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($53,717), Information ($51,355), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($50,494).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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 $53.9B, followed by Machinery ($49B) and Pharmaceuticals ($48.7B).

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.

$488B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

89.6% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $488B. This is expected to increase 89.6% 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
$35.1B
Virginia
$27B
Georgia
$18.5B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $35.1B, followed by Virginia with $27B and Georgia and $18.5B.

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

Civics

Richard Burr and Thom Tillis 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 13 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senators Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Richard Burr

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2005

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Richard Burr and Thom Tillis 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 Representatives Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 13 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 2020, universities in Durham, NC awarded 10,139 degrees. The student population of Durham, NC in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 11,706 male students and 17,508 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Durham, NC are White (3,686 and 45.5%), followed by Black or African American (2,107 and 26%), Asian (1,016 and 12.5%), and Hispanic or Latino (707 and 8.73%).

The largest universities in Durham, NC by number of degrees awarded are Duke University (6,971 and 68.8%), North Carolina Central University (1,761 and 17.4%), and Durham Technical Community College (1,317 and 13%).

The most popular majors in Durham, NC are General Business Administration & Management (967 and 9.54%), Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods (419 and 4.13%), and Computer Science (397 and 3.92%).

The median tuition costs in Durham, NC are $55,880 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 2020 in Durham, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 20.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 29.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 29,214 (40.1% men and 59.9% 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 2020 there were 29,214 students enrolled in Durham, NC, 40.1% men and 59.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 9,656 records, of which 56.8% were women and 43.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Physician Assistant
179 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
767 degree-majors awarded
Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
419 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Durham, NC was Physician Assistant with 179 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
6,971 degrees awarded
North Carolina Central University
1,761 degrees awarded
Durham Technical Community College
1,317 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Duke University with 6,971 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 4,389 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Durham, NC, which is 0.763 times less than the 5,750 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,686 degrees mean that there were 1.75 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,107 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 ($55,880) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,901) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

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 2020, 0.849% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.733% 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 2020 were High School or Equivalent (2.14M), Some college (1.89M), and Bachelors Degree (1.54M).

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 $243,000 in 2020, which is 1.06 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $224,100 to $243,000, a 8.43% increase. The homeownership rate in Durham, NC is 51.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Durham, NC have an average commute time of 22.8 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 $61,962. In 2020, the place with the highest median household income in Durham, NC was Census Tract 20.08 with a value of $153,750, followed by Census Tract 20.20 and Census Tract 112.04, with respective values of $151,629 and $138,523.

Housing

Property

$243,000

Median Property Value 2020

±$4,560

$59,063

Median Property Taxes

±$2,002

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

51.6%

Homeownership

2020

67.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 51.6% of the housing units in Durham, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 50.2%.

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 2020, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Durham, NC was Census Tract 20.08 with a value of $153,750, followed by Census Tract 20.20 and Census Tract 112.04, with respective values of $151,629 and $138,523.

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.

$61,962

Median Household Income

± $1,444

114k

Number of Households

± 3,080

In 2020, the median household income of the 114k households in Durham, NC grew to $61,962 from the previous year's value of $58,905.

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

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.472

2019 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2020, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.395% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 2020

Drove Alone (74.8%)
Worked At Home (9.58%)
Carpooled (8.25%)

In 2020, 74.8% of workers in Durham, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.58%) and those who carpooled to work (8.25%).

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

22.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Durham, NC have a shorter commute time (22.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.62% 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

14.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Durham, NC (37.6k out of 265k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. 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

87.7% of the population of Durham, NC has health coverage, with 52.1% on employee plans, 14% on Medicaid, 8.76% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 0.926% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in North Carolina 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 802 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.23% decrease from the previous year (812 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1334 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 161 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for North Carolina. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in North Carolina, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

802 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Durham County, NC

Primary care physicians in Durham County, NC see an average of 802 patients per year. This represents a 1.23% decrease from the previous year (812 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of North Carolina across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23% under 18 years, 28.9% between 18 and 34 years, 36.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 11.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.7% were men and 54.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

12.3%

Uninsured

52.1%

Employer Coverage

14%

Medicaid

8.76%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

0.926%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Durham, NC declined by 1.35% from 12.5% to 12.3%.

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.