Durham is a city in and the county seat of Durham County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County and Wake County.

Durham is in the east-central part of the Piedmont region along the Eno River.

Durham was incorporated as a city in 1869, but its history began long before that. The Eno and the Occoneechi were believed to have first lived in the area and it is thought that there was once a village named Adshusheer located where Durham currently stands.

Durham County is North Carolina’s sixth-most populous county.

Durham is the fourth-most populous city in North Carolina

79th largest city in the United States

2020 population of Durham is 324,833

Median age (as per July 1, 2019 Census): 33.8
Median income (as per July 1, 2019 Census): $60, 958

Durham is 114 square miles

Downtown Durham is less than a square mile, making it the perfect place to walk and explore all of the shops and eateries

Race and Hispanic Origin (as per July 1, 2019 Census)

White: 54%
Black or African American: 36.9%
Hispanic or Latino: 13.7%
Asian: 5.5%
Two or More Races: 2.6%
American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%

Durham has a strong history of diversity and entrepreneurial prowess and there are over 200 Black-owned businesses in Durham, ranging from artisan crafts and jewelry to spa services and confectionary.

Durham is home to several recognized institutions of higher education, most notably Duke University and North Carolina Central University. 

Education (as per July 1, 2019 Census)

High School graduate or higher: 88.4%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 48.2%

Duke University is a private research university. Duke's campus spans over 8,600 acres (3,500 hectares) on three contiguous sub-campuses in Durham, as well as a marine lab in Beaufort. 

Duke Facts

15,634 total students
- 6,526 undergraduate students
- 9,108 graduate and professional students

6,260 total degrees conferred (June 2019)
2,387 undergraduate degrees conferred
3,873 graduate & professional degrees conferred.

North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is a historically black university that is part of the University of North Carolina system.

NCCU Facts

8,207 total students
- 6,434 undergraduate students
- 1,773 graduate and professional students
1,012 total degrees conferred (Fall 2018)
#1 ranked historically black college of 2020, Best Colleges

The oldest publicly-funded liberal arts college founded for African-Americans in the U.S.

Together, the two universities make Durham one of the vertices of the Research Triangle area; central to this is the Research Triangle Park south of Durham, which encompasses an area of 11 square miles and is devoted to research facilities.

Durham is also a national leader in health-related activities, gaining a reputation as the “City of Medicine.” Duke and its Duke University Health System are the largest employers in the city.

Durham summers are hot and muggy, the winters are short and cold, and it is wet and partly cloudy year-round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 32°F to 89°F and is rarely below 19°F or above 95°F.

The average high and low temperatures for Durham in June is 85°F / 63°F

Still have questions? You can find out more information via our Overview and Facts page, or by contacting Margaret Pentrack, Sr. Director of Marketing.

Durham Stats