Durham is the second-largest city in the Triangle region of North Carolina. It is consistently ranked as one of the best places in the US to live, work and retire. Mild weather, friendly people, and access to some of the best education and healthcare in the country, Durham’s residents live a high quality of life. Durham is a welcoming and diverse city that is proud to host innovative research, entrepreneurialism and a thriving art community. It is proud to be the kind of place that interesting, progressive, passionate people want to call home.
Durham is located at the northern point of the famed Research Triangle Park, which houses many Fortune 100 companies, a booming startup culture, Duke University and Hospital , North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and unique organizations like the National Humanities Center . Durham has been ranked as America's eighth leading high-tech metro , as the small city with the second most economic potential , and as one of the best cities for starting a career.
Duke University was named the eighth best college in the country by the U.S. News & World Report in 2014. Duke is far from the only educational institution in town, too. NCCU was the first publicly supported liberal arts college for African Americans in the country, and it carries on that legacy today. Durham also offers a wide variety of primary and secondary education options, including the North Carolina School for Science and Math and the Durham School of the Arts .
Durham offers all of the benefits of a large urban environment while maintaining a small-town feel and a lower cost of living. Downtown Durham has flourished recently, and new, exciting developments are under construction everywhere. There's the art and entertainment scene, museums, unique music clubs, and the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC). DPAC is one of the most popular theater and entertainment venues in the country. Downtown Durham is home to the Durham Bulls , which were made famous in the movie Bull Durham. There are dozens of acclaimed restaurants, eateries, markets, food trucks, and other culinary destinations that have given Durham the title of “Tastiest Town in the South” . You can easily escape the urban environment with a quick trip to the Eno River Park or to beautiful Falls Lake for hiking, swimming and boating.
