达勒姆郡 has evolved from an agricultural and manufacturing economy to achieve world-class status in the areas of medicine, research and high technology. In the process, it has become one of the country's most desirable places to live. The internationally known 三角研究园 is home to more than 170 global research and development organizations including, 巴斯夫, 瑞士信贷(Credit Suisse), 克里族, 思科, 葛兰素史克公司, IBM, RTI国际, 先正达和Parexel. These companies and others in the Park employ approximately 33,000 people. These companies and others in the park employ approximately 39,000 fulltime workers and 10,000名合同工. Other major research and development organizations, including AW North Carolina, BD, bioMerieux, Boramed, Cormetech, and Organon Teknika are located in the northern section of the county. Burt’s Bees has headquarters in downtown Durham.

达勒姆郡 government has been a catalyst for on-going economic development and the demand for public services continues to increase. Voters approved a $120 million in bond issues in 1986 to fund necessary improvements to schools and public buildings, water and sewer infrastructure, law enforcement facilities, 博物馆, 具有历史意义的属性, and community development. In 1991, voters approved an additional $131 million in bonds to renovate and build schools, 改善 North Carolina Museum of Life and Science and build a northern campus for Durham Technical Community College. In 2016, Durham voters supported $170 million in bonds to support 达勒姆公立学校, Durham Technical Community College, the Museum of Life + Science and a major expansion and renovation of the 主要的图书馆 located in downtown Durham.  

These improvements have gone a long way toward preserving 达勒姆郡's enviable quality of life, and creating the pathway for the infrastructure expansion necessary to support growth projections for one of the fastest growing cities in the Southeast.