The following section will characterize the status of Durham County residents using selected demographic and economic indicators. Such statistics will give us a clearer understanding of the population dynamics of the county while providing documentation of recent demographic trends that have occurred in the last ten years.
Table 1 presents selected demographic characteristics of Durham County residents in comparison to peer counties (Wake and Orange) and the state of North Carolina overall:
Table 1. Selected demographic characteristics of Durham County, peer counties, and the state, 1998*
| Durham County | Wake County | Orange County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 202,411 | 570,615 | 110,116 | 7,546,493 |
| Gender | ||||
| % male | 47.3 | 49.4 | 48.6 | 49.3 |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||||
| % White | 60.4 | 75.6 | 79.4 | 75.5 |
| % African American | 37.2 | 20.9 | 16.3 | 21.9 |
| % Latino | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.02 |
| %Asian | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| % other | 0.002 | 0.003 | 0.003 | 0.001 |
| Age | ||||
| < 17 | 22.7 | 24.7 | 21.3 | 24.2 |
| 18-24 | 13.5 | 10.7 | 18.2 | 11.8 |
| 25-44 | 36.7 | 37.3 | 33.8 | 32.5 |
| 45-64 | 16.3 | 19.6 | 17.4 | 19.4 |
| 65+ | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 12.5 |
| 85+ | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
*Source: Statistical Information Staff, Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau (September 15, 1999). Population estimates for counties by race and Hispanic origin: July 1, 1998. [On-line]. Available: http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/county/crh/crhnc98.txt.
In general, Durham County has similar age structure and gender breakdowns as the state and peer counties, despite it being significantly smaller than Wake County and almost twice as large as Orange County with regard to population size. Durham County has a significantly larger African American population than either the state or its neighboring counties, as well as a smaller white population. As stated earlier, it is difficult to make a conclusive statement about the proportion of Hispanics in the county because of the dual impact of recent in-migration coupled with under-representation in the 1990 U.S. Census. However, examination of 1990 U.S. Census population projections and 1997 data from the Durham Public Schools do give some indication as to the rapid growth among this particular cohort (Tables 2 & 3):
Table 2. Projected Hispanic population growth, Durham County, 1991-1994*
| Year | Total Hispanic Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 2,121 |
| 1992 | 2,264 |
| 1993 | 2,357 |
| 1994 | 2,517 |
| % Change | 15.7 |
*Source: Government Information Sharing Project. 1997. Oregon State University, Data Provided by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Center for Educational Statistics, And the MESA Group. [On-line]. Available: http://govinfo.kerr.orst.edu
Table 3. School aged population, by race, Durham County, 1997*
| Race | 1995-1996 | 1996-1997 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 10,941 | 10,930 | -0.1 |
| African American | 15,274 | 16,084 | 5.3 |
| Hispanic | 606 | 726 | 19.8 |
*Source: Durham Public Schools. 1997. Average Daily Membership: school month 09,95/96 and school month 04, 96-97
The rapid growth in the Hispanic population of Durham County is expected to have a dramatic impact on the overall county in the coming years and will challenge county leaders to address the changing dynamics of both the city of Durham and the county as a whole.
Among the aged, Durham County generally has fewer people over the ages of 65 and 85 in comparison to the state and peer counties. This indicates that it has a relatively young population that is most likely involved in the workforce. The rapid in-migration of young Hispanics into the county is expected to further offset the impact of aging baby boomers, the oldest of whom are expected to reach retirement age in the near future.
Of the 202,411 Durham County residents, approximately 85% are characterized as urban residents (City of Durham) in comparison to slightly over 50% statewide (USBC, 1996). This indicates that Durham County reflects, in large part, the make-up of the city of Durham and further suggests that activities within its primary urban center will affect the county as a whole.
Both the county and city of Durham have experienced rapid growth over the past twenty years. Between 1970 and 1990, Durham County grew approximately 30% and is projected to grow another 26% by 2010 (Herald-Sun, 1999). This rapid expansion is expected to continue causing significant changes within the county, both in terms of demographic make-up, economic development, and environmental pressures.
Table 4 presents the level of educational attainment for Durham County residents, its peer counties and the state:
Table 4. Percent educational attainment for Durham, Wake, and Orange Counties and North Carolina, 1998*
| Level of education** | Durham County | Wake County | Orange County | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12th grade or less | 21.1 | 14.6 | 16.4 | 30.0 |
| H.S. graduate | 22.1 | 21.3 | 18.5 | 29.0 |
| Associate degree | 0.07 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 6.8 |
| Bachelor degree | 19.0 | 24.4 | 22.5 | 12.0 |
| Grad/prof degree | 14.4 | 10.9 | 23.5 | 5.4 |
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder (1999). D-2. Social Characteristics: 1990 Geographic Area: Durham County, North Carolina [On-line]. Available: http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet.
**Percents based off of 1990 county population 25 years and over
In general, Durham County residents have similar levels of educational attainment as their peer counties, with a significant proportion having some sort of college education or advanced degree. This is most likely due to the presence of the Research Triangle Park and Duke University, which draw people with higher levels of education into the county for career opportunities. However, there is still a significant proportion of individuals with less than a high school education, most likely due to racial disparities within the county (Table 5):
Table 5. Race by educational attainment- percent of Durham County residents, 25 years and over, who have not graduated from high school, 1990*
| White | 15.8 |
| African American | 31.7 |
| American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut | 21.5 |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 6.9 |
| Hispanic | 29.3 |
*Source U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder (1999). P058. Race By Educational Attainment - Universe: Persons 25 Years And Over Data Set: 1990 Census Detailed Tables - Sample Data (STF3) [On-line]. Available: http://factfinder.census.gov/
Similar findings are evident in the breakdown of educational performance scores among Durham County students (Table 6):
Table 6. Percent Durham County students, by race, performing at or above current grade level, 1997-1998*
| Race/Ethnicity | Percent |
|---|---|
| White | 85.5 |
| African American | 52.5 |
| Asian | 87.5 |
| Hispanic | 51.3 |
| Other | 57.1 |
*Source: North Carolina Department of Education. (1999). [On-line]. Available: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/Accountability/reporting/reportcard/1998/index.html.
In the 1997-1998 academic year, Durham Public Schools reported a school enrollment of 29,278 students (36% White, 58% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 1% other); total expenditures per pupil were the second highest of the surrounding school systems (Wake, Chapel Hill-Carrboro, Guilford) at a total of $5,890 per pupil (Durham Public Education Network, 1999). A school merger in 1992 attempted to close the racial gaps in educational attainment by consolidating city and county schools into one large county school system. Recent statistics released by the Office of Public Affairs report that progress is being made. Eighth grade African American students reading at or above grade level increased by as much as 25% over the past five years, and African American SAT scores were 51 points higher than state levels for this cohort in 1997 (Marshall, 1999). Still, there remain large gaps in the levels of educational attainment between the various racial groups of Durham County that require continued attention.
In Durham County, median annual family income (half of all incomes are higher and half are lower) is $38,758 (USBC, 1996). This is comparable to that of the state of North Carolina and nearby Orange County (Figure 1). Nearby Wake County is higher at $47,856. Median income statistics for these three areas are shown in Figure 1:
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau (1995). Model-Based Income and Poverty Estimates for Wake County, North Carolina in 1995 [On-line]. Available: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty.html
**Source: U.S. Census Bureau (1996). [On-line]. Available:
***Source: U.S. Census Bureau (1995). Model-Based Income and Poverty Estimates for Orange County, North Carolina in 1995 [On-line]. Available: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty.html
****Source: Cook, B., Dillingham, L., Elmore, R., Siano, C. (1998). Latinos of Durham County: A Community
Diagnosis including Secondary Data Analysis and Qualitative Data Collection. Unpublished manuscript,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Also shown in Figure 1 is that within Durham County, there is a considerable difference in income between White and African American families, at $46,120 and $25,917 respectively. The average income figure of $31,437 for Latinos, however, is probably a poor representation of the true economic status of the Latino community. In a study of the Latino community conducted by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students (1998), it was suggested that the U.S. Census count of 1990 failed to include many members of the Latino community. The students believed that those who were included in the census may have been disproportionately affluent relative to other community members. They did not believe that this figure was a reasonable estimate of median income given the large proportion of members of the Latino community who are employed in low-paying jobs (Cook et al, 1998).
The disparity based on race is better seen in the number of families living below federal poverty level, as seen in Figure 2:
Source: Durham County (1996). Demographics of the Working Poor 1996 [On-line]. Available: http://www.ncesc.com/.
The federal poverty level for 1997 was defined as $7,890 for an individual and $16,050 for a family of four (ESC, 1999). Despite the fact that Whites make up 60.4% of the population of Durham County, and African Americans 37.2%, there are far more African American families living in poverty than in the White community. Once again, we cannot make a conclusive statement about the poverty levels of the Latino community because of its size and under-representation in population surveys.
Other summary poverty statistics indicate that Durham County fares somewhat better than the overall state of North Carolina. In 1990, as shown in Figure 3, 11.9% of Durham County families were estimated to be below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.5% of North Carolina. The unemployment rate of Durham County is also better than that of the state at 2.3% compared to 3.6% (Figure 3, 1997 rates).
It should be noted that the low unemployment and median income figures for Durham County are not necessarily reflective of the true economic status of its residents. As discussed earlier, many of the higher-paying jobs, particularly those in research and technology, may be held by residents of neighboring counties who commute to Durham. The inability of many Durham residents to obtain some of these higher-paying, higher-skilled jobs will be discussed in the qualitative section of this document.
Source: North Carolina Department of Commerce (1998). County and Regional Scan [On-line]. Available: http://cmedis.commerce.state.nc.us/countyprofiles/
Finally, Figure 4 illustrates household composition and home ownership information:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (1990) [On-line]. Available: http://factfinder.census.gov/
It is evident that Durham County has a greater proportion of households headed by single females, and a smaller proportion who own their homes, than the state of North Carolina as a whole. This could be an indicator of the buying power, economic stability, or itinerancy of Durham County residents.
In summary, it is evident that while Durham County residents appear to have similar demographic characteristics, educational attainment, and economic viability as the residents in the surrounding peer counties, severe racial disparities underlie most of these similarities. African Americans and Hispanics typically have lower levels of education and family income than do Whites, and it is expected that such gaps will only increase as the number of Hispanics migrating into the county rises in the coming years. These disparities are also discussed at length in the qualitative section of this document.
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