Durham County, North Carolina

County in North Carolina, United States

Not to be confused with Durham, North Carolina or County Durham.

County in North Carolina

Durham County

County

Durham County Courthouse

Flag

Seal

Logo

Motto:

"Live. Grow. Thrive."

Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina

North Carolina's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 36°02′N 78°53′W﻿ / ﻿36.03°N 78.88°W﻿ / 36.03; -78.88
Country|  United States
State|  North Carolina
Founded| 1881
Named after| Bartlett Snipes Durham
Seat| Durham
Largest community| Durham
Area

• Total

| 297.86 sq mi (771.5 km2)
• Land| 286.53 sq mi (742.1 km2)
• Water| 11.33 sq mi (29.3 km2)  3.80%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 324,833

• Estimate

(2023)

| 336,892
• Density| 1,100/sq mi (420/km2)
Time zone| UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district| 4th
Website| dconc.gov

Durham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 324,833,[1] making it the sixth-most populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Durham,[2] which is the only incorporated municipality predominantly in the county, though very small portions of cities and towns mostly in neighboring counties also extend into Durham County. The central and southern parts of Durham County are highly urban, consisting of the city as well as several unincorporated suburbs. Southeastern Durham County is dominated by the Research Triangle Park, most of which is in Durham County. The northern third of Durham County is rural in nature. Durham County is the core of the Durham–Chapel Hill, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Raleigh–Durham–Cary, NC Combined Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 2,368,947 in 2023.[3]

## History

[edit]

See also: Timeline of Durham, North Carolina

The county was formed on April 17, 1881, from parts of Orange County and Wake County, taking the name of its own county seat. In 1911, parts of Cedar Fork Township of Wake County were transferred to Durham County and became Carr Township.

## Geography

[edit]

Interactive map of Durham County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 297.86 square miles (771.5 km2), of which 286.53 square miles (742.1 km2) is land and 11.33 square miles (29.3 km2) (3.80%) is water.[4]

### State and local protected areas/sites

[edit]

* Bennett Place State Historic Site
* Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land (part)[5]
* Duke Homestead and Tobacco Factory
* East Durham Historic District
* Eno River State Park (part)
* Falls Lake State Recreation Area (part)
* Historic Stagville
* Hollow Rock Nature Park (part)[6]
* Horton Grove Nature Preserve[7]
* Jordan Game Land (part)[5]
* Little River Regional Park and Natural Area (part)[8]
* Mason Farm Biological Reserve (part)[9]
* Museum of Life and Science
* Rolling View State Recreation Area (part)[10]

### Major water bodies

[edit]

* B. Everett Jordan Lake
* Crabtree Creek
* Ellerbe Creek
* Eno River
* Falls Lake
* Flat River
* Lake Michie
* Little River
* New Hope Creek
* Stirrup Iron Creek

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Person County – north
* Granville County – northeast
* Wake County – east-southeast
* Chatham County – south
* Orange County – west

### Major highways

[edit]

* I-40
* I-85

I-540 / NC 540 Toll

I-885 / NC 885 Toll
* US 15

US 15 Bus.
* US 70

US 70 Bus. (Durham)

US 70 Bus. (to Orange County)
* US 501
* NC 54
* NC 55
* NC 98
* NC 147
* NC 157
* NC 751

NC 751 Truck (truck route)

### Major infrastructure

[edit]

* Durham Station

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1890| 18,041| | —
1900| 26,233| | 45.4%
1910| 35,276| | 34.5%
1920| 42,219| | 19.7%
1930| 67,196| | 59.2%
1940| 80,244| | 19.4%
1950| 101,639| | 26.7%
1960| 111,995| | 10.2%
1970| 132,681| | 18.5%
1980| 152,785| | 15.2%
1990| 181,835| | 19.0%
2000| 223,314| | 22.8%
2010| 267,587| | 19.8%
2020| 324,833| | 21.4%
2023 (est.)| 336,892| [1]| 3.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[1]

### 2020 census

[edit]

Durham County racial composition[15] Race  | Number  | Percentage

|
|

White (non-Hispanic)  | 133,768  | 41.18%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)  | 109,225  | 33.62%
Native American | 704  | 0.22%
Asian | 16,707  | 5.14%
Pacific Islander | 83  | 0.03%
Other/Mixed | 14,242  | 4.38%
Hispanic or Latino | 50,104  | 15.42%

As of the 2020 census, there were 324,833 people, 131,140 households, and 75,291 families residing in the county.

### 2000 census

[edit]

At the 2000 census,[16] there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile (297 people/km2). There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 units per square mile (127 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 50.91% White, 39.46% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 3.29% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.21% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. 7.63% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 89,015 households, out of which 29.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.00% were married couples living together, 14.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.30% were non-families. 30.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the age distribution was as follows: 22.90% under the age of 18, 12.80% from 18 to 24, 34.80% from 25 to 44, 19.80% from 45 to 64, and 9.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,337, and the median income for a family was $53,223. Males had a median income of $35,939 versus $30,683 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,156. About 9.80% of families and 13.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 12.30% of those age 65 or over.

## Law and government

[edit]

See also: Durham Police Department (North Carolina)

Law enforcement agency

Durham County Sheriff's Office

Abbreviation| DCSO, DSO
Motto| "Honor, Duty and Service."
Agency overview
Formed| May 2, 1881
Employees| 452
Annual budget| $34,949,195
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction| Durham County, North Carolina, US
General nature|

* Local civilian police

Operational structure
Headquarters| 510 S Dillard St, Durham
Sworn officers|

* 181 Deputies[17]
* 211 Detention Officers[17]

Civilians| 59[17]
Agency executive|

* Clarence Birkhead, Sheriff

Facilities
Sub-Stations| 2
Notables
Award|

* CALEA Accredited

Website
Official website

Durham County is a member of the regional Triangle J Council of Governments. Durham County is governed by a five-member board of county commissioners, currently consisting of Chair Brenda A. Howerton, Vice Chair Wendy Jacobs, Nimasheena Burns, Heidi Carter, and Nida Allam.[18] All are elected concurrently, and each elected member serves a four-year term. The current sheriff, Clarence Birkhead, was elected in 2018 and is the county's first African American Sheriff to hold office.[19]

### Politics

[edit]

Durham County is consistently one of the most Democratic counties in North Carolina, favoring Democrats in national, state, and local elections.[20] It has only voted for the Republican candidate twice since 1884, in the Republican landslides of 1928 and 1972. George H. W. Bush is the last Republican to manage even 40 percent of the county's vote. Since the 1990s, Durham County has been one of the most Democratic urban counties in the South.

United States presidential election results for Durham County, North Carolina[21] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 32,853  | 18.16%  | 144,450  | 79.85% | 3,609  | 1.99%
2020 | 32,459  | 18.04%  | 144,688  | 80.42% | 2,767  | 1.54%
2016 | 28,350  | 18.16%  | 121,250  | 77.66% | 6,534  | 4.18%
2012 | 33,769  | 23.01%  | 111,224  | 75.80% | 1,742  | 1.19%
2008 | 32,353  | 23.63%  | 103,456  | 75.57% | 1,088  | 0.79%
2004 | 34,614  | 31.57%  | 74,524  | 67.96% | 513  | 0.47%
2000 | 30,150  | 35.64%  | 53,907  | 63.72% | 547  | 0.65%
1996 | 27,825  | 34.39%  | 49,186  | 60.79% | 3,899  | 4.82%
1992 | 27,581  | 33.36%  | 47,331  | 57.24% | 7,770  | 9.40%
1988 | 29,928  | 45.43%  | 35,441  | 53.79% | 514  | 0.78%
1984 | 29,185  | 47.39%  | 32,244  | 52.36% | 155  | 0.25%
1980 | 19,276  | 40.24%  | 24,969  | 52.13% | 3,656  | 7.63%
1976 | 18,945  | 45.61%  | 22,425  | 53.99% | 163  | 0.39%
1972 | 25,576  | 61.38% | 15,566  | 37.36%  | 525  | 1.26%
1968 | 12,705  | 29.68%  | 16,563  | 38.69% | 13,542  | 31.63%
1964 | 15,264  | 40.02%  | 22,874  | 59.98% | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 14,322  | 42.60%  | 19,298  | 57.40% | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 13,226  | 48.87%  | 13,835  | 51.13% | 0  | 0.00%
1952 | 11,301  | 37.42%  | 18,897  | 62.58% | 0  | 0.00%
1948 | 4,531  | 25.73%  | 11,530  | 65.46% | 1,552  | 8.81%
1944 | 3,690  | 22.43%  | 12,763  | 77.57% | 0  | 0.00%
1940 | 2,491  | 14.40%  | 14,810  | 85.60% | 0  | 0.00%
1936 | 2,189  | 14.60%  | 12,804  | 85.40% | 0  | 0.00%
1932 | 2,770  | 25.94%  | 7,559  | 70.78% | 351  | 3.29%
1928 | 8,723  | 66.06% | 4,482  | 33.94%  | 0  | 0.00%
1924 | 3,093  | 37.95%  | 4,837  | 59.34% | 221  | 2.71%
1920 | 3,550  | 43.31%  | 4,646  | 56.69% | 0  | 0.00%
1916 | 1,837  | 42.72%  | 2,463  | 57.28% | 0  | 0.00%
1912 | 124  | 3.52%  | 2,197  | 62.31% | 1,205  | 34.17%
1908 | 1,820  | 49.35%  | 1,859  | 50.41% | 9  | 0.24%
1904 | 1,080  | 40.10%  | 1,603  | 59.52% | 10  | 0.37%
1900 | 2,026  | 45.86%  | 2,373  | 53.71% | 19  | 0.43%
1896 | 1,924  | 43.62%  | 2,435  | 55.20% | 52  | 1.18%
1892 | 1,264  | 35.93%  | 1,490  | 42.35% | 764  | 21.72%
1888 | 1,618  | 45.77%  | 1,835  | 51.91% | 82  | 2.32%
1884 | 1,193  | 42.79%  | 1,595  | 57.21% | 0  | 0.00%

## Communities

[edit]

Map of Durham County with municipal and township labels

The city of Durham is the only incorporated municipality to predominantly exist within Durham County, and the only one whose urban core lies within the county, though small portions of municipalities from neighboring counties extend into Durham County, and the city of Durham also itself extends slightly into neighboring counties. All other towns and places within Durham County are unincorporated communities.

### Cities

[edit]

* Durham (county seat and largest community; small portions extend into Wake and Orange counties)
* Raleigh (mostly in Wake County)[22]

### Towns

[edit]

* Chapel Hill (mostly in Orange County)
* Morrisville (mostly in Wake County)

### Townships

[edit]

* Carr
* Durham
* Lebanon
* Mangum
* Oak Grove
* Triangle

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Gorman
* Rougemont (small portions extend into neighboring Person County)

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Bahama
* Bethesda
* Genlee
* Lowe's Grove
* Nelson
* Oak Grove
* Braggtown

## Notable person

[edit]

* Margaret O'Neal (1884–?), sharecropper[23]

## See also

[edit]

* List of counties in North Carolina
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Durham County, North Carolina
* Research Triangle Park, largest Research park in the United States
* Bull Durham, 1988 romantic comedy about the Durham Bulls

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "QuickFacts: Durham County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
4. ^ "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
5. ^ a b "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
6. ^ "Hollow Rock Nature Park". Orange County, NC. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
7. ^ "Miles of Trails with More in the Making - Triangle Land Conservancy". www.triangleland.org. December 11, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
8. ^ "Little River Regional Park & Natural Area". Eno River Association - Education, Advocacy & Conservation. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
9. ^ "Mason Farm Biological Reserve - North Carolina Botanical Garden". Retrieved July 27, 2022.
10. ^ "Rollingview at Falls Lake Durham, NC". www.visitnc.com. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
13. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 3, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
15. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
17. ^ a b c "Annual Report FY 2016-2017". Durham Sheriff. 2017. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
18. ^ "Contact the Board of Commissioners | Durham County". www.dconc.gov. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
19. ^ Simmons, Taj (December 3, 2018). "New Durham County Sheriff Takes Oath of Office". spectrumlocalnews.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
20. ^ "Anatomy of a swing state: What these 6 counties tell us about the upcoming NC election". The Charlotte Observer. November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
21. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
22. ^ Raleigh Durham Annexation Agreement Lines Archived October 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
23. ^ "Federal Writers Project Papers".

## Further reading

[edit]

* "Durham County", Branson's North Carolina Business Directory, 1896, Raleigh, NC: Levi Branson, p. 243 - via archive.org
* "Durham County", North Carolina Year Book and Business Directory, 1916, Raleigh, N.C.: News and Observer Publishing Company - via hathitrust.org

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Durham County, North Carolina.

* Geographic data related to Durham County, North Carolina at OpenStreetMap
* Official website
* Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce
* Durham County Library website
* North Carolina Room of the Durham County Library, online archive which collects materials concerning the city and county of Durham
* Durham – Orange Genealogical Society of North Carolina

Places adjacent to Durham County, North Carolina

|  | Person County | Granville County

|
|

|  |
Orange County |

Durham County, North Carolina

|  |
Chatham County |  | Wake County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Durham County, North Carolina, United States

County seat: Durham

Cities|

* Durham‡
* Raleigh‡

Towns|

* Chapel Hill‡
* Morrisville‡

Townships|

* Carr
* Durham
* Lebanon
* Mangum
* Oak Grove
* Triangle

CDPs|

* Gorman
* Rougemont‡

Unincorporated
communities|

* Bahama
* Bethesda
* Blands
* Genlee
* Joyland
* Nelson
* Oak Grove

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* North Carolina portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Greater Durham–Chapel Hill metropolitan region (Durham MSA, part of the Research Triangle)

Principal cities|

* Durham
* Chapel Hill

Other significant cities|

* Carrboro
* Hillsborough
* Pittsboro
* Roxboro
* Siler City

Counties|

* Chatham
* Durham
* Orange
* Person

Major universities|

* Duke University
* North Carolina Central University
* University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Transportation|

* Raleigh–Durham International Airport
* I-40
* I-85
* I-540
* I-885
* US 15
* US 64
* US 70
* US 501
* NC 147
* NC 54
* Chapel Hill Transit
* GoDurham
* GoTriangle

Newspapers|

* The Herald-Sun
* The Daily Tar Heel
* Indy Week
* The News & Observer
* The Courier Times

Miscellaneous|

* Research Triangle Park
* Triangle J Council of Governments

* v
* t
* e

Greater Raleigh Metropolitan Region (Raleigh–Cary, MSA; part of the Research Triangle)

Principal cities|

* Raleigh
* Cary

Other significant cities|

* Apex
* Clayton
* Fuquay-Varina
* Garner
* Holly Springs
* Morrisville
* Smithfield
* Wake Forest

Counties|

* Franklin
* Johnston
* Wake

Major universities|

* Campbell Law
* Meredith College
* NC State
* William Peace
* Shaw
* St. Augustine's University

Transportation|

* GoCary
* GoRaleigh
* GoTriangle
* Raleigh–Durham International Airport

Miscellaneous|

* Research Triangle Park
* Triangle J Council of Governments

* v
* t
* e

State of North Carolina

Raleigh (capital)

Topics|

* Index
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Largest cities|

* Cary
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Smaller cities|

* Apex
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Major towns|

* Albemarle
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Counties|

* Alamance
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North Carolina portal

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Other|

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