County profile · North Carolina
Forsyth County, NC market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Forsyth County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 401,718
- +5.0% since 2020
- Households
- 159,925
- Median household income
- $67,165
- +30.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $250,400
- Jobs located here
- 197,283
- Highest market score
- 77
- Convenience stores, #253 of 2,261 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Forsyth County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Forsyth County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 401,718 people live in Forsyth County, in 159,925 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Forsyth County grew 5.0%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Forsyth County is $67,165 a year, 17% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 30.2% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Forsyth County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 124, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (70).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Forsyth County are for convenience stores (77), child care centers and preschools (73) and mortgage brokers and lenders (71). Forsyth County ranks #253 of 2,261 scored counties for convenience stores.
Forsyth County is part of the Winston-Salem metro area. For its number of households, Forsyth County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for oil change and quick-lube shops (71% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for mortgage brokers and lenders (47% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Forsyth County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Forsyth County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convenience stores | 77 | #253 of 2,261 | 107 | 6.7 | $8.8M | 111 | 24 |
| Child care and preschools | 73 | #193 of 1,611 | 57 | 3.6 | $1.2M | 120 | 71 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 71 | #107 of 887 | 37 | 2.3 | Index only | 162 | 14 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 71 | #190 of 1,327 | 35 | 2.2 | $4M | 131 | 28 |
| Electricians | 70 | #163 of 1,160 | 34 | 2.1 | $13M | 109 | 82 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 70 | #212 of 1,707 | 84 | 5.3 | $5.3M | 111 | 116 |
| Veterinarians | 70 | #287 of 1,485 | 48 | 3.0 | $2.9M | 105 | 41 |
| Gas stations | 69 | #431 of 2,358 | 175 | 10.9 | $2.6M | 109 | 150 |
| Pet businesses | 67 | #387 of 2,200 | 147 | 9.2 | $933K | 106 | 93 |
| Funeral homes | 66 | #328 of 1,472 | 28 | 1.8 | $755K | 111 | 15 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 65 | #354 of 1,461 | 56 | 3.5 | $2.4M | 96 | 35 |
| Home repair trades | 65 | #371 of 2,057 | 178 | 11.1 | $2.5M | 103 | 238 |
| Pizza | 65 | #469 of 2,090 | 86 | 5.4 | $6.7M | 132 | 328 |
| House cleaning | 63 | #185 of 847 | 34 | 2.1 | $6.7M | 105 | 86 |
| Chiropractors | 61 | #439 of 1,490 | 63 | 3.9 | $2.7M | 114 | 40 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 61 | #448 of 1,493 | 82 | 5.1 | $2.8M | 95 | 179 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 61 | #576 of 2,063 | 141 | 8.8 | $4.1M | 111 | 73 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 61 | #758 of 2,402 | 275 | 17.2 | $3.4M | 101 | 121 |
| Car washes and detailing | 60 | #464 of 1,451 | 54 | 3.4 | $2.6M | 104 | 24 |
| Insurance agencies | 59 | #812 of 2,272 | 240 | 15.0 | $1.6M | 129 | 170 |
| Barbershops | 58 | #504 of 1,356 | 86 | 5.4 | $1.6M | 85 | 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 56 | #647 of 1,656 | 93 | 5.8 | $1.9M | 104 | 172 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 56 | #652 of 1,771 | 147 | 9.2 | $1.6M | 92 | 290 |
| Pet stores | 55 | #398 of 974 | 31 | 1.9 | $4.4M | 98 | 17 |
| Physical therapy | 55 | #591 of 1,422 | 79 | 4.9 | $2.2M | 91 | 43 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 54 | #793 of 1,889 | 144 | 9.0 | $4M | 97 | 84 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 53 | #1,042 of 2,405 | 775 | 48.5 | $746K | 112 | 317 |
| Roofing and gutters | 52 | #554 of 1,177 | 60 | 3.8 | $7.4M | 87 | 40 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 52 | #1,102 of 2,405 | 1,483 | 92.7 | $390K | 105 | 724 |
| Property management | 51 | #428 of 910 | 45 | 2.8 | Index only | 94 | 68 |
| Nail salons | 51 | #684 of 1,328 | 108 | 6.8 | $1.3M | 76 | 15 |
| Auto repair shops | 51 | #1,153 of 2,378 | 331 | 20.7 | $427K | 96 | 156 |
| Pest control | 50 | #351 of 699 | 31 | 1.9 | $7.4M | 72 | 25 |
| Tire shops | 49 | #803 of 1,530 | 65 | 4.1 | $2.2M | 87 | 31 |
| Auto repair and car care | 49 | #1,271 of 2,401 | 551 | 34.5 | $257K | 96 | 236 |
| Laundromats | 48 | #400 of 785 | 24 | 1.5 | $12.1M | 97 | 16 |
| Grocery stores | 47 | #1,116 of 2,070 | 121 | 7.6 | $7.8M | 83 | 97 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 47 | #1,281 of 2,222 | 235 | 14.7 | $2.5M | 81 | 328 |
| Spas and skin care | 46 | #1,029 of 1,769 | 165 | 10.3 | $834K | 95 | 33 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 45 | #195 of 325 | 9 | 0.6 | $19.1M | 78 | 14 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 44 | #850 of 1,334 | 74 | 4.6 | $1.5M | 73 | 35 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 42 | #1,235 of 1,886 | 175 | 10.9 | $984K | 100 | 129 |
| Real estate | 42 | #1,529 of 2,229 | 523 | 32.7 | Index only | 103 | 320 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 41 | #1,537 of 2,176 | 437 | 27.3 | Index only | 98 | 197 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 40 | #1,405 of 2,087 | 278 | 17.4 | $1M | 82 | 156 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 39 | #930 of 1,302 | 73 | 4.6 | $2.4M | 75 | 34 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 39 | #1,555 of 2,210 | 377 | 23.6 | $772K | 88 | 199 |
| Gyms | 38 | #1,296 of 1,792 | 119 | 7.4 | $920K | 71 | 63 |
| Dry cleaners | 37 | #379 of 507 | 21 | 1.3 | $13.9M | 88 | 27 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 36 | #614 of 777 | 35 | 2.2 | $3.1M | 77 | 63 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 36 | #1,623 of 2,088 | 228 | 14.3 | $480K | 73 | 98 |
| Hair salons | 35 | #1,889 of 2,339 | 467 | 29.2 | $295K | 69 | 96 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 35 | #1,970 of 2,385 | 851 | 53.2 | $162K | 76 | 151 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 34 | #1,961 of 2,394 | 2,265 | 141.6 | $76K | 50 | 432 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 31 | #401 of 479 | 19 | 1.2 | $7.4M | 54 | 20 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.3 | Index only | 223 | 8 |
Household spending in Forsyth County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $141.4M | $884 | 92 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $455M | $2,845 | 110 |
| Food away from home | $577.8M | $3,613 | 89 |
| Groceries | $937.9M | $5,865 | 93 |
| Personal care products and services | $137.7M | $861 | 86 |
| Child care and other personal services | $68.7M | $430 | 74 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $109.5M | $685 | 70 |
| Medical and dental services | $172.2M | $1,076 | 84 |
| Pets | $137.1M | $857 | 94 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $290.9M | $1,819 | 89 |
| Vehicle insurance | $388.5M | $2,429 | 124 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $443.6M | $2,774 | 92 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $228.1M | $1,426 | 101 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $2.3B | $14,661 | 88 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Forsyth County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 401,718+5.0% since 2020
- Households
- 159,925
- Median age
- 39.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 64%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 408 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 956
- Median household income
- $67,165+30.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $94,082
- Median home value
- $250,400
- Jobs located here
- 197,283
- Daytime population
- 420,468Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Forsyth County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Forsyth County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in North Carolina 8
- Stokes County, NC45,139 people
- Davidson County, NC172,954 people
- Davie County, NC44,122 people
- Guilford County, NC547,940 people
- Yadkin County, NC37,574 people
- Surry County, NC71,425 people
- Rockingham County, NC92,131 people
- Randolph County, NC146,348 people
Questions
How fast is Forsyth County, NC growing?
Population estimates put Forsyth County at 401,718 people in 2025, up 5.0% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 159,925 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 30.2%, before inflation.
How much do households in Forsyth County, NC spend?
Households in Forsyth County spend about $2.3B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $937.9M on groceries and $577.8M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Forsyth County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 124, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (70).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Forsyth County, NC?
Of the business types scored in Forsyth County, convenience stores (77), child care centers and preschools (73) and mortgage brokers and lenders (71) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For convenience stores, that ranks #253 of 2,261 scored counties.
How does Forsyth County, NC compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Forsyth County is $67,165, 17% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 5.0% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $250,400, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for oil change and quick-lube shops (71% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for mortgage brokers and lenders (47% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in Forsyth County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Forsyth County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Forsyth County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Forsyth County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.