CITY
Durham
North Carolina · 305,561 residents (2025 est.) · 117 sq mi
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Part of the Durham metro area
Notable rankings
#70Largest by populationof 4,896305,561The short version
Durham is home to 291,467 people in North Carolina. This is an unusually credentialed place: 57% of adults have a four-year degree. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 104,432 people. 52% of homes are owner-occupied. This skews young, with a median age of 35.1. Density works out to 2,496 people per square mile.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
57% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 72%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
291,467
+56%since 2000
from 187,035 in 2000
305,561 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
117 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024291K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.1%(17,889)
5 to 95.2%(15,205)
10 to 145.5%(16,119)
15 to 196.4%(18,561)
20 to 247.4%(21,561)
25 to 3419.2%(56,010)
35 to 4414.4%(41,918)
45 to 5411.5%(33,519)
55 to 6410.7%(31,243)
65 to 748.4%(24,459)
75 to 843.8%(11,087)
85 and over1.3%(3,896)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$81,619
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,160 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
54.5%
+25.8 ptssince 2009
from 28.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information7.2%
Retail trade7.2%
Other services6.2%
Wholesale trade5.5%
Public administration4.6%
Finance & insurance3.2%
Professional, scientific, technical2.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
Education & health services0.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
Construction0.3%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$392,800
+72%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $125,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
4.8
+32%since 2009
from 3.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
79
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic42.4%(79,277)
Black43.5%(81,370)
Hispanic / Latino8.6%(16,012)
Asian3.6%(6,782)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic40.3%(117,487)
Black33.2%(96,808)
Hispanic / Latino15.2%(44,260)
Asian5.8%(16,949)
Other5.5%(15,963)
87
+7%since 2009
from 82 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican6.7%(19,568)
Central American5.1%(14,738)
Honduran2.7%(7,983)
Salvadoran1.3%(3,812)
South American1.1%(3,297)
Puerto Rican1%(2,953)
Guatemalan0.7%(2,154)
Cuban0.5%(1,520)
Colombian0.5%(1,490)
Dominican0.2%(537)
Venezuelan0.2%(498)
Spaniard0.1%(424)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Costa Rican0.1%(421)
Ecuadorian0.1%(401)
Nicaraguan0.1%(352)
Argentine0.1%(338)
Peruvian0.1%(298)
Chilean0.1%(172)
Bolivian0%(63)
Uruguayan0%(37)
Panamanian0%(9)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.5%(4,487)
Chinese1.5%(4,418)
Filipino0.6%(1,790)
Vietnamese0.4%(1,154)
Korean0.3%(870)
Pakistani0.2%(639)
Taiwanese0.2%(544)
Japanese0.2%(498)
Thai0.1%(428)
Burmese0.1%(360)
Nepalese0.1%(357)
Kazakh0%(131)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Ancestry
English10.6%(30,871)
German8.1%(23,675)
Irish7.2%(21,056)
Italian3.7%(10,701)
American3.6%(10,503)
Subsaharan African3.1%(8,957)
Scottish2%(5,921)
Polish1.9%(5,488)
French1.5%(4,392)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(3,093)
West Indian1%(2,956)
Swedish0.8%(2,450)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Nigerian0.7%(2,122)
Norwegian0.7%(2,034)
British0.7%(1,963)
Dutch0.6%(1,838)
Arab0.6%(1,756)
Welsh0.6%(1,748)
Jamaican0.6%(1,679)
Russian0.5%(1,474)
Ethiopian0.4%(1,225)
French Canadian0.4%(1,142)
Czech0.3%(962)
Greek0.3%(882)
Lithuanian0.3%(760)
Ukrainian0.3%(758)
Hungarian0.2%(700)
Danish0.2%(695)
Canadian0.2%(657)
Swiss0.2%(613)
Austrian0.2%(600)
Portuguese0.2%(482)
Haitian0.2%(449)
Brazilian0.2%(442)
Ghanaian0.1%(412)
Egyptian0.1%(411)
Slovak0.1%(404)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(400)
Romanian0.1%(384)
Armenian0.1%(372)
Lebanese0.1%(327)
Finnish0.1%(318)
Iraqi0.1%(308)
Iranian0.1%(272)
Syrian0.1%(238)
Kenyan0.1%(212)
Guyanese0.1%(210)
Belgian0.1%(207)
Serbian0.1%(206)
Croatian0.1%(189)
Israeli0.1%(146)
Turkish0%(145)
Moroccan0%(92)
Slovene0%(91)
Palestinian0%(86)
Somali0%(61)
Latvian0%(37)
Bulgarian0%(35)
Jordanian0%(31)
Barbadian0%(30)
Australian0%(19)
Macedonian0%(19)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
92.1%
+9.5 ptssince 2000
from 82.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
81.1%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 79.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
97.4%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 94.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married43.5%(49,008)
Married46.8%(52,749)
Widowed1.5%(1,696)
Divorced8.2%(9,212)
Women 15+
Never married42.7%(55,344)
Married40.1%(51,976)
Widowed5.7%(7,438)
Divorced11.4%(14,831)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
13.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
1.7%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 1.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
71.2%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 69.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
28.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 27.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)27.1%(3,057)
Gulf War (1990s)27.1%(3,061)
Vietnam era24.8%(2,802)
Korean War3.1%(355)
World War II1.3%(144)
Share of the 11,287 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Explore
Neighborhoods in Durham
Hope ValleyNeighborhoods in Durham
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Durham, North Carolina?
Durham, North Carolina has about 291,467 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Durham, North Carolina?
The typical household in Durham, North Carolina earns about $81,619 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Durham, North Carolina expensive?
In Durham, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $392,800, and the typical rent is about $1,508 a month.
How educated are people in Durham, North Carolina?
About 57.3% of adults age 25 and over in Durham, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Durham, North Carolina?
About 11.7% of people in Durham, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Durham, North Carolina grown since 1990?
Yes, Durham, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 154,873 residents, a change of about 113 percent over that period.
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North CarolinaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024