Durham County Today
Durham County, located in the heart of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, is a vibrant and diverse community known for its rich history, innovative spirit, and thriving economy. This community consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top ranked places to live, work and play! Durham County has evolved from an agricultural and manufacturing economy to achieve world-class status in the areas of medicine, research, and high technology. In the process, it has become one of the country's most desirable places to live. Some of its major life sciences companies include Biogen, IQVIA, NOVARTIS, CORNING, MERCK, novo nordisk, KBI, parexel,gsk and BioAgilytix.
Home to more than 330,000 residents, Durham County offers a high quality of life with access to a wide range of services, including public health, environmental management, social services, and regional transportation. It also boasts top-tier educational institutions like North Carolina Central University, Duke University, along with the renowned Duke University Health System.
The community supports major investments in the infrastructure that helps improve the quality of life and Durham County routinely appears on or near the top of the lists of various accolades comparing the quality of life with communities across the country. In 2022, voters approved three bond referendum questions totaling $550,240.000.00, making it the largest bond ever approved. Durham Public Schools received $423,505,000 for new schools and to renovate other facilities, Durham Technical Community College received $112,740,000 for land acquisition and two new facilities, and the Museum of Life and Science received $13,995,000 to modernize and create new exhibits.
Durham County provides a variety of essential services to its unincorporated areas, such as fire protection, roads and public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development. The county is committed to ensuring that both residents and visitors experience the best that Durham has to offer. With popular amenities including Durham Performing Arts Center, Museum of Life and Science, Durham Bulls Ballpark, and a variety of restaurants to please all palates, the quality of life here is second to none.