High Point is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, located south and southwest of Greensboro, inside the Piedmont Triad region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Outskirts of High Point also extends into Randolph, Davidson, and Forsyth counties. The city was of a total population of 114,059 at the 2020 census. High Point is the ninth-most populous city in North Carolina, the third-largest city in the Piedmont Triad, and the 259th-most populous city in the U.S.
Major industries in High Point include furniture, textiles, and bus manufacturing. The official slogan of the city is "North Carolina's International City" due to the semi-annual High Point Furniture Market that attracts 100,000 exhibitors and buyers from around the world. It is home to High Point University, a private Methodist-affiliated institution founded in 1924.
The incumbent mayor of High Point is Cyril Jefferson.
History
High Point was at the highest point of the 1856 North Carolina Railroad between Charlotte and Goldsboro, where it intersected the 1852 Great Western Plank Road. Its central location and transportation allowed for the delivery of raw materials like cotton and lumber as well as import and export of processed goods, contributing to its early growth. High Point was settled by Europeans, including English Quakers and German immigrants, before 1750, but was not incorporated until 1859. Before it became a major manufacturing center, the most important industries were tobacco, woodworking and textiles. The High Point furniture factory opened in 1889. High Point College was founded in 1924 as a private Methodist-affiliated institution. The college later became a liberal arts university, now with approximately 4,400 undergraduate and graduate students from 51 countries and 46 states.
Geography High Point is the only city in North Carolina that exists within four counties: Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford and Randolph. It also stands within two major watersheds: the Yadkin–Pee Dee to the west and the Cape Fear to the east. Parts of the city rise above , making it among the highest cities in North Carolina's Piedmont.
High Point is bordered by Greensboro to the north and northeast, Jamestown to the northeast, and Archdale to the southeast. The city limits of Trinity and Thomasville come within half a mile of the city limits of High Point limits to the south and southwest, respectively.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (2.60%) is water.
Climate High Point experiences a humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot and humid, and the dew points will often climb to near or even above by late June through much of August. Nights usually remain warm, above 70 degrees. Most summers, the hottest day will record a maximum between . About once every 5 to 10 years, the city will climb to or above . Winters are cool to cold. Nights average near , with the coldest averages in the upper 20s from late December through early February. Most winters, the coldest temperature will dip to between . About once every 10 years, the minimum will dip below , and about once every 20 years to near or below . Daytime highs average near in the winter, with the coldest stretch between late December through early February, with highs averaging in the upper 40s. Most winters there will be 2 to 4 days that remain below freezing. The hottest temperature on record for the area was on August 18, 1988 (in nearby Greensboro the high reached in 1914), and the coldest was on January 21, 1985.
Rainfall patterns are generally spread evenly throughout the year, with between seven and eleven wet days per month. The city averages around of rain per year. Snowfall varies from year to year, with most years totaling less than . However, there are some years that exceed , and this brings the overall average to more than per year. In the winter of 1959/60 the city had just over of snowfall, which stands as the most dating back to the start of snowfall record-keeping in 1928. In addition to snowfall, some years the city can be impacted by significant ice storms. Cold air wedging up on the east side of the mountains can lock this part of the state into cold air while warmer moist air moves in aloft. This proximity to the mountains creates what is known as the Appalachian Wedge and can produce crippling ice storms.
High Point was one of several communities affected by a 2010 tornado outbreak. The twister reached its most powerful EF3 classification as it crossed the northern suburbs of the city.
In 1989, High Point sustained minor wind damage from Hurricane Hugo as it raced through the western Piedmont region of North Carolina after making landfall 5 hours away in Charleston, South Carolina.
Demographics
2020 census +High Point, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010White alone (NH)50,17652,61250,00058.45%50.41%43.84%Black or African American alone (NH)27,06433,98336,12431.53%32.56%31.67%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3494364030.41%0.42%0.35%Asian alone (NH)2,8476,3029,9853.32%6.04%8.75%Pacific Islander alone (NH)1338470.02%0.04%0.04%Some Other Race alone (NH)1392798050.16%0.27%0.71%Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)1,0541,8743,9111.23%1.80%3.43%Hispanic or Latino (any race)4,1978,84712,7844.89%8.48%11.21%Total85,839104,371114,059100.00%100.00%100.00%
As of the 2020 census, there were 114,059 people, 40,877 households, and 25,792 families residing in the city.
2010 census At the 2010 census, there were 104,371 people, and 40,988 households residing in the city. The population density was 1,939.9 people per square mile. There were 46,677 housing units in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 53.6% white (50.4% Non-Hispanic white), 33.0% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 6.1% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latinos of any race were 8.5% of the population.
2000 census At the 2000 census, there were 85,839 people, 33,519 households, and 22,523 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 35,952 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 54.56% White, 34.77% African American, 0.46% Native American, 4.45% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.27% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.89% of the population. 12.7% were of American, 8.7% English, 8.3% German and 5.9% Irish ancestry.
There were 33,519 households, of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. Of all households, 27.2% were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,137, and the median income for a family was $48,057. Males had a median income of $33,411 versus $25,293 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,303. About 10.5% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.
Economy Diversification Though historically focused on production of furniture, hosiery, and Hatteras Yachts, High Point diversified its economy by becoming a center for distribution and logistics, customer service, banking, manufacturing, photography and pharmaceuticals. The High Point Market remains important to High Point's economy and the city's furniture industry. Its semi-annual trade show is the largest furniture and furnishings industry event in the world. It is held in April and October of each year. Approximately of showroom space is used by 2,300 exhibitors, in 188 separate buildings. Over 100 countries are represented through both vendors and visitors.
Evolution of furniture industry High Point was an early center for the development of the furniture industry in the South.Carolina Publications Inc., "North Carolina Furniture Guide: History of North Carolina Furniture" . Retrieved 3/6/2013 Functional furniture had been produced on a small scale since the 17th century by artisans of English ancestry who had settled in North Carolina."North Carolina in the Global Economy", retrieved 3/6/2013 As the farming landscape of the South began to change with the end of the Civil War and slavery, cheap labor became available during the Reconstruction Era. The North Carolina furniture industry gained momentum in the late 19th century, and developers were attracted to High Point for its location, transportation, and cheap labor. The city was in the center of the Piedmont region with access to vast hardwood forests in the central and western parts of the state. High Point, at the junction of the railroad and a main state road, provided a centralized shipping point for the southern market. An agricultural depression in the 1890s drove farm workers to developing towns like High Point looking for industrial jobs.Patricia Phillips Marshall, "Furniture Industry – Part III: Furniture Production in the Industrial Age" (2006). Retrieved 3/6/2013
Factories were needed to produce affordable wooden household furniture for the southern market. The first furniture company, the High Point Furniture Manufacturing Company, was formed in 1889. Subsequently, from 1890 to 1900, 38 new furniture factories opened in the state, with 13 of those in High Point. The Southern Railway line was formed in 1894, and High Point was shipping eight fully loaded freight cars of furniture each day by 1898. By the turn of the century, High Point had become the leading furniture center in the South, with over 40 furniture companies in the city and the surrounding area.Richard B. McCaslin, "High Point" (2006). Retrieved 3/6/2013 Meanwhile, other manufacturers set up local factories to provide related products like veneers, plate glass, mirrors, paint, and locks to furniture companies.
Profits in the North Carolina furniture industry declined with the increasing number of factories. In addition to the increased competition for market share, by 1910 the salary for competent experienced workers and rising shipping costs had cut further into the profit. Bankruptcies resulted from inexperienced managers who tried to sell products below the cost of production and companies that tried to expand too quickly. An innovative High Point company, Tomlinson Chair Co., devised incentives to give its workforce an opportunity to receive part of the profits. The company was one of the first to manufacture period reproduction dining and living room furniture on a large scale. Employees who exceeded monthly quotas received a percentage bonus. All workers received a life insurance policy as well.