Yesterday, the office in which I am working, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, held a breakfast event called “The State of Durham’s Economy.” The event, which has been going on for 15 years now, analyzes the current situation of Durham’s economy, highlighting its success and areas in need of improvement. The event was a great experience for those working at the office because we were able to get a better understanding of achievements of Durham recently and its challenges.
The theme for the event was “Are we there yet?” As Kevin Dick, the director of our office, and Mayor William Bell said, the numbers that Dick presented speak for themselves and that people should for their own opinions. So here are some of the numbers:
· $1,216: The average weekly wage in Durham ($791 in North Carolina) for 2012.
· 136,646: Employed Durham County residents in 2013.
· 8 percent: The Durham unemployment rate for 2013 (compare that to 6.4 percent in North Carolina).
· 12,876: Registered nurses in Durham County (435 new jobs projected)
· 2,998: Employed waitstaff in Durham County.
· 35,837: People employed in professional, scientific and technical services (4,908 new jobs projected) in Durham County.
· 3.21 percent: Drop out rate in Durham County School District. Compare that to 1.95 percent in Wake County.
· 47.6 percent: Percentage of college degree attainment in Durham County.
· $201,255: Average home sale price in Durham County in 2013. (Compare to $194,425 in 2012)
· 99: Average days homes in Durham County stayed on the market in 2013.
· $1.08 billion: Total value of all construction permits (combined city and county) for 2013. Compare that to $901 million in 2012.
· 7 percent: Available office space downtown in 2013.
· $4.9B: Taxable sales collections in 2013.
· 2,972: That's how many jobs (out of 8,049 for the Research Triangle Region) came to Durham in 2013.
· 16,000: People who worked in downtown Durham in 2013. Compare to 3,800 in 1993.
So are we there yet? Almost. Durham has found an identity. It was ranked #1 for America’s Foodiest Small-Town by Bon Appétit. #1 for Best Mid-Sized Cities for Jobs by Forbes. #1 Housing Market in the US by Wall Street Journal. The accolades are astounding, but Durham has nearly 45,000 people living under the poverty line. Eight neighborhoods are considered “distressed,” based on their high unemployment rates, low per capita income, and high poverty rates. While Durham boasts the best public high school in North Carolina – Durham School of the Arts, other high schools are struggling. Yes, Durham has bustling downtown and is a great place for business, but we are not there yet until we reduce the poverty levels and improve our schools.
So how does this have to do with Duke? Duke has been instrumental in reviving Durham. Its hospital is one of the best in the country and provides world-class healthcare to Durham’s residents. Its stellar students are an excellent source of workers at the Research Triangle Park and a big reason Research Triangle came to this area in the first place. Duke has had a big impact on Durham. When Durham renovated American Tobacco Campus and need high-profile leases to occupy the office space, Duke stepped in. When Durham wanted to make DPAC a world-class performing arts venue and needed money, Duke made a $7.5 million contribution. Duke’s presence extends throughout Durham and both entities have mutually benefitted from each other’s success.
While Duke’s monetary contributions are great, as Dr. Phail Wynn, Jr., vice president of Durham & Regional Affairs at Duke, said yesterday in our panel meeting, the most important asset that Duke can contribute to Durham is its student intellectual minds. His office is responsible for getting many Duke students involved in Durham in education programs, the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Project, and community service programs like our DukeEngage-Durham. While much is being done by the city to solve Durham’s challenges of poverty and poor education system, Duke students involvement can makes big contributions in Durham. DukeEngage-Durham is doing a great job of this. I am proud be working in this program because my work is contributing to bettering of a town that I’ve called home the past two years. The Office of Economic & Workforce Development plays a huge role in improving the city. It is a privilege to work here, and I look forward to serving my community for the next five weeks.
The theme for the event was “Are we there yet?” As Kevin Dick, the director of our office, and Mayor William Bell said, the numbers that Dick presented speak for themselves and that people should for their own opinions. So here are some of the numbers:
· $1,216: The average weekly wage in Durham ($791 in North Carolina) for 2012.
· 136,646: Employed Durham County residents in 2013.
· 8 percent: The Durham unemployment rate for 2013 (compare that to 6.4 percent in North Carolina).
· 12,876: Registered nurses in Durham County (435 new jobs projected)
· 2,998: Employed waitstaff in Durham County.
· 35,837: People employed in professional, scientific and technical services (4,908 new jobs projected) in Durham County.
· 3.21 percent: Drop out rate in Durham County School District. Compare that to 1.95 percent in Wake County.
· 47.6 percent: Percentage of college degree attainment in Durham County.
· $201,255: Average home sale price in Durham County in 2013. (Compare to $194,425 in 2012)
· 99: Average days homes in Durham County stayed on the market in 2013.
· $1.08 billion: Total value of all construction permits (combined city and county) for 2013. Compare that to $901 million in 2012.
· 7 percent: Available office space downtown in 2013.
· $4.9B: Taxable sales collections in 2013.
· 2,972: That's how many jobs (out of 8,049 for the Research Triangle Region) came to Durham in 2013.
· 16,000: People who worked in downtown Durham in 2013. Compare to 3,800 in 1993.
So are we there yet? Almost. Durham has found an identity. It was ranked #1 for America’s Foodiest Small-Town by Bon Appétit. #1 for Best Mid-Sized Cities for Jobs by Forbes. #1 Housing Market in the US by Wall Street Journal. The accolades are astounding, but Durham has nearly 45,000 people living under the poverty line. Eight neighborhoods are considered “distressed,” based on their high unemployment rates, low per capita income, and high poverty rates. While Durham boasts the best public high school in North Carolina – Durham School of the Arts, other high schools are struggling. Yes, Durham has bustling downtown and is a great place for business, but we are not there yet until we reduce the poverty levels and improve our schools.
So how does this have to do with Duke? Duke has been instrumental in reviving Durham. Its hospital is one of the best in the country and provides world-class healthcare to Durham’s residents. Its stellar students are an excellent source of workers at the Research Triangle Park and a big reason Research Triangle came to this area in the first place. Duke has had a big impact on Durham. When Durham renovated American Tobacco Campus and need high-profile leases to occupy the office space, Duke stepped in. When Durham wanted to make DPAC a world-class performing arts venue and needed money, Duke made a $7.5 million contribution. Duke’s presence extends throughout Durham and both entities have mutually benefitted from each other’s success.
While Duke’s monetary contributions are great, as Dr. Phail Wynn, Jr., vice president of Durham & Regional Affairs at Duke, said yesterday in our panel meeting, the most important asset that Duke can contribute to Durham is its student intellectual minds. His office is responsible for getting many Duke students involved in Durham in education programs, the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Project, and community service programs like our DukeEngage-Durham. While much is being done by the city to solve Durham’s challenges of poverty and poor education system, Duke students involvement can makes big contributions in Durham. DukeEngage-Durham is doing a great job of this. I am proud be working in this program because my work is contributing to bettering of a town that I’ve called home the past two years. The Office of Economic & Workforce Development plays a huge role in improving the city. It is a privilege to work here, and I look forward to serving my community for the next five weeks.