Forsyth County, North Carolina

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 412.35 sqmi, of which 407.85 sqmi is land and 4.50 sqmi (1.09%) is water.

The northeast section of Forsyth County, including Belews Creek and parts of Rural Hall, Walkertown, and Kernersville, is drained by tributaries of the Dan River. A small portion of Kernersville is in the Cape Fear River basin. 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 660 feet, on the Yadkin River at the southwest corner of the county. The highest is 1100 feet, 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 I-40 to county line with Guilford County)
• (future loop around Winston-Salem)
• (temporary highway designation for I-74)
• (future designation between I-40 and I-74)
• (future temporary highway designation for I-274)

Major infrastructure

• Amtrak Thruway (Winston-Salem)
• Smith Reynolds Airport

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

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 747 /mi2. There were 133,093 housing units, at an average density of 325 /mi2. 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.

Non-Hispanic White

Black or African American

Hispanic or Latino

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

Forsyth County is served by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools School district.

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

Homes

2632 Amesbury Road

References

References

1. (November 3, 2011). "NC Pronunciation Guide". WRAL.
2. [https://library.unc.edu/wilson/ncc/talk-like-a-tar-heel/ Talk Like a Tarheel] {{Webarchive. link. (June 22, 2013 , from the North Carolina Collection website at the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]]. Retrieved August 16, 2023.)
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
5. (August 23, 2022). "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
6. [https://www.americanrivers.org/river/haw-river/ Haw River, North Carolina], American Rivers, Washington, DC. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
7. [https://www.topozone.com/north-carolina/forsyth-nc/city/clemmons/ Clemmons Topo Map in Forsyth County, NC], TopoZone, Locality, LLC. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
8. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
11. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
12. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
13. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
14. "QuickFacts: Forsyth County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
15. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Forsyth County, North Carolina". [[United States Census Bureau]].
16. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Forsyth County, North Carolina".
17. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Forsyth County, North Carolina".
18. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
19. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
20. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
21. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
22. "Locations". Forsyth County.
23. Gordon, Brian. (April 25, 2022). "Why do conservative WNC counties keep electing Democrats?". The Fayetteville Observer.
24. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
25. {{cite gnis. 1026679. Middle Fork Township