HomeNorth CarolinaForsyth County
Forsyth County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Forsyth County, North Carolina had an estimated 398,143 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 382,606, across 408 square miles. County output reached $34.37 bn in 2024, 9,141 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 257 7(a) approvals worth $205.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Forsyth County
How many people live in Forsyth County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024389,977
- Households159,925
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$67,165
- Median age38.4
- Median gross rent$1,098 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$250,400
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher38.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree15.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over262,936
- Population under 1888,343
- Share under 1822.7 percent
- Population 65 and over66,134
- Share 65 and over17.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64235,500
- Civilian labor force193,477
- Unemployment rate5.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.1 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties4th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included191st of 3,222
Forsyth County is the 4th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.7 percent against 17.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Forsyth County
Is Forsyth County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024398,143
- Census 2020 base population382,606
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.06 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20244,308
- Births, 20244,559
- Deaths, 20244,032
- Natural change, 2024527
- Net domestic migration, 20241,330
- Net international migration, 20242,424
- Total net migration, 20243,754
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20248,090
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents678th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.06 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Forsyth County
Where are people moving to Forsyth County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving11,041
- People arriving, from those returns19,004
- Tax returns filed by households leaving10,029
- Net household movement1,012
- Adjusted gross income arriving$722.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$33.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$65,470
- Average income of a leaving household$68,695
- Largest single originGuilford County (1,677 households)
- Largest single destinationGuilford County (1,299 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guilford County | 1,677 | 2,887 | $91.6 m |
| Davidson County | 743 | 1,308 | $37.8 m |
| Mecklenburg County | 381 | 591 | $24.5 m |
| Stokes County | 329 | 551 | $17.4 m |
| Davie County | 316 | 540 | $21.0 m |
| Wake County | 314 | 483 | $22.2 m |
| Yadkin County | 187 | 338 | $8.9 m |
| Surry County | 156 | 252 | $6.1 m |
Households arriving report $3,225 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Guilford County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Forsyth County
What is the Forsyth County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$34.37 bn
- County GDP, 2023$33.18 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.6 percent
- GDP change over five years32.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes5th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes174th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$88,141
Output grew 3.6 percent in the latest year and 32.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Forsyth County
Employment by industry in Forsyth County
- Covered employment, annual average192,587
- Establishments reporting11,366
- Average annual pay$66,257
- Average weekly wage$1,274
- Health care and social assistance, employment43,109
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$72,632
- Retail trade, employment22,366
- Retail trade, average annual pay$40,661
- Accommodation and food services, employment18,281
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$24,473
- Manufacturing, employment16,130
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$77,884
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment12,537
- Finance and insurance, employment9,036
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 43,109 | 1,208 | $72,632 |
| Retail trade | 22,366 | 1,370 | $40,661 |
| Accommodation and food services | 18,281 | 935 | $24,473 |
| Manufacturing | 16,130 | 349 | $77,884 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 12,537 | 828 | $49,050 |
| Finance and insurance | 9,036 | 674 | $113,589 |
| Construction | 8,371 | 1,094 | $73,794 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 8,356 | 1,524 | $85,432 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 43,109 jobs, 22.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Forsyth County
How many businesses are in Forsyth County?
- Establishments, all industries9,141
- Employment at those establishments190,157
- Annual payroll$11.39 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Forsyth County
Building permits in Forsyth County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20243,846
- Declared construction value permitted$1.19 bn
- Single family units authorized2,540
- Multifamily units authorized1,306
- Multifamily share of units34.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$309,029
- Units authorized per 1,000 households24.0
Single-family homes are 66.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Forsyth County
SBA loans in Forsyth County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded257
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$205.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$797,707
- Median 7(a) approval$320,000
- 10th percentile approval$40,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,506,540
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,879
- Jobs per approval15.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active63
- Distinct industries receiving approvals119
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms44
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter191
- Franchise loans73
- Franchise share of approvals28.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (14)
- Most active lenderLive Oak Banking Company (24)
- 504 approvals recorded43
- 504 gross approval dollars$35.6 m
- Average 504 approval$828,070
- Median 504 approval$568,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval14.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.1
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (25)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$240.6 m
The average approval of $797,707 sits well above the median of $320,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 17.1 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Forsyth County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Forsyth County
Do SBA loans in Forsyth County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded44
- Paid in full40
- Charged off4
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans9.1 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure172
- Status: Paid in full40
- Status: Cancelled25
- Status: Charged off4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed16
Of the 44 loans that have reached a final outcome, 9.1 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Forsyth County
SBA lending by place in Forsyth County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending10
- Winston-Salem, approvals170
- Kernersville, approvals42
- Clemmons, approvals21
- Lewisville, approvals8
- Belews Creek, approvals5
- Pfafftown, approvals4
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem | 170 | $137,501,900 |
| Kernersville | 42 | $37,270,300 |
| Clemmons | 21 | $17,769,100 |
| Lewisville | 8 | $3,904,500 |
| Belews Creek | 5 | $1,639,000 |
| Pfafftown | 4 | $4,168,600 |
| Rural Hall | 3 | $1,599,900 |
| Walkertown | 2 | $780,000 |
| 2 other borrower cities | 2 | $377,500 |
Winston-Salem accounts for 170 approvals against 42 in Kernersville. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Forsyth County
How large is Forsyth County?
- Land area408 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties60th of 100
- Width, east to west26.9 mi
- Height, north to south19.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land956
- Establishments per square mile22.40
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Forsyth County
Flood risk in Forsyth County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Forsyth County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 375349
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 8
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Forsyth County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Forsyth County (community 375349), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 8, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Forsyth County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Forsyth County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Forsyth County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024389,977
- Households159,925
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$67,165
- Median age38.4
Common questions
Forsyth County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Forsyth County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 398,143 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 389,977, in 159,925 households, ranking 4th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Forsyth County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.06 percent since the 2020 census base of 382,606, to 398,143 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 4,559 births against 4,032 deaths, with net migration of 3,754. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Forsyth County?
$67,165. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $250,400, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,098 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Forsyth County?
9,141 establishments, employing 190,157 people with an annual payroll of $11.39 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Forsyth County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 43,109 jobs, 22.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 192,587 jobs at an average annual pay of $66,257, or $1,274 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Forsyth County?
257 7(a) approvals totaling $205.0 m since FY2020, across 63 lenders, with a median approval of $320,000, plus 43 504 approvals worth $35.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Forsyth County get paid back?
Of the 44 loans that have reached a final outcome, 40 were paid in full and 4 charged off, a charge-off rate of 9.1 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Forsyth County?
3,846 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.19 bn. Multifamily was 34.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Forsyth County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Forsyth County come from?
The largest single origin is Guilford County, with 1,677 households. Arriving households report an average income of $65,470 against $68,695 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Forsyth County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Forsyth County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Forsyth County
Cities and places in Forsyth.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Forsyth County. All 10 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem | city | 252,037 | 170 | Wholly in this county |
| Kernersville | town | 27,830 | 42 | 92.7 percent here, 7.3 percent Guilford County |
| Clemmons | village | 21,871 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Lewisville | town | 13,828 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| King | city | 7,408 | None recorded | 14.2 percent here, 85.8 percent Stokes County |
| Walkertown | town | 5,873 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Rural Hall | town | 3,466 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Tobaccoville | village | 2,664 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Germanton | CDP | 1,087 | None recorded | 45.4 percent here, 54.6 percent Stokes County |
| Bethania | town | 443 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 10 of the county's 257 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Forsyth County, the largest being Belews Creek (5), Pfafftown (4), Huntingtown (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.