Two towns became one here in 1913, Moravian Salem, settled in 1766, and tobacco-era Winston. That history is why the place is still called the Twin City, and why Old Salem, a restored Moravian village, is the top visitor stop. Reynolda House and its gardens, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts and SECCA cover the art side.
About 257,000 people live in the city, with a metro above 700,000. Day to day it feels calm and easy. Downtown has an Arts District, the Innovation Quarter reuses old factory space, and Yadkin Valley wineries are just outside town. Greensboro is about 30 miles away and Charlotte about 85. Living costs run a bit below the national average and housing is reasonable, though prices have been rising. Violent crime is above average in parts of the northeast and east, with police reporting declines in 2024, and car break-ins are the common visitor problem. Summers are hot and humid, and ice storms occasionally hit in winter.
