Durham Stats

Durham at a glance.

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 fifth-most populous county.

Durham is the third-most populous city in North Carolina

It ranks at the 70th largest city in the United States by population

2023 population of Durham is 336,892

Median age (as per 2023 Census): 36
Median income (as per 2023 Census): $81,545

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 Ethnicity (as per 2023 Census)

White: 41.8%
Black or African American: 31.7%
Hispanic or Latino: 15.4%
Asian: 5%
Two or More Races: 5.4%
American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.3%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0%

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 2023 Census)

High School graduate or higher: 92%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 57%

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

17,499 total students
- 6,523 undergraduate students
- 10,976 graduate and professional students
7,369 total degrees conferred (June 2024)
2,596 undergraduate degrees conferred
4,773 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

9,281 total students
- 7,325 undergraduate students
- 1,956 graduate and professional students
1,643 total degrees conferred (Fall 2025)
No. 13 HBCU nationwide, U.S. News & World Report 2025

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. All of these institutions and businesses combine to continue to make Durham a hub for innovation.

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.