Greensboro, North Carolina Population 2024

This exciting city is known for the arts and its many events and attractions that lure residents and visitors alike.

Greensboro Population Statistics

Almost half of the residents in the city have a religious affiliation. The primary religion is Christianity. However, there are also followers of Islam, Judaism, and Eastern religions that reside in Greensboro.

The largest employers in the city include Guilford County Public Schools, which employs over 10,000 people, Coen Health, the City of Greensboro, the United States Postal Service and Guilford County.

Greensboro Population Growth

Greensboro has seen substantial growth since it was founded. Its population between 1870 and 1880 grew over 323%. The city has seen multiple periods where its population more than doubled in just ten years. While growth has slowed slightly from its earliest years, it continues to proliferate. Most recently, it went up by over 20% between the census taken in 2000 and the poll taken in 2010. Since the last count, the population has grown by 6.4%. Based on this data, it won’t be long before Greensboro has a population exceeding 300,000 residents.

Greensboro was established in 1808 and was named after General Nathanael Greene. By 1821, the city had a population of 369 people. Substantial growth was on the horizon, though, as the city was picked by the state government to be a stop for a railroad line. With this rail traffic and expanded market access, the city’s population surged. Greensboro during this time secured its spot as a center for transportation in the Piedmont region.

Greensboro has a long history with the textile industry, and remains a center for this industry to this day. It is home to many brands including Galey & Lord and VF Corporation, which is the company behind popular brand names including Nautica and the North Face. It was through the cotton trade and merchandising that Greensboro generated much wealth during its early history, resulting in the construction of villas, plantation houses, and estates.

Following the Civil War, textile mills were restored and continued to expand. As the center of the textile industry in the southern United States, the city continued to build wealth and with it, develop buildings including courthouses and churches. This expansion continued into the 20th century, and more companies made their way over to Greensboro. This includes Carolina Steel Corporation and Vicks Chemical Co. More people continued to move to Greensboro, even during the Great Depression, primarily because of its education, parks and employment opportunities. The city did, however, face dark times during the Civil Rights Movement, like many other southern cities. This included the Greensboro Massacre.

Today, Greensboro continues to be a thriving city. Investments have been made to revitalize the downtown area, while the Southside neighborhood has been redeveloped into an award-winning community. There are many nightclubs, restaurants, retail shops, parks, and attractions, as well as multiple institutes of higher learning that provide educational opportunities for residents.