In 1859, High Point was established as a crossroads community at the intersection of the North Carolina Railroad and the Fayetteville & Western Plank Road. Though it’s the lowest point in the Piedmont Triad on a map, southeast of Winston-Salem and southwest of Greensboro, it was the highest point on the railroad at the time, inspiring the community's name. Thanks to its convenient crossroads location and vast timber resources, High Point grew into a major manufacturing hub by the turn of the 20th century, earning the nickname “Furniture Capital of the World.” Along with the surrounding region, it produced around 60% of all furniture made in the United States at the height of the city’s furniture-making heyday. While that’s no longer the case, as a result of changing shopping trends and fluctuating economies, High Point remains a manufacturing and employment hub in the Triad. “The area is undergoing a renaissance. A lot is going on here that wasn’t happening 15 years ago,” says Greg Ferguson, High Point’s deputy city manager. “People are coming to take advantage of a growing job market. All kinds of manufacturing jobs are coming. A new supersonic jet company, Boom, is working on a modern version of the Concord. It’s going to employ 1,000 people. And Toyota is building a new lithium battery factory here. They are investing billions, and the plant will employ thousands. There is a real feel to High Point that anyone can make it here." Despite its recent growth, High Point hasn’t lost its small-town atmosphere. “It’s a lovely city of about 115,000 that is growing rapidly but still feels like a tight-knit community," says Realtor Ed Price of Price Realtors, a local, family-owned real estate firm in business for over 55 years. "People here are friendly, and everyone knows somebody you know."
The Oak Hollow Lake Marina docks are perfect for launching rowing shells near Bent Tree.
High Point is known as the Furniture Capital of the World.
Residents of East Fork Deep River enjoy spending leisurely afternoons fishing.
The furniture scene is huge in downtown High Point.
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A competitive housing market with new development near High Point University
“It’s a very tight market,” Price says, adding that high demand and low inventory have increased new development in High Point. “Homes are popping up in many different areas, especially on the north side of town near the university,” he says. North-side subdivisions around High Point University, such as Oak View, are filled with Modern Transitional single-family homes and townhomes built between the 1990s and 2010s. Close to downtown, neighborhoods like Emerywood, in the Uptown Suburbs historic district, feature Colonial and Tudor Revivals, Craftsman bungalows and Queen Annes built in the early 1900s. Neighborhoods on the city's south side tend to have ranch-style homes from the ‘40s through the ‘80s. Almay Realty’s Alejandro Grundseth, a Realtor with nearly 20 years of experience working with clients in the area, says sales prices depend on size, condition and location. “You can buy some properties for between $70,000 and $200,000. But in really nice areas, where there’s what we call ‘furniture money,’ there are million-dollar properties. Those areas, near downtown, are where the furniture executives live, in established, historic neighborhoods with lots of trees." The median price for single-family homes in High Point is $264,000, lower than the median for the state, which is nearly $367,000. It’s also lower than the U.S. median of $422,100. The average number of days homes stay on the market here before going under contract is 37, lower than the national average of 44.
New homes in Bent Tree feature clean landscaping.
Well manicured lawns and pleasant curb appeal matter to homeowners in Deep River.
Remodeled bungalows are an affordable housing option in Downtown High Point.
Various architectural styles can be observed on a single street in Downtown High Point.
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Guilford County Schools and High Point University serve students from preschool through college
High Point is the only municipality in the state that lies in four counties, Guilford, Davidson, Forsyth and Randolph, each with its own school system. Most High Point students are zoned for Guilford County schools, but parents are advised to check the boundary lines ahead of registration, as some neighborhoods on the city’s south and west sides fall into one or more of the other three districts. Guilford Public Schools earns a B-plus grade from Niche. Almost 70,000 kids attend the 124-school system, which has an average student-teacher ratio of 15-to-1. Several of the district’s high schools offer magnet programs, including Penn-Griffin School for the Arts and the Kearns Academy of Computer & Information Sciences.
High Point University’s 520-acre campus is less than 2 miles north of downtown. “The two big things in High Point are the furniture industry history and the university,” Grundseth says. "High Point University is tremendous. It’s basically the Ivy League of the South." While not officially an Ivy League school, HPU is ranked No. 1 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Colleges South list. The private university offers 73 undergraduate majors, 70 minors and 18 graduate programs, including 6 at the doctoral level. Panthers sports teams compete in Division I of the NCAA; Grundseth says High Pointers turn out en masse for football and basketball games at Vert Stadium and the Qubein Center.
Students in Downtown High Point begin their education at Kirkman Park Elementary.
High Point University is a post-high school education option in Downtown High Point.
Students in East Fork Deep River further their education at Southwest Guilford Middle School.
Kearns Academy is one of the many schools located in High Point.
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Truist Point Stadium is now home to two pro teams
High Point’s parks and recreation department maintains almost 40 parks and rec centers scattered around the city, including an extensive trail system, an 18-hole golf course and campsites at Oak Hollow Lake Park, on the city’s far north end. Nonmotorized boats are permitted on the 800-acre lake itself, which serves as the city’s water supply. Oak Hollow’s Festival Park hosts annual events such as the Easter Eggstravaganza and the Halloween Spooky Hoopla. At the end of summer, High Point puts on the John Coltrane International Jazz & Blues Festival in honor of the renowned saxophonist, who grew up here. High Point Athletic Complex, also on the north side, has several multiuse sports fields with seasonal concessions, an accessible playground and a football field with a rubberized, 1/4-mile track. The adjacent High Point City Lake Park’s outdoor pool was the largest in the southeast U.S. when it opened in 1935.
Truist Point Stadium, close to downtown, is home to the High Point Rockers minor league baseball team. The Carolina Core FC professional soccer team debuted at Truist Point in the spring of 2024. “The city invested a lot of money in the stadium in advance of the soccer team arriving. It was a good investment — they had something like 5,000 people turn out for every game in their first season,” Grundseth says, adding that the new food hall nearby, Stock & Grain Assembly, likely contributed to the team’s immediate popularity. “The food court is separate, but you can walk there from the stadium. They have a bar that does trivia every Tuesday, and a bunch of restaurants,” he says, noting that the offerings range from pizza and barbecue joints to spots serving classic Hawaiian and Mexican fare.
Truist Point in Downtown High Point is an excellent spot to enjoy a baseball game.
Just another beautiful sunset in Downtown High Point.
Truist Point is home to the High Point Rockers professional baseball team.
High Point University hosts games at Truist Point in Downtown High Point.
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From local retailers and restaurants to national chains, and the High Point Furniture Market
“High Point is kind of spread out, regarding the restaurant and shopping scene,” Grundseth says. “You have the food court by the soccer stadium and a few local restaurants downtown, but there are restaurants and stores scattered all over." High Point has two Social Districts, where walking around with alcoholic beverages is permitted. Most national chain retailers and eateries are on the city’s south end, close to Business Route 85. Of course, High Point is also still a furniture hub, with manufacturers and showrooms scattered all over town. The twice annual High Point Furniture Market is the largest home furnishings trade show in the world, and the 10-day market features over 10 million square feet of showroom space displaying thousands of makers. It draws big-name furniture buyers such as Ashley, Bassett and Target, and attendees are treated to musical performances, parties and catered dining.
Sammy G’s offers Southern cuisine, chicken, and steak near Bent Tree.
Shoppers relax in Downtown High Point.
The Stock and Grain Food Hall is a popular dining option for High Point Residents.
High Point residents love dining at Magnolia Blue Tavern and Social.
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Transportation options include Piedmont Triad International Airport, Amtrak and GTA bus routes
“High Point is in the middle of the Piedmont tri-city area,” Ferguson says. "Interstates 74, 85 and 40 all converge in or around the city." High Point Transit System operates local bus lines, while Greensboro Transit Authority operates regional routes linking High Point to Greensboro, about 18 miles away. The Piedmont Triad International Airport is northwest of Greensboro, less than 16 miles away. Winston-Salem, in the Triad’s northeast corner, is about 20 miles from High Point. Amtrak passenger trains pick up from High Point Station at the original crossroads between the tracks and Fayetteville & Western Plank Road, now South Main Street.
Decline in property and violent crime
According to the High Point Police Department’s 2023 annual report, property crimes declined by 8% between 2022 and 2023. The report’s data shows violent crimes fell by 15% during the same period, marking the fourth year in a row that violent crime in High Point declined.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
