Durham is in Durham, NC as it serves as the county seat for the county of the same name. Wake and Orange Counties get a piece of it in the east and the west, respectively. It is located more north than south, but centrally if you look at it from east to west. Durham is about living; the quality of life matters! Everything about Durham supports diversity, community, connectivity, and convenience. The city is all about consistent productivity, especially concerning academics and creativity. It also has time to indulge leisure activities. Excellence is a tradition and ground-breaking success is expected. These kinds of expectations and results can only come from a community which understands the value of its citizens. Downtown Durham is where everyone comes together and makes it all happen!
With a population of nearly 295,000, that's 936 people per square mile, the city has experienced a nearly 10% increase since 2010. The sexes are pretty evenly matched with females making up about 52% of the population, and European and African Americans are equally represented as well with about 40% each. Descendants of Spanish-speaking countries make up about 15%, while all other ethnic groups round out the remaining percentage of roughly 5%. Your neighbors will be mostly high school graduates (87%), and more than half that number have bachelor's or post graduate degrees (45%). Most people are employed in white collar jobs (about 68%). Home ownership is at a steady 55% with 76% remaining in the same home for at least 1-10 years. The median household income is $52,000, and property values range from $91,000 for mobile homes to $348,000 for 3 to 4 unit structures; but the median house price is $120,000.
Be prepared for performing and visual arts, historic attractions and landmarks, museums, theaters, film festivals, nightlife, and we cannot count how many other things there are to do in downtown Durham. There are wine tastings, exhibits, live music, fine dining, an elaborate farmer's market, and regular and annual events like:
You may have heard some negative press about the safety of the area. All cities have a less than favorable part of town, but downtown Durham is not one of them. Residents agree that the city's criminal element is quite exaggerated. The Partners Against Crime (CAP) program is a collaboration between law enforcement, city officials, and residents to keep the city safe for everyone. The goal is to come up with solutions to problems that serve everyone's interests, and to provide an atmosphere of sustainability. Durham is made up of hardworking people who are looking to make a good life for themselves without hurting any one else. Education is a priority here from the fundamentals of preschool to the complexities of graduate school. Twenty schools and ten libraries or places of reference are within walking distance of any downtown location. Several employment resources are at your disposal to find a job or to improve your present employment. Parks and green spaces are also abundant in the area.
Your life is not the only one that is taken into consideration in this community. Durhamites embrace the importance of pets in the lives of their humans. Though there are only a couple of dog parks, your special pals are welcome almost everywhere in the city. It's all about the quality of life for all living things, and the city cares about how you live. The pursuit of happiness takes many forms of transportation. Bike, bus, car, plane, train, or walking gets you where you need to be. Living downtown means that you don't need more than your own power to get around, unless you just want to use a vehicle. Durham is extremely biker and walker friendly. There are bike and hike trails, bike and hike maps, commissions, co-ops, and serious consideration for people who choose to bike or walk everywhere. Buses are available to take you throughout the city and beyond to Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and several places close by and in between. The Bull City Connector is a free service that provides transportation from the warehouse district to Duke University. It runs every 17 minutes 6 days a week and includes stops in well visited areas like the American Tobacco District and the City Center District.
The area offers condos, row houses, single family homes, and town homes to suit your family's style, size, and income. No matter where you live in the area, you will be connected to all other areas with convenient and consistent access. The climate offers four distinct seasons without extreme winter or summer temperatures or weather, rarely too hot or cold to walk.
Downtown Durham is best known for what its diverse districts have to offer. The American Tobacco District is home to the Durham Performing Arts Center and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, both of which command significant crowds throughout the year. The Brightleaf and Warehouse Districts are the primary historic districts where the red bricked tobacco warehouse buildings have been preserved and renovated into a retail center full of offices, shops, restaurants, and nightlife spots, as well as an apartment residential area. The Central Park District hosts the Durham Farmer's Market, green spaces, art studios, delicious food truck offerings, a 10,000 square foot skate park, and a man-made lake.
