Winston-Salem is located in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region, which is home to more than 1.25 million people. It is situated halfway between Atlanta and Washington, D.C., less than 90 miles from Charlotte and the Raleigh/Durham area.

The city is just four hours from North Carolina’s renowned beaches to the east and two hours from the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains to the west.

Business and industry

Winston-Salem and the Triad is a hub for banking, finance, entrepreneurship, biotechnology, medical and high-tech enterprises, all of which build upon the area’s traditional industrial base.

Wake Forest actively supports downtown Winston-Salem’s Piedmont Triad Research Park, a magnet for area entrepreneurial, life science and information technology enterprises. Dell Computer chose the area for its latest production plant, one of only three such U.S. facilities that the company operates, and FedEx is building a major hub for its operations at Piedmont Triad International Airport. The area also is the center of furniture manufacturing and sales, and is home to the annual International Home Furnishings Market, the largest event of its kind in the world.  Other major local employers include VF Corporation, Ingersoll-Rand, Sara Lee, RJR and Wake Forest University Medical Center.

Quality of life

The city’s low cost of living and attractive quality of life make it a destination for new businesses and professionals eager to pursue a career and raise a family. A 2005 survey by Mercer Human Resources Consulting named Winston-Salem the least expensive U.S. city in which to live. Residents also enjoy the city’s mild, four-season climate, which features an annual average temperature of 58 F.

Taking advantage of the climate, a wine-making industry has taken root in the region, with several wineries beginning to flourish. North Carolina prides itself on the quality of its higher education, and Winston-Salem is home to five colleges and universities.

Arts

Winston-Salem is well known for its arts culture; the city is home to a professional symphony and an opera company, several museums and art galleries, and numberous theater groups.  The city ranks among the nation’s leaders in per capita contributions to the arts, and is home to the highly regarded North Carolina School of the Arts and the annual National Black Theatre Festival.

Recreation

Need a reason to get out and enjoy Winston-Salem's year-round mild climate?  You'll find plenty of golf courses, camp sites, hiking trails and fishing spots, and the nearby mountains and foothills make it easy to pursue cycling, canoeing, kayaking and rafting.

Sports

Sports fans can enjoy the excitement of Atlantic Coast Conference action or take a short trip to Charlotte or Raleigh for NBA, NFL or NHL games and NASCAR races. The surrounding Piedmont Triad also hosts many minor-league baseball teams and professional golf tournaments.

Accessibility

Direct flights are available to Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro from most major U.S. metropolitan areas. The airport is only 30 minutes from campus. The city is located near the intersection of Interstates 40 and 85.