Durham County, the City of Durham, and Durham Public Schools each adopt separate annual budgets. Together they determine your tax rate, school funding, public safety staffing, housing programs, parks, and basically everything neighbors rely on every day. All figures here come directly from official government documents!
Budget Explorer
Explore all three budgets in one place: spending by area, year-over-year changes, funding sources, and line-item breakdowns. All figures from official adopted budget documents.
Open Budget Explorer →Durham County
Covers DPS, Health & Human Services, Sheriff, parks, and libraries. Property tax is the primary revenue source. BOCC votes on adoption June 8.
Explore county budget →City of Durham
Funds police, fire, public works, water and sewer, parks, and transit. City sets its own tax rate. Residents inside city limits pay both city and county taxes.
Explore city budget →Durham Public Schools
Funded by the state (largest share), Durham County, and federal grants. FY2025–26 total: $708M across 53 schools. County sets the annual DPS appropriation each June.
Explore schools budget →Capital Improvement Projects
$1.23B in long-term infrastructure investments across the city, county, and DPS: roads, housing, schools, parks, and water systems. Includes an interactive map.
View Capital Projects →FY2026-27 Key Dates: Durham County
How to Weigh In
Submit Written Comment
Send your comments to the Board of Commissioners before the May 26 public hearing. Every comment matters!
Submit a Comment →Speak at the Public Hearing
Sign up to testify on May 26 at 7:00 PM at 200 E. Main St., Commissioners Chambers, Room 2A. Come tell us what matters to you!
Sign Up to Speak →Watch the Meetings
All BOCC meetings are livestreamed on YouTube. The May 11 Manager presentation and May 26 public hearing lead up to the June 8 adoption vote.
Watch Live Stream →Review the Documents
Download the budget, revenue projections, and department requests from the county website.
Budget Documents →