Why Choose Durham?
Durham, NC, is a healthy, vibrant and fast-growing community, consistently ranked one of the best places to live and work in the United States. Nestled just a couple of hours between the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains (including Mt. Mitchell, the highest point in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River) and some of the most beautiful beaches on the East Coast (including the world-renowned Outer Banks), it’s no wonder that it’s one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation.
In 2024, Money magazine named Durham one of the 50 best places to live in the United States, and it was tied for the neighboring North Carolina state capital of Raleigh for third place among US News & World Report’s best places to live for 2023-24.
Young professionals from California to New York - and many international countries - have their eyes on Durham as one of their top choices to live and work? Why? Because Durham is:
Brimming with arts, entertainment and culture;
A major “foodie” town;
Home to one of the world’s top-ranked institutions of learning, Duke University, along with one of the nation’s premier historically Black colleges and universities, North Carolina Central University (with one of the nation’s top public universities, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, being right down the road);
A major center of excellent health care - Duke University Hospital was ranked No. 16 in the world by Newsweek magazine in 2024;
Thriving with options for outdoor activities;
Relatively affordable among cities its size and larger;
More diverse than many cities.
Much of the Research Triangle Park - the nation’s largest research hub with hundreds of science and technology firms, government agencies, academic institutions, startups and nonprofits - is located in Durham. And we imagine you’ve at least heard of the Durham Bulls, a very well-known minor league team that is a hugely popular local attraction.