Durham County, NC jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near meDurham County economy
2.8%
unemployment, Sep 2026
3.4% the month before
186,784
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
329,405
people in Durham County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$79,501
median household income
Source: Census ACS
57%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Durham County ranks
Where Durham County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #8Best county job markets for job seekers in the Southeast76 / 100 · of 77
- #11Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Southeast70 / 100 · of 77
- #11Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Southeast57% · of 100
- #12Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Southeast14 per 100 · of 79
- #13Best county job markets for job seekers82 / 100 · of 100
- #16Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Southeast29% · of 100
Durham County outlook: Building
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 3.0% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 7.7% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 2.8%, down 0.6 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+3,445 jobs), hotels & food (+1,354 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: manufacturing (−2,212 jobs), finance & insurance (−652 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Durham County. Each link goes to the publisher.
- Raleigh/Durham Layoffs NewsThe Business Journals · Oct 1, 2026
Learn and get funded in Durham County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Durham County layoffs
2
Layoff notices, last 12 months
154
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
1
employer
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merck Sharp & Dohme LLCTakes effect May 1, 2026 | Durham County | 147 | Layoff | State record | |
| Merck Sharp & Dohme LLCTakes effect May 1, 2026 | Durham County | 7 | Layoff | State record |
Employers hiring most in Durham County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- Duke University140 open roles
- GSK38 open roles
- Duke Health28 open roles
- Fortrea Holdings28 open roles
- Fidelity Investments23 open roles
- Duke Health21 open roles
- Labcorp Holdings21 open roles
- Duke Health Lake Norman Regional Medical Center18 open roles
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise14 open roles
- Wolfspeed14 open roles
Largest employers headquartered in Durham County
- Cerence1,001–5,000 employees
Employee counts with a year are published figures (Wikidata). Other sizes are estimates from our company directory, not payroll counts.
Colleges in Durham County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University | Durham | Private non-profit 4-year | 10,000–19,999 |
| North Carolina Central University | Durham | Public 4-year | 5,000–9,999 |
| Watts College of Nursing | Durham | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Conferences in Durham County
Industry conferences and trade shows held in Durham County. 1 with dates announced.
- Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo
Aug 17 to Aug 19, 2027 · Durham, NC
Paid ticket. 2027 pricing not yet published.
Open call for speakers
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Durham County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in North Carolina? How to file for unemployment in North Carolina (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
NCWorks Career Center Durham County
Durham · Comprehensive · 984-278-3000
Monday-Thursday, 8:30 am until 4:30 pm; Friday 8:30 am -1:00 pm CLOSES TO PUBLIC AT 4:30
Cities in Durham County
Other North Carolina counties
Laid off or looking for work in Durham County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from North Carolina’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. North Carolina unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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