Winston Salem, NC Real Estate

Located in Forsyth County and the county seat, the estimated population in 2015 was 241,218.  Winston Salem is the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and the fifth-largest city in North Carolina.  Situated in the northwest Piedmont area of North Carolina, midway between Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains to the west.  To the east are the Atlantic beaches and Outer Banks.  The city takes up 132.4 square miles.

A visit to the city of Winton Salem is a unique blend of past, present, and future.  Its roots date back to 1753, when Moravians, a religious group from Eastern Europe, settled in the area and established the town of Salem.  A century later, the nearby city of Winston became a bustling industrial center with strong ties to textiles and tobacco.

In 1913, Salem and Winston decided to merge and became one, and Winston-Salem was born.  Although traditionally associated with the textile and tobacco industries, Winston Salem has been transforming itself to be a leader in the nanotech, high-tech, and biotech fields.  The city offers exceptional employment opportunities with industry giants such as R.J. Reynolds, Wells Fargo Corporation, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Piedmont Triad Research Park, along with colleges and universities in the region.

Winston Salem founded the first arts council in the United States in 1949.  The exceptional quality of life appeals to all ages and backgrounds. It’s culture and other amenities make Winston-Salem a great place to live.  Much of the cities energy comes from its vibrant downtown, with more than 100 restaurants, 30 galleries, shops, museums, and live-music venues.   The city is home to beautiful gardens, quaint neighborhoods, historic Old Salem, and much more.

Higher education is a key factor in the area with six colleges and universities.  These institutions are consistently recognized as some of the best in the nation.  Wake Forest is the largest university comprised of two undergraduate schools and five graduate or professional schools.   Other colleges in the area are Winston Salem State University, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Salem College, Piedmont Baptist College, and Forsyth Technical Community College.

Winston Salem is recognized as the gateway to North Carolina’s premier wine region.  The 1.4 million-acre Yadkin Valley is only 20 minutes west of the city.  This area contains more than 35 of North Carolina’s top, award-winning wineries.   The city hosts two of North Carolina’s biggest annual wine events:  The North Carolina Wine Festival in May and Salute!  The North Carolina Wine Celebration the weekend following Memorial Day.