Growing and self-discovery go hand in hand at The Forest. As our 500 residents will tell you, ours is a community of ongoing learning opportunities. We're redefining retirement.
Welcome to The Forest at Duke.
We’ve been compared to a luxury resort and even a docked cruise ship, but we love it best when our residents simply call us home.
Internationally accredited by CARF/CCAC, Fitch rated, and neighbor to the Duke University campus and medical center, The Forest at Duke is a vibrant, nonprofit 501(c)(3) continuing care retirement community that has welcomed residents from numerous states and other parts of the world since its opening in 1992.
Today, about 500 people enjoy life at The Forest, and nearly 400 team members are an integral part of their lives. Residents are professors, gardeners, authors, CEOs, community volunteers, opera buffs, engineers, librarians, homemakers, and artists—people from all walks of life who continue to learn, grow, mingle, and care. Along with growth and rejuvenation, they find security and peace of mind here as well.
The Forest at Duke appreciates and values differences and similarities within our residents, board, and staff. A diverse community includes differences in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and religion, as well as other aspects of difference. We strive for an inclusive community that celebrates and embraces these dimensions of diversity.
Nestled on 47 acres, our campus is thoughtfully landscaped to include evergreen and deciduous trees and a variety of flowering shrubs and hedges to bring year-round color to the grounds. We offer a variety of apartment, cottage, and individual home floor plans designed to meet a wide range of lifestyle preferences. Our apartment offerings include five classic floor plans and 10 contemporary apartment designs introduced in 2025 as part of our newest residential expansion. In addition, we offer six distinct floor plans across our cottages and individual homes.
We invite you to spend some time getting to know The Forest at Duke. Visit our Events page to view numerous opportunities for touring our campus, including both in-person and virtual options. Led by our incredible sales counselors, group tours provide a great foundation of knowledge about Forest living to help you grow familiar with our community. Reach out today to let us know how we can assist you.
