Economic Profile

Durham has successfully transformed its business landscape from one based upon tobacco and textile products to a modern, cutting-edge economy. GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, and Cree are just some of the forward-thinking companies  headquartered here.  

With a strong foundation in knowledge-based industries, Durham is considered a leading technology center in the U.S.  Our economy continues to grow steadily due in large part to the strengths of the local workforce. Talent is the cornerstone of Durham’s vibrant business environment. The location of Duke University, North Carolina Central University and other Triangle region research institutions such as North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and eight additional colleges and universities provides Durham with an abundance of highly-skilled, specialized workers.

A majority of Research Triangle Park (RTP), one of the largest and most successful high-technology R&D science parks in the world, is located in Durham. RTP boasts more than 170 companies employing over 42,500 full-time knowledge workers. The Park is the economic engine for the Triangle region.

While high-tech industries dominate the market, Durham has a large presence in manufacturing.  It restructured its manufacturing base in the past decade, becoming one of the few communities in the country that increased employment by 2,000 jobs between 1990-2010.  An additional 1,000 manufacturing  jobs have been announced for 2011-2012.

Known as The City of Medicine USA, Durham offers a wide spectrum of medical facilities, services and personnel.  Nearly one in three workers in the labor force is employed in a health or medical related industry.  Attracted by the influence of major medical centers, ongoing research, and growing clinical opportunities; medical doctors are plentiful.  In fact, today Durham County has one of the nation's top five concentrations of physicians per capita.

Durham offers a diverse workforce for employers of all sizes and industries. Our residents are not only educated, but they possess other qualities that employers seek.  Browse our county’s demographics for an in-depth look at our community.

Durham’s reasonable cost of living is one of the reasons businesses and individuals decide to relocate here each year. Our low cost of living is usually far below other major technology centers in the United States.

Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index, 2011 Annual Average

Note: The national average of all participating cities is 100. Cost differences are calculated as a percentage change from the original city to the destination.

A number of successful and growing businesses call Durham home. Below you will find a listing of Durham largest employers and manufacturing firms based upon total number of employees.

Leaders of foreign-owned multinational firms have certainly taken notice of Durham’s business community and have discovered all the advantages of doing business here. The diversity of experience, culture, talent and progress has all been a major draw to the many international companies operating in our community. See the list below of international firms located in Durham.

• ACW
• Almac Clinical Services
• Almac Diagnostics
• Astellas Pharmaceuticals
• Audio Codes
• AW North Carolina, Inc.
• BASF Corporation Agricultural Products Group
• Bayer CropScience
• bioMerieux, Inc.
• Bowe, Bell & Howell Mail & Messaging Technologies
• Brenntag Southeast
• Cheminova
• Cormetech Environmental Technologies
• Cyprotex North America
• Daiichi Sankyo
• Eisai, Inc.
• FIT
• Forbo
• Freudenberg Nonwovens
• Fuji Silysia Chemical Ltd.
• GEEP
• GKN
• GlaxoSmithKline
• HCL Clean Tech
• Hitachi Global Storage
• ICON Clinical PLC
• Intelligent Information Management
• Isagro
• JMC USA, Inc.
• Kowa Research Institute
• Lehigh Portland Cement Company
• Linde Gas America
• MemsCap
• Millennium Hotel
• Monumental Insurance
• NORTEL Networks
• OncoMethylome Sciences, Inc.
• Organon USA
• Patheon
• Pepsi
• RBC Bank
• Renesas
• Sapiens
• Sipcam Agro USA
• Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics
• Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
• Sunbelt Rentals
• Syngenta
• Tecan
• Triangle Brick Company
• Unicorn Concrete
• Virco

Durham’s various industries contribute to the Durham and the Triangle region’s acclaim as one of the best places to do business in the U.S. From health care to nanotechnology and financial services to green technology, the Durham offers a strong infrastructure to support these growing sectors.

• Life Sciences
• Pharmaceuticals
• Human Biotechnology
• Agricultural Biotechnology
• Medical Instruments
• Advanced Medical Care
• Financial Services
• Pervasive Computing
• Analytical Instruments/Robotic Process and Testing Equipment
• Nanoscale Technologies
• IT/Informatics
• Green Technologies