Forsyth County, NC

County

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2023 Population

386,740

0.782% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

38.3

0.26% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

14.7%

3.35% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$65,541

7.04% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$227,800

10.7% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

180,907

1.48% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Forsyth County, NC had a population of 387k people with a median age of 38.3 and a median household income of $65,541. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Forsyth County, NC grew from 383,739 to 386,740, a 0.782% increase and its median household income grew from $61,229 to $65,541, a 7.04% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Forsyth County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (54.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (24.9%), Other (Hispanic) (5.26%), Two+ (Hispanic) (4.5%), and White (Hispanic) (4.01%).

None of the households in Forsyth County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

94.3% of the residents in Forsyth County, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Forsyth County, NC are Wake Forest University (2,979 degrees awarded in 2022), Forsyth Technical Community College (1,987 degrees), and Winston-Salem State University (1,131 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Forsyth County, NC was $227,800, and the homeownership rate was 62.7%.

Most people in Forsyth County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Forsyth County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Forsyth County, NC borders Davidson County, NC, Davie County, NC, Guilford County, NC, Rockingham County, NC, Stokes County, NC, Surry County, NC, and Yadkin County, NC.

About the photo: Falls at Reynolda House Path

Photo by Susan Smith

United States North Carolina Winston-Salem, NC

Population & Diversity

Forsyth County, NC is home to a population of 387k people, from which 94.3% are citizens. As of 2023, 9.12% of Forsyth County, NC residents were born outside of the country (35.3k people).

In 2023, there were 2.17 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (210k people) in Forsyth County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 96.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 20.3k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.3%

2023 Citizenship

94.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 94.3% of Forsyth County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Forsyth County, NC was 94.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Forsyth County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Forsyth County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
210k ± 748
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
96.5k ± 976
Other (Hispanic)
20.3k ± 1.75k

14.6%

Hispanic Population

56.6k people

14.6% of the people in Forsyth County, NC are hispanic (56.6k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Forsyth County, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

9.12%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

35.3k people

8.86%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

34k people

As of 2023, 9.12% of Forsyth County, NC residents (35.3k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Forsyth County, NC was 8.86%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Forsyth County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
6,251 ± 572
Gulf War (2001-)
3,605 ± 636
Gulf War (1990s)
3,286 ± 446

Forsyth County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.73 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Forsyth County, NC employs 181k people. The largest industries in Forsyth County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (32,431 people), Manufacturing (22,935 people), and Retail Trade (19,429 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($118,173), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($86,125), and Finance & Insurance ($71,837).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

181k

2023 Value

± 3,845

1.48%

1 Year growth

± 2.92%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Forsyth County, NC grew at a rate of 1.48%, from 178k employees to 181k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Forsyth County, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (20,325 people), Management Occupations (18,678 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (16,536 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Forsyth County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

181k

2023 Value

± 3,845

1.48%

1 Year growth

± 2.92%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Forsyth County, NC grew at a rate of 1.48%, from 178k employees to 181k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Forsyth County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (32,431 people), Manufacturing (22,935 people), and Retail Trade (19,429 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Forsyth County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Forsyth County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,703

Median earning men ± $1,118

$37,382

Median earning women ± $1,502

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($81,383), Public Administration ($66,929), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($59,279).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($57,799), Public Administration ($54,318), and Wholesale Trade ($47,154).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

657
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
580
Construction
579
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.21M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.15M
Manufacturing
$1.15M
Management of Companies and Enterprises

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2022, universities in Forsyth County, NC awarded 6,836 degrees. The student population of Forsyth County, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 9,082 male students and 15,725 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Forsyth County, NC are White (3,634 and 57.4%), followed by Black or African American (1,465 and 23.1%), Hispanic or Latino (620 and 9.79%), and Two or More Races (204 and 3.22%).

The largest universities in Forsyth County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Wake Forest University (2,979 and 43.6%), Forsyth Technical Community College (1,987 and 29.1%), and Winston-Salem State University (1,131 and 16.5%).

The most popular majors in Forsyth County, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (449 and 6.57%), General Business Administration & Management (392 and 5.73%), and Registered Nursing (326 and 4.77%).

The median tuition costs in Forsyth County, NC are $21,550 for private four year colleges, and $4,949 and $18,894 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Forsyth County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 39.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 24.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 24,807 (36.6% men and 63.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 24,807 students enrolled in Forsyth County, NC, 36.6% men and 63.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 10,996 records, of which 60.4% were women and 39.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
173 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
213 degrees awarded
General Psychology
175 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Forsyth County, NC was General Biological Sciences with 173 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Forsyth County, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Wake Forest University
2,979 degrees awarded
Forsyth Technical Community College
1,987 degrees awarded
Winston-Salem State University
1,131 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Wake Forest University with 2,979 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 2,785 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Forsyth County, NC, which is 0.687 times less than the 4,051 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,634 degrees mean that there were 2.48 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,465 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($21,550) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,883) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,700) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Forsyth County, NC was $227,800 in 2023, which is 0.751 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $205,700 to $227,800, a 10.7% increase. The homeownership rate in Forsyth County, NC is 62.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Forsyth County, NC have an average commute time of 22.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Forsyth County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Forsyth County, NC is $65,541. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Forsyth County, NC was Census Tract 25.02 with a value of $171,705, followed by Census Tract 39.08 and Census Tract 39.06, with respective values of $146,655 and $140,066.

In 2023, 15.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Forsyth County, NC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.241%.

Housing

Property

$227,800

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,766

$97,629

Median Property Taxes

±$2,547

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Forsyth County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Forsyth County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

62.7%

Homeownership

2023

67.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 62.7% of the housing units in Forsyth County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Forsyth County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 25.02
Census Tract 39.08
Census Tract 39.06

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Forsyth County, NC was Census Tract 25.02 with a value of $171,705, followed by Census Tract 39.08 and Census Tract 39.06, with respective values of $146,655 and $140,066.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Forsyth County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$65,541

Median Household Income

± $1,422

156k

Number of Households

± 3,308

In 2023, the median household income of the 156k households in Forsyth County, NC grew to $65,541 from the previous year's value of $61,229.

The following chart displays the households in Forsyth County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Forsyth County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (75.4%)
Worked At Home (12.6%)
Carpooled (8.3%)

In 2023, 75.4% of workers in Forsyth County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.6%) and those who carpooled to work (8.3%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Forsyth County, NC have a shorter commute time (22.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.24% of the workforce in Forsyth County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Forsyth County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Forsyth County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Forsyth County, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 15.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Forsyth County, NC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.241%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

14.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Forsyth County, NC (55.3k out of 376k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Forsyth County, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 19.9% of the children was living in poverty in Forsyth County, NC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 12.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

89.5% of the population of Forsyth County, NC has health coverage, with 45.8% on employee plans, 16.8% on Medicaid, 13.1% on Medicare, 12.7% on non-group plans, and 1.08% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Forsyth County, NC see 863 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.7% increase from the previous year (857 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1524 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 282 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

863 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Forsyth County, NC

Primary care physicians in Forsyth County, NC see an average of 863 patients per year. This represents a 0.7% increase from the previous year (857 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Forsyth County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.6% under 18 years, 21.4% between 18 and 34 years, 37.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

10.5%

Uninsured

45.8%

Employer Coverage

16.8%

Medicaid

13.1%

Medicare

12.7%

Non-Group

1.08%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Forsyth County, NC grew by 0.286% from 10.5% to 10.5%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Forsyth County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 61.5 in Forsyth County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Forsyth County, NC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 33.2% in Forsyth County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Forsyth County, NC.