Durham, North Carolina Population 2023

287,794

Durham is a city located in Durham County and Orange County North Carolina. It is also the county seat of Durham County. With a 2023 population of 287,794, it is the 4th largest city in North Carolina and the 73rd largest city in the United States.Durham is currently growing at a rate of 0.4% annually and its population has increased by 1.19% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 284,400 in 2020. Spanning over 113 miles, Durham has a population density of 2,565 people per square mile.

The average household income in Durham is $82,573 with a poverty rate of 16.6%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Durham is 34.1 years, 32.9 years for males, and 35 years for females.

Durham is most-known for its role within the “Research Triangle” of North Carolina, which also includes the cities of Raleigh and Chapel Hill. The city is home to Duke University and is a diverse city that is known for its cultural events, schools and institutions, sports, music and the arts. Over 34,000 people are employed by Duke University and the Duke University Health System. Other major employers include IBM, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of NC, and the City of Durham, to name a few.

Durham Population Growth

The city of Durham has seen rapid population growth throughout its history. Most recently, the population has grown over 15% between the 2010 census and estimates taken in 2016. Before that, the polls between 2000 and 2010 recorded over 22% growth. A thriving economy, jobs at major companies, and educational opportunities will keep the city of Durham’s population on the upswing far into the future.

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. In its early history, before the development of the region’s railroad, Durham was an agricultural center. The development of Hillsborough Road, which served as a major route through the state, led to population growth. A railroad depot was constructed before the Civil War. While growth was slow before the war, the end of the Civil War brought about much more rapid population growth. This was primarily because of the city’s thriving tobacco industry.

Durham was incorporated as a city in 1869. The early 1900s saw continued population growth because of the tobacco industry. Washington Duke's W. Duke & Sons Tobacco Company was a prosperous company that brought wealth to the city. However, antitrust laws broke up what was a monopoly, allowing the family to retain American Tobacco. The Dukes went on to become involved in the generation of electric power, establishing Duke Power, which is now known as Duke Energy and provided electricity to residents in North Carolina before eventually expanded to other states.

The city faced some troubles in 1914 when a fire destroyed much of the downtown business district. This led to the establishment of a city water system. Durham in its earliest years also became known its black community, with an area known as Hayti becoming home to some of the most successful black-owned businesses in the 20th century. The first publicly supported liberal arts college for blacks was also founded here in 1910. This university – North Carolina Central University – wasn’t the only institution the city became known for. Later, Trinity College became Duke University and is one of the most renowned colleges in the country.

Today, Duke University and Duke Medical Center are two of the city’s largest employers. City officials have also tackled a revitalization of the downtown area, including the construction of the $80 million “City Center Tower.” Other projects are currently underway, including the development of a boutique hotel, upscale restaurants, and a contemporary art museum.

Durham Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Durham was:

  • White: 48.43%
  • Black or African American: 37.48%
  • Asian: 5.37%
  • Two or more races: 5.11%
  • Other race: 3.29%
  • Native American: 0.27%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.05%
The current population of Durham, North Carolina is 287,794 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 284,400.

Durham, North Carolina Population 2023

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Durham Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

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White

Black or African American

Asian

Two or more races

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Durham Population by Race

Durham Population Pyramid 2023

Durham Median Age

34.1

Total

32.9

Male

35

Female

Durham Adults

There are 217,557 adults, (32,915 of whom are seniors) in Durham.

Durham Age Dependency

49.7

Age Dependency Ratio

17.8

Old Age Dependency Ratio

31.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Durham Sex Ratio

Female146,61153.05%
Male129,73046.95%

Durham Population by Age

Durham Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.04

Average Family Size

2.31

Average Household Size

51.6%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Durham Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Durham Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Durham Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 86.16%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 60.57%.

Durham Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$42,299

Average Earnings

$44,820

Average Male

$39,833

Average Female

Durham Earnings by Educational Attainment

Durham Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Durham Language

80.87% of Durham residents speak only English, while 19.13% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 11.98% of the population.

Durham Language

Durham Poverty by Race

rate

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16.6%

Overall Poverty Rate

13.55%

Male Poverty Rate

14.74%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Durham

The race most likely to be in poverty in Durham is Hispanic, with 36.81% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Durham is White, with 7.76% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.8%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.17%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 25.88%.

Durham Poverty

rate

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Durham Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Durham Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Durham Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Durham Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

40.5%

Overall Marriage Rate

44.3%

Male Marriage Rate

37.3%

Female Marriage Rate

Durham Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Durham Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Durham Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Durham Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

11,503

Number of Veterans

10,000

Male Veterans

1,503

Female Veterans

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Durham Veterans by War

count

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Durham Veterans by Age

count

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Durham Veterans by Race

Durham Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

8.45%

Veteran Poverty Rate

28.43%

Veteran Disability Rate

Durham Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

69%

Labor Force Participation

65.6%

Employment Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

Durham Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Durham Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Durham Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

45.1%

Born in Durham

82.87%

Native Born

14.3%

Foreign Born

9.42%

Non Citizen

4.87%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

82.87% of Durham residents were born in the United States, with 45.1% having been born in North Carolina. 9.42% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Durham Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change
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Durham Population by Year