Durham is a small town where college students really create the town feel and character. So many small towns have lost population over the last 20-30 years that having the local college presence in the Durham area, with all of the energy of the students filling area dorms and apartments each fall, really helps Durham maintain a good economy.
Durham, while not large, also appears to be attractive to some younger, educated professionals, who help shape the character of the town.
One of the nice things about Durham is that it is nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Because of this, visitors and locals will often go to these areas to take in the scenery or to enjoy waterfront activities.
If knowledge is power, Durham is a pretty powerful place. 76.30% of the adults in Durham have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.
The per capita income in Durham in 2022 was $31,112, which is low income relative to New Hampshire, and middle income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $124,448 for a family of four. However, Durham contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
Durham is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Durham home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Durham residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Durham include Irish, Italian, English, German, and French.
The most common language spoken in Durham is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and German/Yiddish.
