Population 6,874 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Durham
Household size in Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.37 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.41 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.16 | 2.40 | 2.43 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.74 | 2.36 | 2.40 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.96 | −0.01 | +0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Downtown Durham are small: just 1.74 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.70 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5 | 35.4 | 36.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.9 | 35.8 | 37.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.3 | 37.4 | 39.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.4 | 38.4 | 39.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.1 | +3.0 | +2.9 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.4, Downtown Durham is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 34.5 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
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 Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.9% | 14.1% | 12.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 14.2% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 13.2% | 11.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 11.5% | 10.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.3 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Downtown Durham (11.6%), the same as the national share. The single-parent share has fallen 9.3 points since 2006–10, 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 Downtown Durham
Renters in Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.1% | 44.0% | 38.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 80.3% | 45.3% | 39.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 78.6% | 45.3% | 39.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 79.3% | 43.7% | 37.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown Durham: 79.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 33.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the north. The renter share is down 1.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.4% | 11.4% | 11.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.4% | 9.1% | 9.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.3% | 9.2% | 9.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 8.4% | 9.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −16.1 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Downtown Durham: 13.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 16.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1982 | 1983 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1985 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2002 | 1990 | 1991 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +41 | +8 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Downtown Durham has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2002, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the southeast 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 Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $686 | $929 | $889 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $836 | $985 | $951 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,024 | $1,127 | $1,102 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,434 | $1,548 | $1,501 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$748 | +$619 | +$612 | +$528 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downtown Durham costs $1,434 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $748 a month since 2006–10, up 109%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 27.6% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the north.
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 Downtown Durham
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0% | 42.4% | 43.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.3% | 44.9% | 45.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.9% | 48.2% | 48.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 58.7% | 54.6% | 53.9% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +38.7 pts | +12.2 pts | +10.2 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Downtown Durham: 58.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 38.7 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.3% | 85.6% | 86.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 68.7% | 86.9% | 88.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.3% | 87.7% | 89.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.4% | 90.8% | 91.5% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +23.1 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Downtown Durham is close to the national rate: 88.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Durham as a whole (90.8%). The share with a diploma is up 23.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Downtown Durham
| Period | Downtown Durham | Durham | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 8.7% | 7.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 8.4% | 8.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 4.8% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −12.0 pts | −4.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown Durham runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 12.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Downtown Durham compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Durham | 1.74 | 33.4 | 11.6% | 79.3% | 13.3% | 2002 | $1,434 | 58.7% | 88.4% | 4.5% |
| East Durham | 2.42 | 37.9 | 18.9% | 57.0% | 21.7% | 1964 | $1,120 | 23.0% | 74.7% | 8.7% |
| Trinity Park | 2.10 | 34.8 | 13.5% | 54.7% | 5.9% | 1952 | $1,385 | 72.9% | 97.0% | 1.4% |
| Old West Durham | 1.86 | 28.5 | 10.7% | 85.5% | 24.9% | 1983 | $1,499 | 66.3% | 88.2% | 4.7% |
| Northeast Durham | 2.84 | 40.7 | 17.6% | 29.8% | 7.7% | 1988 | $1,470 | 32.6% | 75.1% | 10.8% |
| North Garrett Road | 2.23 | 39.5 | 7.3% | 55.4% | 9.2% | 1998 | $1,836 | 77.8% | 99.1% | 1.7% |
| University of NC at Chapel Hill | 2.27 | 19.7 | 3.7% | 95.9% | 29.1% | 1993 | $1,414 | 85.7% | 100.0% | 3.9% |
| Downtown Chapel Hill | 2.49 | 20.9 | 3.2% | 73.8% | 13.1% | 2010 | $1,632 | 61.3% | 95.5% | 14.7% |
| Northwest Raleigh | 2.15 | 38.3 | 7.3% | 47.7% | 9.6% | 1998 | $1,765 | 65.0% | 96.8% | 2.4% |
| North | 2.33 | 42.0 | 9.7% | 35.9% | 9.6% | 1992 | $1,701 | 61.7% | 95.3% | 3.9% |
| Glenwood | 2.42 | 41.7 | 3.6% | 34.6% | 7.8% | 1979 | $2,204 | 83.3% | 98.2% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Amphi, Tucson, AZ · Annex, East Haven, CT · West Memorial, Katy, TX · Berkeley Place, Martinsburg, WV · Pueblo, Wichita, KS · Latah Valley, Spokane, WA · Plaza-Eastway, Charlotte, NC · Northwest, Garden City, ID · Northside, Fort Wayne, IN · North Waltham, Waltham, MA
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 Downtown Durham. 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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