Kernersville, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 | |
| Motto: "The Heart of the Triad" | |
 Location inForsyth County and the state ofNorth Carolina | |
| Coordinates:36°06′22″N80°05′03″W / 36.10611°N 80.08417°W /36.10611; -80.08417[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| Counties | Forsyth,Guilford |
| Founded | 1756 |
| Incorporated | 1873 |
| Named after | Joseph Kerner[2] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Dawn H. Morgan[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 18.22 sq mi (47.18 km2) |
| • Land | 18.10 sq mi (46.88 km2) |
| • Water | 0.11 sq mi (0.29 km2) |
| Elevation | 938 ft (286 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 26,481 |
• Estimate (2024) | 28,760 |
| • Density | 1,461.2/sq mi (564.16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 27284–27285 |
| Area code | 336 |
| FIPS code | 37-35600[6] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405941[5] |
| Website | toknc |
Kernersville is a town inForsyth County,North Carolina, and the largest suburb ofWinston-Salem. A small portion of the town is also inGuilford County. The population was 26,481 at the2020 census,[7] up from 23,123 in2010. Kernersville is located at the center of thePiedmont Triad metropolitan area, betweenGreensboro to the east,High Point to the south, andWinston-Salem to the west.
The site was first settled by anIrishman named Caleb Story in 1756.Circa 1770, the site was purchased by William Dobson and was called "Dobson's Crossroads".George Washington was served breakfast at Dobson's tavern on June 2, 1791. Joseph Kerner bought the property in 1817, continuing to operate the inn; the town became known as "Kerners Crossroads". Kerner (Joseph Kirner, born inFurtwangen im Schwarzwald Germany) left his property to two sons and a daughter. Not long after the arrival of the railroad, the town was incorporated as "Kernersville" in 1873.[8][9]
There was brief flirtation with relocating theMinnesota Twins to Kernersville in 1998.[10][11]
In late 2005, PresidentGeorge W. Bush visited Kernersville'sDeere-Hitachi plant to give a speech about the American economy.[12] In the summer of 2008, former presidentBill Clinton spoke at R. B. Glenn High school. He was campaigning for his wife,Hillary Clinton, in the Democratic primary.[13]Donald Trump Jr. hosted a campaign rally for his father and then-president,Donald Trump, at Salem One Inc. on October 19, 2020.[14]
Kernersville is located 10 miles (16 km) east of Winston-Salem and 17 miles (27 km) west of Greensboro.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45.1 km2), of which 17.3 square miles (44.9 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.63%, is water.[15]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 585 | — | |
| 1890 | 900 | 53.8% | |
| 1900 | 652 | −27.6% | |
| 1910 | 1,128 | 73.0% | |
| 1920 | 1,219 | 8.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,754 | 43.9% | |
| 1940 | 2,103 | 19.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,396 | 13.9% | |
| 1960 | 2,942 | 22.8% | |
| 1970 | 4,815 | 63.7% | |
| 1980 | 5,875 | 22.0% | |
| 1990 | 10,836 | 84.4% | |
| 2000 | 17,126 | 58.0% | |
| 2010 | 23,123 | 35.0% | |
| 2020 | 26,481 | 14.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 28,016 | [16] | 5.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17][18] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 17,690 | 66.88% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,050 | 15.31% |
| Native American | 96 | 0.36% |
| Asian | 524 | 1.98% |
| Pacific Islander | 7 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,248 | 4.72% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 2,834 | 10.71% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 26,449 people, 10,564 households, and 6,055 families residing in the town.
As of the census[6] of 2010, there were 23,123 people, 7,286 households, and 4,663 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,415.7 inhabitants per square mile (546.6/km2). There were 7,950 housing units at an average density of 657.2 per square mile (253.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 84.11%White, 8.74%African American, 0.32%Native American, 1.26%Asian, 0.05%Pacific Islander, 4.33% fromother races, and 1.19% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 7.36% of the population.
There were 7,286 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,520, and the median income for a family was $52,266. Males had a median income of $36,777 versus $26,873 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,506. About 6.3% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
Attractions and events include:
First Baptist Church,Kernersville Depot,Korner's Folly,Isaac Harrison McKaughan House,North Cherry Street Historic District,Roberts-Justice House,South Main Street Historic District, andStuart Motor Company are all listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[24]
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools serves the community.
Kernersville is served by five public elementary schools, three public middle schools, and two public high schools –Robert B. Glenn High School andEast Forsyth High School. These public schools are all a part of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools system. Kernersville is also home to four private schools, most prominently the Brookside Montessori School and Triad Baptist Christian Academy,[27] as well asBishop McGuinness Catholic High School.
Kernersville contains a branch ofForsyth Technical Community College.
Highways include:
Municipalities and communities ofForsyth County, North Carolina,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Municipalities and communities ofGuilford County, North Carolina,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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