Winston-Salem’s diversified economy in the manufacturing, financial services and administrative sectors makes it a center of trade for a large part of North Carolina. The Triad region is one of the top 40 export-producing markets in the U.S.  Elements of the economic base in Forsyth County include apparel, textiles, transportation, computer-related services, health care (the largest area industry), electrical/industrial equipment, tobacco products, finance and education. And while manufacturing has been the major economic sector in the past, the service sector has recently surpassed it, accounting for 29.4% of the work force.

Major private employers in Forsyth County include Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Novant Health, Reynolds American, Inc., Corning Cable Systems, Sara Lee Corporation, BB&T, Hayward Industries, Wachovia, Wake Forest University, Siemens Westinghouse, GMAC Insurance, Dell, and AMP,Inc. Winston-Salem is also an entrepreneurial city with over 500 new companies started in the last five years.

Forsyth County and Winston-Salem continue to experience steady growth. The Forsyth County population is 326,340, and the city of Winston-Salem has 227,000 residents. The median family income for Forsyth County in 2005 was $56,800, a figure higher than that of most Triad counties, and well above the state average.