How many people live in Durham County, NC?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 343,600 people living in Durham County, NC. That makes Durham County the fifth-most populous county in North Carolina. It is home to 3.1% of people living in the state.
344K
population of Durham County, NC (2024)
3.1%
County share of the North Carolina population (2024)
About 343,600 people lived in Durham County, NC in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Durham County, NC’s age demographics?
About 52,400 Durham County, NC residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 15.2% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18% of North Carolina’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 67,300 Durham County residents, or 19.6% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 21.6% of North Carolina’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of Durham County, NC's population is aged 25–44 than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Durham County, NC’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic Black or African American residents make up 31.9% of the Durham County, NC population, higher than the national share of 12.6%.
In contrast, Durham County’s non-Hispanic white population accounts for 42.3%, below the 57.5% nationwide, and the Hispanic population makes up 16.7% of the county, compared with 20% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Durham County, NC has a higher share of a non-Hispanic Black or African American population than North Carolina as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Durham County, NC is Durham with about 301,400 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Durham County, NC ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Durham (pt.) | 301,432 |
| 2. | Chapel Hill (pt.) | 2,938 |
| 3. | Raleigh (pt.) | 1,646 |
| 4. | Morrisville (pt.) | 248 |
| 5. | Cary (pt.) | 2 |
| 6. | Balance of Durham County | 37,362 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
