If you are considering living in Durham, NC, this East Coast city has been named one of the best mid-sized cities in the country and is home to some of the best universities, intriguing restaurants, and unrivaled local history. But there is more! Due to Durham’s mild climate, there is always time for outdoor recreation in the city’s numerous parks and open spaces. Here are some interesting Durham-related facts!
Affordable Living on the East Coast
The cost of living in Durham is 5% lower than the national average, yet the city is situated near one of the biggest innovation hubs in the nation. Durham is a bustling, reasonably priced metropolis that also happens to be a natural oasis for green space when compared to its neighboring towns of Raleigh and Chapel Hill. At $183,900, the typical home price is comparable to the national average, but Raleigh, a nearby city, has a median home price that is 18% higher than the norm. Chapel Hill has a 1.8% higher median rent than the national average, while Durham’s is 3.8% lower. Living expenses in Durham are reasonable and within reach, which is why it is regarded as one of the greatest cities for young professionals.
Innovative Advances
Living in Durham places you in one of the nation’s largest centers of research and technology. The towns of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill are located on three sides of the 7,000-acre Research Triangle Park (RTP). The Triangle, also known as The Research Triangle, is located in the park and is devoted to interdisciplinary research and development in the fields of medicine and life sciences. To promote teamwork between Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, and leading industry companies, more than 55,000 innovators congregate in The Triangle every day.
IBM’s cybersecurity specialists use The Triangle as a hub for learning and innovation. Medical personnel use The Triangle to conduct research or produce drug therapy, including those working in projects like vaccine development at Pfizer. The largest research park in the United States, RTP, is home to a number of ongoing technological innovations, including the development of 3D ultrasonography in 1987 and the successful treatment of an HIV patient by RTI International in 2013.
Heart of Healthcare
It should come as no surprise that Durham has first-rate healthcare services given its moniker, “The City of Medicine.” With institutions like City of Medicine Academy, which is committed to training students early for medical vocations, medical education can start as early as high school. More than 300 medical and health-related businesses may be found in the city, along with distinctive graduate programs that emphasize hands-on, quick learning.
Both the Duke University School of Medicine and the Duke University School of Nursing are highly regarded institutions, coming in third place nationwide in their respective fields. The Society for Simulation in Healthcare and Council for Accreditation of Healthcare Simulation Programs also granted the Center for Nursing Discovery at DUSON a five-year accreditation, making it the only institution in North Carolina to hold such a designation.
The final year of the three-year Doctor of Medicine program at Duke University School of Medicine is devoted to a scholarly research project. Both initiatives are a component of Duke Health, a premier healthcare network that collaborates with local institutions like Duke Regional Hospital and Duke University Hospital.