Durham County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Durham County has a population of 332,353 residents and a median age of 36.1 years, making it the #221 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.5%. The median home value is $389,400, and the median household income is $82,316, which is 10% above the national median.
Demographics
Durham County has a population of 332,353, making it the #221 most populous county in the US. The median age is 36.1 years, which is 7.2% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Durham County is $82,316, ranking #498 out of 3,222 counties — 9.5% above the national median. The poverty rate is 11.5% and unemployment stands at 3.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Durham County is $389,400 (+38.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,508/mo and the homeownership rate is 55.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Durham County, 55.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 63.9% above the national average, ranking #52 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Durham County is 79.2 years. 14.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
10.6% of adults in Durham County smoke , 32.5% are obese , and 20.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 31.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Durham County is 11.9 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 8.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 10.5 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
15.1% of children in Durham County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.8 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 14.6 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Durham County is 79.8%. The mean commute time is 24.9 min, which is 9.8% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Durham County voted Democratic with a margin of 62.0%. The vote was 80.2% Dem / 18.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Durham County, North Carolina
Durham County, North Carolina has a total population of 332,353, making it the 221st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Durham County is 36.1 years, which is 7.2% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Durham County is $82,316, which ranks #498 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 9.5% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.5%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.9%.
The median home value in Durham County is $389,400, 38.1% above the national median. Renters in Durham County pay a median gross rent of $1,508 per month. The homeownership rate is 55.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Durham County, 55.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 63.9% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.9 min.
Durham County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 41.7% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (31.8%) and Hispanic or Latino (15.8%).
All data for Durham County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.