RANK #560 / 996 · POP 383,739 · NC
PROJECTED GROWTH: +0.5%
Forsyth County, North Carolina, is distinguished by its Moravian heritage, evident in historic towns like Old Salem, which preserves 18th-century daily life with restored buildings and costumed craftspeople. Located in the Piedmont Triad region, the county seat, Winston-Salem, is approximately an hour and a half drive from Charlotte. The area features rolling hills, creeks, and streams, with the Yadkin River forming its western border. Residents have access to parks like Tanglewood Park, offering extensive outdoor recreation, including trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.
Life in Forsyth County offers a blend of urban amenities and natural spaces, appealing to families and professionals. The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System is the fourth-largest public school system in North Carolina. Commute times average under 23 minutes, with options including personal vehicles and a county-sponsored microtransit program for employment-related travel. The economy, historically tied to manufacturing, is diversifying with growth in sectors such as biomedical research, healthcare, and technology. Recent economic development initiatives aim to attract higher-skilled jobs and strengthen the commercial tax base.
Well below national median
Below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Housing looks undervalued at 2.9x — home prices are low relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (Natural Gas Pipeline)
Transcontinental Pipe Line Company (Transco)
|
$1,200M | Under Construction |
|
Rural Hall Data Center
Undisclosed (Proposed)
|
$750M | Proposed |
|
New Residential Construction (County-wide Portfolio)
Various Homebuilders
|
$500M | Under Construction |
|
Downtown Winston-Salem Mixed-Use Developments (Combined)
Various (Grubb Properties, Front Street Capital, Wexford Science & Technology)
|
$65M | Completed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Forsyth County has a Boom Town Index score of 44/100, ranking #560 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at -0.1% and a median household income of $61,229, it faces some economic headwinds compared to faster-growing counties.
The median home value in Forsyth County is $205,700 with median rent at $969/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.2977, which is more affordable than the national average.
Population growth: +0.8% year-over-year. Job growth: -0.1%. Home values changed +1.0% in the past 12 months.
Yes — 3.23% of Forsyth County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.