Winston-Salem is a city located in Davidson County, Forsyth County, Guilford County, and Stokes County North Carolina. Winston-Salem has a 2024 population of 254,032. Winston-Salem is currently growing at a rate of 0.42% annually and its population has increased by 1.69% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 249,804 in 2020.
The average household income in Winston-Salem is $81,391 with a poverty rate of 18.41%. The median age in Winston-Salem is 35.7 years: 34.6 years for males, and 36.7 years for females.
Winston-Salem is part of the Piedmont Triad region. The city has a long and fascinating history that has led to such nicknames as “Camel City” for its connection with the tobacco industry and “City of Arts and Innovation.” Winston-Salem is the fifth most populous city in the state with recent estimates showing a population of {pop} people.
This city is known for being one of the most religious in the state. Over 54% of residents are affiliated with a religion. The largest religious group is Baptists, which make up almost 16% of the total religious population. Other religions observed in Winston-Salem include Methodist, Catholicism, and Lutheran, to name a few. There are also a minority of residents that follow Eastern religions.
The city’s economy is primarily centered on the health care industry. The Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is Winston-Salem’s biggest employer, providing jobs to over 11,000 people. Novant Health, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, the city and county governments, and Reynolds American are also top employers, providing jobs to thousands of people throughout Winston-Salem.
Winston-Salem has continuously seen growth in its population at almost every 10-year census. The city reached over 100,000 residents at the time of the 1960 census and continued to reflect steady growth before surpassing 200,000 residents by the time of the 2010 census. Though growth has slowed a bit, recent estimates show that the population is up 5.5% since the last census, indicating that the city will soon hit its next milestone of 250,000 residents.
Winston-Salem has an unusual name as the result of a merger between the towns of Salem and Winston. Salem was initially founded in 1753 and was incorporated as a town in 1856. A new city was formed in 1849 that was named Winston. Unlike Salem, Winston was a small town that saw little growth in its earliest years. However, growth soon picked up with the connection through the North Carolina Railroad and the establishment of a tobacco warehouse. By the end of the 1880s, the town had a total of nearly 40 tobacco factories.
The post office referred to the neighboring towns as Winston-Salem, which led to the establishment of a separate post office in the late 19th century. In 1913, the municipalities were merged and incorporated as Winston-Salem. In the 1920s, Winston-Salem’s population had grown so large that it was the largest city in the state.
After the merger, tobacco continued to play a significant role in the area. The Reynolds family operated R. J. Reynolds Tobacco, which employed many of the town’s workers. The Reynolds Building, which served as headquarters for the company, was the tallest building in the country at the time it was built in 1929. The company also purchased land to build 180 houses that it turned around and sold to its workers. Today, the city still remains one of the primary manufacturing centers for Reynolds brand cigarettes.
The city only continued to grow in the years that followed. In the 1930s, the first Krispy Kreme was opened in Winston-Salem, and the city remains home to the company’s corporate headquarters today. Other businesses have made their way into Winston-Salem, which is the location of corporate headquarters for companies including Lowes Foods, Hanesbrands and Blue Rhino. Though the city’s economy was formerly centered on textiles and tobacco, more recently nanotech, biotech and high-tech fields have grown in population. Medical research is also a growing industry, with the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center growing to become the largest employer in the city.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Winston-Salem was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 127,353 | 51.03% |
Black or African American | 82,945 | 33.24% |
Two or more races | 18,551 | 7.43% |
Other race | 13,516 | 5.42% |
Asian | 6,214 | 2.49% |
Native American | 857 | 0.34% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 135 | 0.05% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 98,749 | 2.43 | 53.9 | 46.1 |
Non Family | 41,298 | 1.2 | 39.3 | 60.7 |
Married | 36,579 | 3.23 | 77.8 | 22.2 |
Female | 16,519 | 3.51 | 38 | 62 |
Male | 4,353 | 3.23 | 52.9 | 47.1 |
3.22
Average Family Size
2.43
Average Household Size
53.9%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 11,312 | 6.96% |
Associates Degree | 12,511 | 7.7% |
Bachelors Degree | 33,274 | 20.47% |
Graduate Degree | 24,517 | 15.08% |
High School Graduate | 39,815 | 24.49% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 8,403 | 5.17% |
Some College | 32,742 | 20.14% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 82,329 | 77,592 | 39,079 |
Black | 53,316 | 46,808 | 11,767 |
Hispanic | 19,366 | 11,336 | 2,943 |
2+ Races | 9,414 | 7,181 | 2,512 |
Other Race | 6,597 | 3,639 | 672 |
Asian | 4,175 | 3,871 | 2,849 |
Native American | 458 | 315 | 50 |
Islander | 82 | 45 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 94.25%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 68.24%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $50,569 | $58,319 | $45,174 |
Graduate Degree | $74,526 | $87,682 | $65,284 |
High School Graduate | $30,293 | $35,577 | $27,508 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $25,614 | $29,493 | $22,053 |
Overall | $39,804 | $44,090 | $35,156 |
Some College | $34,684 | $39,008 | $32,526 |
$39,804
Average Earnings
$44,090
Average Male
$35,156
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
81.83% of Winston-Salem residents speak only English, while 18.17% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 13.91% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 79,188 | 19,357 | 24.44% |
Hispanic | 41,090 | 12,604 | 30.67% |
White | 107,237 | 10,430 | 9.73% |
Multiple | 18,294 | 4,528 | 24.75% |
Other | 13,460 | 3,680 | 27.34% |
Asian | 5,659 | 351 | 6.2% |
Native | 857 | 258 | 30.11% |
Islander | 135 | 75 | 55.56% |
18.41%
Overall Poverty Rate
17.19%
Male Poverty Rate
19.51%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Winston-Salem is Islander, with 55.56% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Winston-Salem is Asian, with 6.2% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.41%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.41%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 25.4%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 30.55% |
High School | 19.09% |
Some College | 13.3% |
Bachelors or Greater | 5.44% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 42.57% |
Male Unemployed | 28.99% |
Female Employed | 10.44% |
Male Employed | 7.49% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $71,260 | $101,165 |
Households | $54,416 | $81,391 |
Married Families | $95,034 | $129,659 |
Non Families | $34,886 | $50,788 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
39.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
42.4%
Male Marriage Rate
36.2%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
10,649
Number of Veterans
9,761
Male Veterans
888
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 4,087 |
First Gulf War | 1,880 |
Second Gulf War | 1,636 |
Korea | 569 |
World War II | 245 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
65 to 74 | 3,109 |
75+ | 2,738 |
55 to 64 | 2,288 |
35 to 54 | 1,737 |
18 to 34 | 777 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 6,347 | 6.23% |
Black | 3,472 | 5.45% |
2+ Races | 420 | 3.81% |
Other Race | 344 | 4.12% |
Hispanic | 288 | 1.18% |
Native American | 42 | 6.91% |
Asian | 24 | 0.48% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
7.41%
Veteran Poverty Rate
27.7%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
61.6%
Labor Force Participation
57.5%
Employment Rate
6.2%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
56.52%
Born in Winston-Salem
89.56%
Native Born
10.44%
Foreign Born
7.07%
Non Citizen
3.37%
Naturalized
89.56% of Winston-Salem residents were born in the United States, with 56.52% having been born in North Carolina. 7.07% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 259,317 | 1,057 | 0.41% |
2028 | 258,260 | 1,057 | 0.41% |
2027 | 257,203 | 1,057 | 0.41% |
2026 | 256,146 | 1,057 | 0.41% |
2025 | 255,089 | 1,057 | 0.42% |
2024 | 254,032 | 1,057 | 0.42% |
2023 | 252,975 | 1,229 | 0.49% |
2022 | 251,746 | 704 | 0.28% |
2021 | 251,042 | 1,238 | 0.5% |
2020 | 249,804 | 2,029 | 0.82% |
2019 | 247,775 | 1,266 | 0.51% |
2018 | 246,509 | 1,980 | 0.81% |
2017 | 244,529 | 2,649 | 1.1% |
2016 | 241,880 | 2,035 | 0.85% |
2015 | 239,845 | 1,298 | 0.54% |
2014 | 238,547 | 2,770 | 1.17% |
2013 | 235,777 | 1,885 | 0.81% |
2012 | 233,892 | 2,013 | 0.87% |
2011 | 231,879 | 1,855 | 0.81% |
2010 | 230,024 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 185,776 | 42,291 | 29.47% |
1990 | 143,485 | 11,600 | 8.8% |
1980 | 131,885 | -1,798 | -1.34% |
1970 | 133,683 | 22,548 | 20.29% |
1960 | 111,135 | 23,324 | 26.56% |
1950 | 87,811 | 7,996 | 10.02% |
1940 | 79,815 | 4,541 | 6.03% |
1930 | 75,274 | 26,879 | 55.54% |
1920 | 48,395 | 25,695 | 113.19% |
1910 | 22,700 | 9,000 | 65.69% |
1900 | 13,700 | 3,000 | 28.04% |
1890 | 10,700 | 6,600 | 160.98% |
1880 | 4,100 | 3,700 | 925% |
1870 | 400 | -258,917 | -99.85% |