Durham County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Durham County, North Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Durham County, North Carolina has a population of 332,353, the 6th most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $82,316 and the median home value is $389,400. The poverty rate is 11.5%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Durham County Quick Facts

Population 332,353

Median Household Income $82,316

Median Home Value $389,400

Poverty Rate 11.5%

Unemployment Rate 3.9%

Median Age 36.1 years

Homeownership Rate 55.5%

Affordability Ratio 4.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 55.2%

High School Graduation 91.5%

Cities/Places 4

Population 332,353 6th of 100

Median Income $82,316 14% higher than state

Poverty Rate 11.5%

Unemployment 3.9%

How Durham County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	329,405	332,353	+0.9%
Median household income	$79,501	$82,316	+3.5%
Median home value	$351,700	$389,400	+10.7%

Median Household Income

Durham

$82,316

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Durham

$389,400

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 12.4%

$25K-$50K 16.3%

$50K-$100K 29.2%

$100K+ 42.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.4%

$10K-$15K

2.4%

$15K-$20K

2.6%

$20K-$25K

3.0%

$25K-$30K

3.0%

$30K-$35K

3.0%

$35K-$40K

3.6%

$40K-$45K

3.6%

$45K-$50K

3.1%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

12.9%

$100K-$125K

10.4%

$125K-$150K

8.0%

$150K-$200K

10.1%

$200K+

13.6%

Employment

3.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

67.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 55.5%

Renter 44.5%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,508/mo 22.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.0%

18-34

28.1%

35-54

26.2%

55-74

20.1%

75+

5.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very High Diversity

This community is exceptionally diverse, with no single racial or ethnic group dominating the population.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Durham County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Durham	291,467	$81,619	11.7%	$392,800
Chapel Hill	61,607	$85,989	18.6%	$613,700
Gorman	1,591	$47,297	18.8%	N/A
Rougemont	703	$104,327	5.5%	$298,500

Explore North Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Durham County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 332,353. It is the 6th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Durham County is 36.1 years. This is 8% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Durham County is $82,316. This is 14% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 2% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.5%. This is 12% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $389,400. Housing costs are 35% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.7x. 55.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Durham County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Black or African American residents account for 31.8%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (31.8% vs 20.0%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (5.4% vs 3.3%).

Education

55.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Durham County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 55% higher than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.5%. Notably, 26.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Durham County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against North Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Durham County, North Carolina?

Durham County has a population of 332,353, making it the 6th most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Durham County?

The median household income in Durham County is $82,316 with a poverty rate of 11.5%.

How many cities are in Durham County, North Carolina?

Durham County contains 4 Census-designated places.