About
Learn about City of Durham including our News & Press Releases, Featured Projects, and Team.
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Have questions? Reach out to us directly.
Learn about City of Durham including our News & Press Releases, Featured Projects, and Team.
About City of Durham
- Population
- 304,786
- GO Bonds Outstanding (as of 06/30/2022)
- $84,425,000
- City Budget (as of 07/01/2022)
- $568.9 million
Durham’s official birthday is April 26, 1853, when the U.S. Post office was established. Durham was incorporated on April 10, 1869 and from its official birth date until today, it has grown from a small village of less than 100 people into the one of the largest cities in North Carolina. Durham was nicknamed the “Bull City” in the late 1800s when the Blackwell Tobacco Company named its product “Bull” Durham Tobacco.
Durham was historically a banking and tobacco center and although both industries have continued to flourish, the City has also drawn many other industries to our area. Between 1900 and 1925, two famous educational institutions were founded, North Carolina Central University and Duke University. These institutions have established Durham as a city of high academic acclaim. With the birth of the Research Triangle Park (RTP) in the 1950s, Durham began to take on a new look that has evolved this community into a global center for information technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medicine. The City of Durham is also known as the “City of Medicine,” with healthcare as a major industry including more than 300 medical and health-related companies and medical practices.
Durham's credit position is excellent. As one of only 44 cities nationwide to receive the top level triple-A credit rating from all three major national bond rating agencies (Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch), Durham is one of the highest rated public entities in the country.
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News
The City of Durham has just been affirmed with a AAA rating on its general obligation (GO) bonds from the top 3 international credit rating agencies, meaning the City is extremely capable of meeting its financial commitments and can borrow money at the lowest interest rates to pay for large capital projects to improve the community.
The Durham City Council has appointed Deputy City Manager W. Bowman “Bo” Ferguson as the next city manager, following the retirement of City Manager Wanda Page on December 31, 2024.
“Bo Ferguson is the right leader to guide Durham’s future,” said Mayor Leonardo Williams. “With more than a decade of dedicated service to our city and nearly three decades of experience in local government, he has the expertise, vision, and a deep commitment to our organization’s values and our community’s values. The City Council is hiring someone who can lead a workforce of nearly 3,000 people and truly loves Durham. Bo has shown that he can be present for the Durham community at large. He has proven his ability to lead with innovation, inclusivity, and fiscal responsibility. He’s vested in Durham and so are we!”
Ferguson joined the City of Durham in 2013 as a deputy city manager with a portfolio of nine departments and 1,600 employees. In 2021, City Manager Wanda Page created the Public Safety portfolio and asked Ferguson to lead its four departments, which includes the Police, Fire, Emergency Communications, and the Community Safety departments.
City of Durham voters approved both bonds on November 5, 2024. The Parks and Recreation bond passed with 72% of the vote. The Streets and Sidewalks bond passed with 75% of the vote.
Featured Projects
Team
Talk to us
Have questions? Reach out to us directly.