Duke is a fairly liberal campus socially. Groups like ASA (Asian Student Association) and Mi Gente (Hispanic) are very popular and students get very involved. There are also a variety of religious groups like Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) or and services on campus that are popular on campus. Duke is a very gay-friendly campus. Many students have the gay pride flags hanging out of their dorm windows. None of this is overwhelming though. It's easy to get involved, but I never feel pressured or annoyed by any of the groups that I'm not involved in. Economically, Duke is surprisingly well-rounded. Because of the great financial aid, students of all socio-economic status can attend school here. Even though there are very wealthy and very poor students here, it's not blatant who belongs to each group. It's not really an issue discussed among students, which I like. People feel equal here. As long as students are willing to socialize and be open to meeting new people, I think everyone can find his or her niche at Duke. A huge partier and a nerd can get along just fine in the classroom setting too. Duke never has that exclusive, clique-y feel that often exists in high school.
We have a lot of students from North Carolina, New York, California, and Texas, but that's probably to be expected. There are students from every state at Duke and from 85 countries. The student body is diverse, which I find to be a very beneficial component to the overall experience at Duke.
As for politics at Duke, I hesitate to use the word "apathetic," but students aren't the most involved in politics. It's mostly because students are too busy to keep up with every current event. I think students care, and they do get involved some, but politics aren't huge on campus. There are groups for those who want to get involved though. We have some students participating in an "Occupy Duke," sleeping out in tents on campus, so there are some people who are passionate. I would say Duke is more left-wing, but there are plenty of conservatives students too.
Students here are focused on their classes and having fun. Most students don't seem to be too preoccupied with worries about getting a job after graduation and how much money they make. If you graduate with a degree from Duke, you don't have to worry as much about getting a job as someone from an average university. Companies, grad schools, law schools, and medical schools know that Duke is a good school. Plus Duke has an impressive alumni network, which always helps.