Durham

Durham Area Guide for Durham County Residents

Durham is one of those incredible communities that has certainly earned its reputation over the years for being a diverse, thriving and bustling metropolitan city.

Durham is the home of one of the best Universities in the country as well as a baseball team made more famous by Hollywood.  If you are visiting Durham you will want to take in the Shops and Resaurants of the American Tobacco area.  Located in the heart of Durham, you can grab a great meal and take in a Minor League Baseball game with the Durham Bulls.  If you are looking for upscale shopping and a shopping experience that you won't find anywhere else, don't miss the Streets at Southpoint.  Durham offers a rich history and easy access to Research Triangle Park.

With a population of more than 245,000 residents, it is the core of the four-county Durham-Chapel Hill Metropolitan area.

Why Historians Love Durham

This community has a rich history dating all the way back to the 1600s when the Eno ad the Occoneechi tribes lived in the area.

Later, English explorer John Lawson would visit the area in 1701, calling the area “the flower of the Carolinas.”

During the 1800s, the community of Durham Station was established, although it grew fairly slowly before the Civil War.

Growth really took off during the establishment of the thriving tobacco industry.

By April 1869, the community was incorporated by an act of the North Carolina General Assembly. IT was named for the man who provided the land on which the station was built, Dr. Bartlet Durham.

Over the years, the community continued to grow and prosper, aided in large part by industrialization and the tobacco area.

The community also bears a prominent place in the history books for its Civil Rights activism. In fact, it was considered an epicenter in the region during the Civil Rights Movement.

Why Employees Love Modern Day Durham

This city has really diversified since its dynamic growth around the tobacco industry in the 1800s.

Today, this community boasts a local economy that also includes education, healthcare and technology sectors.

Here are the top employers located within the city of Durham:

• Duke University
• IBM
• Durham Public Schools
• Blue Cross & Blue Shield
• City of Durham
• Fidelity Investments
• Qunitiles 
• RTI International
• Durham VA Medical Center
• Cree 
• AW North Carolina

With such a diverse jobs market, it’s no wonder that Durham ranked #10 on Forbes’ list of the Best Places for Business and Careers in 2013.

Why People Who Love Culture Love Durham

When it comes to diversity, Durham reigns king.

This community hosts a number of unique and diverse events throughout the year, including jazz festivals, blues festivals, symphony concerts, art exhibitions and a number of cultural expositions.

Other attractions located within the city include:

• Carolina Theatre
• American Dance Festival
• Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
• Nasher Museum of Art
• And so much more!

And for the sports enthusiasts in your family, this community is also home to such sports teams as Duke University’s men’s basketball team as well as the Durham Bulls.

Why Lifetime Students Love Durham

From primary to post-secondary, Durham is an excellent city to live in when it comes to education.

Durham County Public Schools serves those students for primary and secondary education. In all, there are 46 public schools in this district, including 30 elementary, 10 middle, 2 secondary, and 12 high schools.

There are also several magnet high schools located here, such as Durham School of the Arts and the City of Medicine Academy.

The North Carolina School for Science and Mathematics, a high school operated by the University of North Carolina, is located in central Durham.

Meanwhile, there are a number of charter and private schools to choose from as well, such as:

• Voyager Academy
• Kestrel Heights School 
• Maureen Joy Charter School 
• Durham Academy
• Carolina Friends School
• Duke School

For higher education, residents need not leave the city limits of Durham for an excellent education. After all, Duke University as well as North Carolina Central University are also located here.

Helping You With Your Buying and Selling Needs

If this sounds like the kind of community that you would like to live in year-round, please contact us at The Sandy Edwards Team.

We would love to assist you by answering all of your questions and telling you about available listings. We’ll also provide you with our free buying guide and relocation kit.

Be sure to also connect with us if you’re ready to list the Durham home you already own on the market. We’ll work diligently to get you the price you want by first providing you with a free home evaluation.