Southeast of Winston-Salem’s Twin Arches is the historically Black neighborhood of Columbia Heights. Dating to the early 1900s, Columbia Heights was a thriving community of homeowners throughout the first half of the 20th century, with some residents working at the neighboring Winston-Salem State University. However, the neighborhood experienced a shift when developers built an apartment complex in 1952. “When Columbia Terrace, now Skyline Village, was built, the influx of renters began to change the character of the neighborhood,” says East Ward Councilmember Annette Scippio. “Today, there are very few owner-occupied houses, with the majority of the houses owned by outside investors.” Scippio adds that Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church is a longtime neighborhood fixture, providing stability and offering community-based programs. Besides being less than 3 miles from downtown and having direct highway access, Columbia Heights is home to NASCAR’s oldest active weekly racetrack, where fans pack the stands every Saturday during the warmer months.
Investors buy and flip this neighborhood’s single-family homes
While most Columbia Heights residents are renters living in the Skyline Village apartments, the neighborhood has dozens of single-family homes from the early to mid-1900s. These bungalows, cottages and ranch-style homes, averaging under 1,000 square feet, rest on lots of less than a quarter acre along wide gridded streets. “Many of the homes are being purchased and flipped by investors and owner-occupants,” says Katie Trenerowski, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Carolinas Realty who has sold in the neighborhood. “Sometimes, it’s for the purpose of having students rent the houses,” Trenerowski says, referring to WSSU nearby. However, properties here don’t go on the market often. Only four were sold between March 2024 and January 2025, with prices ranging from $65,000 for a 624-square-foot home to $185,000 for nearly 2,300 square feet.
Brick ranch-style homes are a prominent architectural style in the neighborhood.
A busy street in Columbia Heights is lined with charming cottages.
Skyline Village Apartments offers rental housing options for the community.
Bowman Gray Stadium, one of NASCAR's iconic short tracks, is in the neighborhood.
Enjoy a morning run on the nearby greenway, just moments from Skyline Village-Columbia Terrace.
Forest Park Elementary School is part of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.
Philo-Hill Magnet Academy is a public middle school in Winston-Salem.
Welcome to Parkland High School in Winston-Salem, NC.
Food Lion is the go-to grocery store for the Skyline Village-Columbia Terrace community.
Kermit's Hot Dog House is a beloved lunch spot among residents.
Compare Foods provides locals with the freshest fruits and vegetables available.
Skyline Village-Columbia Terrace offers convenient access to downtown Winston-Salem.
Regularly scheduled buses provide transportation to and from Skyline Village-Columbia Terrace.
Visitors from far and wide contribute locks to The Quarry at Grant Park as a symbolic gesture.
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A historic NASCAR track, Civitan Park and other nearby green spaces
Sports are often at the center of recreation in Columbia Heights. Up to 17,000 spectators can fill the bleachers at Bowman Gray Stadium. Its iconic quarter-mile racetrack hosts NASCAR stock car races in the spring and summer. Attending these action-packed races has been a family-friendly pastime since 1949. During the fall, the turf inside Bowman Gray’s track serves as the football field for WSSU. The university’s football and track & field teams practice nearby at Civitan Park, open to the public when the Rams aren’t training for their next game or track meet.
Columbia Heights features a portion of the Salem Creek Greenway, which stretches more than 5 miles along its namesake waterway before wrapping around Salem Lake. The lake is a popular destination for kayaking and fishing. The greenway connects to other parks like Reynolds Park, home to a public 18-hole golf course, and Happy Hill Park, which features a playground and splash pad.
Bowman Gray Stadium, one of NASCAR's iconic short tracks, is in the neighborhood.
Enjoy a morning run on the nearby greenway, just moments from Columbia Heights.
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Public and private schools near Columbia Heights
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, which earns an overall rating of A-minus from Niche, allows students to attend neighborhood schools or apply to a magnet program or a different school within their residential zone. Assigned schools in Columbia Heights begin with Forest Park Elementary. The school, which sits next to a city park of the same name, receives a C rating from Niche. The A-minus-rated Hanes Magnet School, a middle school, provides a STEM-focused curriculum. Parkland High, which gets a B rating, offers an International Baccalaureate program. Nearby private options include Salem Academy, an A-plus-rated all-girls boarding school and day high school, and Salem Baptist Christian School, which gets a B rating and offers prekindergarten through 12th grade.
Winston-Salem State University, a historically Black public university, is about half a mile north of Columbia Heights. Nursing, biology and business are some of its most popular programs. The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, which offers programs in filmmaking, music, dance, and design and production, is roughly 2 miles west of the neighborhood.
Forest Park Elementary School is part of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.
Philo-Hill Magnet Academy is a public middle school in Winston-Salem.
Welcome to Parkland High School in Winston-Salem, NC.
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Shopping and dining options in Southeast Winston-Salem
About 2 miles north of Columbia Heights, Food Lion and Compare Foods offer groceries. Nearby, Forsyth Seafood Market and Café draws in longtime customers for its plates of fried fish. The menu at Other Suns Coffee Shop features vegan sandwiches and sides that customers often enjoy on the cozy back patio. More locally owned restaurants operate a few blocks south of the neighborhood in Waughtown, including Kermit’s Hot Dog House, a drive-in serving classic American eats since 1966. Hanes Mall, a city-wide shopping destination with dozens of name-brand stores, is a 6 1/2-mile drive from Columbia Heights.
Food Lion is the go-to grocery store for the Columbia Heights community.
Kermit's Hot Dog House is a beloved lunch spot among residents.
Compare Foods provides locals with the freshest fruits and vegetables available.
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There are multiple ways to get around Winston-Salem
Columbia Heights is primarily a car-dependent neighborhood, though residents do have access to rapid transit options, too. U.S. Route 52 hugs Columbia Heights, connecting commuters to Interstates 40 and 285 and U.S. Route 421. Piedmont Triad International Airport is about a 24-mile drive. Winston-Salem Transit Authority buses stop along the central Williamson Street for rides into Downtown Winston-Salem, roughly 2 ½ miles north. The bikeable South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive links up with Salem Creek Greenway, which can be used to reach points of interest across the city’s south side.
Columbia Heights offers convenient access to downtown Winston-Salem.
Regularly scheduled buses provide transportation to and from Columbia Heights.
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Important to know
Councilmember Scippio says WSSU football games and car races at Bowman Gray Stadium produce heavy traffic and noise in Columbia Heights and surrounding neighborhoods. She adds that the stadium’s lower parking lot was built on the site what was formerly a landfill, and gas monitoring has been continuous for many years.
Columbia Heights receives a CAP Index crime score of 5 out of 10, compared to the national average of 4 out of 10. However, according to the CAP Index, the neighborhood has a higher-than-average risk of violent crime.
Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church is community-focused
Since 1937, Sunday mornings in Columbia Heights have often involved parishoners’ filing into Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church ahead of the music-filled 9 o’clock service. The friendly congregation has met on Fitch Street since the 1930s, and both the church and its congregation are intrinsically tied to the neighborhood. Along with worship-related events like a weekly Bible study and Sunday School, the church provides mentorship, counseling and outreach through its various ministries. According to Councilmember Scippio, many of its members are current and former Columbia Heights residents.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood?
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an experienced agent in this area.
Parks in this Area
Happy Hill Park
Brushy Fork Park
Basketball
Grills
Picnic Area
The Quarry at Grant Park
Lake
Picnic Area
Trails
Forest Park
Reynolds Park
Bike Trails
Golf
Grills
Civitan Park
Transit
Airport
Piedmont Triad International
33 min drive
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Columbia Heights
US
Homicide
9
4
Sexual Assault
4
4
Assault with Weapon
6
4
Robbery
5
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
4
4
Larceny
4
4
Crime Score
5
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Columbia Heights, Winston-Salem sell after 40 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Columbia Heights, Winston-Salem over the last 12 months is $131,000, up 130% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Home Trends
Median Price (12 Mo)
$145,000
Median Single Family Price
$145,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$100
Last 12 months Home Sales
5
Median List Price
$145,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
0%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
154%
Home Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
122
Median Year Built
1936
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
965
Significantly below the national average
1,935
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,277
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
5,662
Distribution of Home Values
Source: Public Records
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Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
2,908
Median Age
23
Population Density
11 ppl/acre
Population under 18
34.5%
Above the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
1.9%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$11,172
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$24,274
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
81.7%
Below the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
0%
Advanced Degrees
0%
% Population in Labor Force
27.9%
Significantly below the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
44''
Average Winter Low Temperature
31°F
Average Summer High Temperature
88°F
Annual Snowfall
6''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
38/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
23/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
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.
