• By Todd Luck
• Posted Thursday, November 21, 2019

Forsyth County sees higher job growth than other metro areas

The job growth in the Winston-Salem metropolitan area is greater than other similar sized metro areas across the nation and higher than most large metro areas in the state.

The Winston-Salem metro area is comprised of Forsyth, Stokes, Yadkin, Davie and Davidson counties. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the metro area’s growth in non-farm employment was 3.9 percent (10,500 jobs) from August 2017 to August 2019. That’s more than 12 other similarly sized metro areas in the United States: Birmingham, Ala.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Columbia, S.C; Dayton, Ohio; Greenville, S.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Louisville, Ky.; Richmond, Va.; Savannah, Ga.; and Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Va.

The metro area’s growth in non-farm employment over a one year period from August 2018 to August 2019 was 3.1 percent, which is more than the job growth in Charlotte (2.4 percent), Raleigh (1.8 percent), Durham (0.1 percent) and Greensboro (0.3 percent). It was even higher than Atlanta, Ga. which had 1.6 percent job growth.

Economic Leadership highlighted these numbers in a presentation given to the Piedmont Triad Partnership during its State of the Region presentation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professional and business activities accounted for 43 percent (4,500 jobs) of the two year gain. Education and health was 22 percent (2,300 jobs) of the gain while leisure and hospitality was 16 percent of the gain (1,600 jobs).

Forsyth County Commissioner Chair Dave Plyler said the growth is reflective of both public and private investment that’s made the area competitive. This includes investments in the Innovation Quarter, downtown development, Winston-Salem’s numerous institutions of higher learning and in new libraries, schools and government facilities.

“When you take a look downtown and see cranes doing their work, it’s just the beginning,” said Plyler. “With our educational facilities, our library facilities and our government facilities, we’re poised for the 21st century.”