Forsyth County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Forsyth County has a population of 389,977 residents and a median age of 38.4 years, making it the #191 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 14.5%. The median home value is $250,400, and the median household income is $67,165, which is 11% below the national median.
Demographics
Forsyth County has a population of 389,977, making it the #191 most populous county in the US. The median age is 38.4 years, which is 1.3% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Forsyth County is $67,165, ranking #1,418 out of 3,222 counties — 10.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 14.5% and unemployment stands at 5.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Forsyth County is $250,400 (-11.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,098/mo and the homeownership rate is 63.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Forsyth County, 38.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 14.2% above the national average, ranking #331 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Forsyth County is 75.8 years. 16.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.5% of adults in Forsyth County smoke , 31.8% are obese , and 18.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 39.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Forsyth County is 9.0 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 12.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 12.2 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
23.2% of children in Forsyth County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 8.8 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 16.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Forsyth County is 73.7%. The mean commute time is 24.6 min, which is 10.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Forsyth County voted Democratic with a margin of 13.2%. The vote was 56% Dem / 42.8% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Forsyth County, North Carolina
Forsyth County, North Carolina has a total population of 389,977, making it the 191st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Forsyth County is 38.4 years, which is 1.3% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Forsyth County is $67,165, which ranks #1,418 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 10.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 14.5%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.0%.
The median home value in Forsyth County is $250,400, 11.2% below the national median. Renters in Forsyth County pay a median gross rent of $1,098 per month. The homeownership rate is 63.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Forsyth County, 38.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 14.2% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.6 min.
Forsyth County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 53.5% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (24.6%) and Hispanic or Latino (15.1%).
All data for Forsyth County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.