Forsyth County, North Carolina

Forsyth County ( )Talk Like a Tarheel , from the North Carolina Collection website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved August 16, 2023. is a county located in the northwest Piedmont of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 382,590, making it the fourth-most populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Winston-Salem. Forsyth County is part of the Winston-Salem, NC, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point, NC, Combined Statistical Area. Portions of Forsyth County are in the Yadkin Valley wine region.

History The county was formed in 1849 from Stokes County. It was named for Colonel Benjamin Forsyth, who was killed in the War of 1812.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county is in the outer Appalachian Mountains, and has a total area of , of which is land and (1.09%) is water. The county is also located west of the overall-Metropolitan Center of NC; Guilford County and the Greensboro-High Point area, in which Forsyth County is considered to be west of the Metropolitan Center, replacing the previous designation of Forsyth County being "the center."

The northeast section of Forsyth County, including Belews Creek, certain areas of Rural Hall, Walkertown, and the northern outkirts of Kernersville, is drained by tributaries of the Dan River. A small portion of Kernersville is in the Cape Fear River basin.Haw River, North Carolina, American Rivers, Washington, DC. Retrieved December 22, 2021. Most of the county is drained by tributaries of the Yadkin River, which forms the western boundary of the county. The lowest elevation in the county is , on the Yadkin River at the southwest corner of the county.Clemmons Topo Map in Forsyth County, NC, TopoZone, Locality, LLC. Retrieved December 22, 2021. The highest is , at a point just off Jefferson Church Road on the outskirts of King, immediately south of the county line.

State and local protected areas and sites Cascades Preserve (part) Emily Allen Wildflower Preserve Historic Bethabara Park Kaleideum Old Salem Museums & Gardens Shell-Shaped Shell Station Tanglewood Park

Major water bodies Abbotts Creek Belews Creek Belews Lake Beaver Dam Creek Brushy Creek Blanket Creek Buffalo Creek Crooked Run Creek Lick Creek Little Creek Little Yadkin River Mill Creek Muddy Creek Old Field Creek Reedy Fork Salem Creek Silas Creek South Fork Muddy Creek Yadkin River

Adjacent counties Stokes County – north Rockingham County – northeast Guilford County – east Davidson County – south Davie County – southwest Yadkin County – west Surry County – northwest

Major highways

(designated section from US 52 to county line with Guilford County) (future loop around Winston-Salem)

(future temporary highway designation for I-274)

Major infrastructure Amtrak Thruway (Winston-Salem) Smith Reynolds Airport

Demographics

2020 census +Forsyth County, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)181,724195,660202,338205,934208,12674.57%73.59%66.11%58.73%54.40%Black or African American alone (NH)58,93865,85877,04189,53393,73824.19%24.77%25.17%25.53%24.50%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)4525357838949780.19%0.20%0.26%0.25%0.26%Asian alone (NH)6601,6393,1336,4279,1790.27%0.62%1.02%1.83%2.40%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census70156233xx0.02%0.04%0.06%Other race alone (NH)334843976961,6230.14%0.03%0.13%0.20%0.42%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census2,7285,25514,025xx0.89%1.50%3.67%Hispanic or Latino (any race)1,5752,10219,57741,77554,6880.65%0.79%6.40%11.91%14.29%Total243,683265,878306,067350,670382,590 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

As of the 2020 census, there were 382,590 people, 156,635 households, and 90,837 families residing in the county. The median age was 38.8 years, with 22.3% of residents under the age of 18 and 17.1% 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.3 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 56.2% White, 24.9% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 8.4% from some other race, and 7.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 14.3% of the population.

92.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 7.6% lived in rural areas.

There were 156,635 households in the county, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.2% were married-couple households, 18.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 170,176 housing units, of which 8.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 60.6% were owner-occupied and 39.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%.

2000 census At the 2000 census, there were 306,067 people, 123,851 households, and 81,741 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 133,093 housing units, at an average density of . The racial makeup was 68.47% White, 25.61% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.25% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 6.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 123,851 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.90% were married couples living together, 13.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age was 36 years, with 23.90% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.40 males.

The median household income was $42,097, and the median family income was $52,032. Males had a median income of $36,158, versus $27,319 for females. The per capita income was $23,023. About 7.90% of families and 11.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.10% of those under age 18 and 9.70% of those age 65 or over. Law and government

The Forsyth County Government Center is located at 201 North Chestnut Street in Downtown Winston-Salem. Forsyth County is a member of the regional Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments.

The Forsyth County Public Library, founded in 1906, is free for residents of Forsyth and surrounding counties, while all others must pay a small yearly fee for a library card. The library runs Adult, Children's, and Hispanic Outreach programs. Its main "Central Library" is in downtown Winston-Salem, with branches all across the county.

Forsyth County Public Library is part of NC Cardinal, a consortium of many other library systems in North Carolina.

The Forsyth County Department of Public Health is located at 799 North Highland Avenue near downtown Winston-Salem.

Politics Forsyth County typically favors Democratic candidates in national elections, though Republicans remain competitive in local races.

Education All of Forsyth County is within the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools school district. - Text list

Communities

Cities Winston-Salem (county seat and largest community) High Point (mostly in Guilford County; also in Randolph County and Davidson County) King (mostly in Stokes County)

Towns Bethania Kernersville (partially in Guilford County) Lewisville Rural Hall Stokesdale (mostly in Guilford County) Walkertown

Villages Clemmons Tobaccoville (also in Stokes County)

Townships

Abbots Creek Belews Creek Bethania Broadbay Clemmonsville Kernersville Lewisville Middle Fork I Middle Fork II Old Richmond Old Town Salem Chapel South Fork Vienna Winston

Former township Middle Fork Township was split into Middle Fork I Township and Middle Fork II Township in 2003.

Census-designated place Germanton

Unincorporated communities

Belews Creek Bethabara Dennis Donnaha Dozier Horneytown Pfafftown Seward Stanleyville Union Cross Vienna

See also List of counties in North Carolina National Register of Historic Places listings in Forsyth County, North Carolina Arts Council of Winston-Salem Forsyth County Adelaide Fries, author of the 1898 book, Forsyth County

References

Forsyth County, North Carolina

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