Population 332,353 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Durham County
Household size in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.38 | 2.43 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.40 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | +0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Durham County is a place of small households, averaging 2.32 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. That is in line with the rest of the Chapel Hill area. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.36, in line with the national trend.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.2 | 36.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.6 | 37.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.2 | 39.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.2 | 39.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +2.9 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Durham County is 38.2 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.2, mirroring the country. Only nine of North Carolina's 100 counties are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 12.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 11.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 10.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Durham County (11.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Chapel Hill area as a whole (10.2%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Durham County
Renters in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.4% | 38.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.6% | 39.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.7% | 39.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 44.5% | 37.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Durham County rent their homes (44.5%), above the national share of 34.8%. Nearly a third of owners (31.9%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast. Few North Carolina counties have a higher share of renters: only three of 100.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 11.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 9.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 9.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 9.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Durham County is close to the national rate: 8.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.0 points, as it has nationally. Of North Carolina's 100 counties, only eight have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1983 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1991 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Durham County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1990, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $930 | $889 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $988 | $951 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,168 | $1,102 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,573 | $1,501 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$643 | +$612 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Durham County runs $1,573 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $643 a month since 2006–10, up 69%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Durham County
Bachelor's degrees in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.9% | 43.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.3% | 45.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.1% | 48.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 55.0% | 53.9% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.1 pts | +10.2 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Durham County is highly educated: more than half of adults 25 and older (55.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 12.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of North Carolina's 100 counties, only two have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.0% | 86.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.4% | 88.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.2% | 89.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.1% | 91.5% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Durham County have finished high school (91.1%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Chapel Hill area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.0 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Durham County
| Period | Durham County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 7.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 8.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −3.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Durham County than nationally: unemployment was 4.2%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Durham County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham County | 2.32 | 38.2 | 11.5% | 44.5% | 8.5% | 1990 | $1,573 | 55.0% | 91.1% | 4.2% |
| Orange County | 2.49 | 38.7 | 8.2% | 36.2% | 10.3% | 1991 | $1,507 | 62.6% | 93.5% | 3.4% |
| Alamance County | 2.51 | 39.6 | 12.2% | 35.0% | 9.7% | 1986 | $1,093 | 28.6% | 88.2% | 5.2% |
| Franklin County | 2.57 | 41.9 | 10.9% | 21.4% | 8.7% | 1997 | $1,106 | 27.8% | 89.2% | 4.8% |
| Guilford County | 2.44 | 38.6 | 12.8% | 40.1% | 10.2% | 1984 | $1,268 | 38.9% | 90.7% | 4.7% |
| Nash County | 2.49 | 42.5 | 13.0% | 36.4% | 11.6% | 1985 | $918 | 21.9% | 87.0% | 4.6% |
| Edgecombe County | 2.49 | 41.1 | 18.5% | 39.2% | 17.3% | 1977 | $891 | 17.6% | 84.9% | 8.5% |
| Davidson County | 2.49 | 42.7 | 11.7% | 25.6% | 9.5% | 1985 | $980 | 21.5% | 88.4% | 4.3% |
| Davie County | 2.61 | 44.3 | 8.4% | 17.8% | 10.8% | 1988 | $908 | 27.3% | 91.1% | 4.8% |
| Martin County | 2.30 | 45.5 | 11.6% | 33.2% | 13.6% | 1978 | $770 | 16.9% | 85.1% | 5.7% |
| Bertie County | 2.26 | 47.7 | 10.5% | 27.3% | 22.0% | 1980 | $815 | 18.3% | 81.1% | 7.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Somerset County, NJ · Chesterfield County, VA · Clackamas County, OR · Thurston County, WA · Collier County, FL · Cumberland County, NC · Cumberland County, PA · Sussex County, DE · Davis County, UT · Douglas County, CO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Durham County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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