Jobs, pay and daily life in Kernersville, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Kernersville is a city in North Carolina with 27,830 residents. The median household earns $71,918 a year and the median rent is $1,082 a month, which is 18.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Winston-Salem, NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 271,980 jobs.
How Kernersville compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Kernersville is #40 by population, #13 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #34 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #54 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Forsyth County, is #5 of 100 counties for average pay ($66,257).
Kernersville has 27,830 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 19 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,454 people per square mile. The median age is 39.3, about the same as the state median (39.3 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,082 a month (rent plus utilities), 12% below the state median ($1,082 against $1,228). Over a year that is 18.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $290,700, which is 4.0 times the median household income ($71,918). 60.5% of households own their home, 9% below the state average (60.5% against 66.6%).
The Winston-Salem, NC metropolitan area has 271,980 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,380 a year, 9% below the national median ($46,380 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (29,770 jobs, median $45,440); healthcare practitioners and technical (27,200 jobs, median $79,610); food preparation and serving related (26,240 jobs, median $29,320). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.6 times) and production (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($109,080) and computer and mathematical ($97,060). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Forsyth County was 3.3%. 65.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Forsyth County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.7% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.7% walk, 12.6% work from home. 6.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 50% below the state average (6.9% against 13.9%).
37.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 4% above the state share (37.0% against 35.6%). 6.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 24% below the state share (6.9% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 12.6%, 3% below the state rate (12.6% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 37°F (2.8°C). About 1,146 mm (45 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (115 mm) and Jan the driest (74 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: High Point (9 miles, rent 3% higher); Winston-Salem (10 miles, similar rent); Summerfield (12 miles, rent 41% higher); Greensboro (14 miles, rent 8% higher). Rent differences are against Kernersville; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideForsyth CountyNorth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 10,180 | 1.72 | $86,120 | $71,550 | $105,490 | -12% |
| Retail Salespersons | 6,790 | 1.00 | $30,100 | $22,520 | $45,180 | -15% |
| Cashiers | 6,220 | 1.15 | $28,130 | $22,720 | $35,100 | -14% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 6,120 | 5.46 | $27,280 | $22,030 | $34,880 | -12% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 5,490 | 1.06 | $37,160 | $29,860 | $48,700 | -8% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,900 | 0.73 | $28,640 | $21,430 | $36,580 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 4,890 | 0.99 | $35,080 | $29,360 | $45,680 | -6% |
| Nursing Assistants | 4,450 | 1.76 | $38,660 | $32,510 | $45,630 | -9% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 3,980 | 2.36 | $46,370 | $36,560 | $54,680 | +1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,940 | 0.99 | $29,550 | $16,770 | $58,510 | -16% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,770 | 0.83 | $38,410 | $29,120 | $58,800 | -14% |
| Office Clerks, General | 3,500 | 0.81 | $39,510 | $26,870 | $59,980 | -12% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 3,480 | 0.46 | $30,400 | $24,620 | $37,970 | -15% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,480 | 0.97 | $51,320 | $38,300 | $75,850 | -12% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 3,440 | 1.40 | $42,590 | $30,150 | $60,230 | -5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,120 | 0.51 | $96,840 | $48,620 | $221,370 | -8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,010 | 0.78 | $34,150 | $25,780 | $38,710 | -7% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 2,880 | 1.20 | $48,360 | $34,220 | $63,590 | -5% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 2,580 | 1.04 | $34,600 | $27,570 | $43,630 | -7% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 2,480 | 0.93 | $47,090 | $31,640 | $71,270 | -5% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 700 | 0.60 | $160,900 | $99,340 | $227,130 | -8% |
| Financial Managers | 980 | 0.66 | $155,030 | $94,520 | $301,980 | -7% |
| Pharmacists | 1,010 | 1.79 | $135,710 | $65,100 | $167,280 | -4% |
| Sales Managers | 690 | 0.62 | $132,550 | $65,670 | $251,940 | -11% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 750 | 1.32 | $130,840 | $105,120 | $161,520 | -1% |
| Physician Assistants | 730 | 2.57 | $130,730 | $104,580 | $169,210 | -4% |
| Managers, All Other | 740 | 0.68 | $129,160 | $68,500 | $217,780 | -9% |
| Lawyers | 830 | 0.63 | $126,250 | $45,010 | $317,580 | -21% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 660 | 1.52 | $124,880 | $73,830 | $201,990 | -1% |
| Software Developers | 1,050 | 0.36 | $124,130 | $78,700 | $169,360 | -9% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 920 | 0.88 | $118,440 | $74,610 | $218,700 | -4% |
| Construction Managers | 710 | 1.06 | $103,750 | $65,330 | $181,260 | -10% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 770 | 0.85 | $101,320 | $71,330 | $136,450 | -4% |
| Physical Therapists | 510 | 1.09 | $101,270 | $78,020 | $124,670 | -1% |
| Industrial Engineers | 750 | 1.17 | $97,760 | $68,830 | $133,940 | -5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,120 | 0.51 | $96,840 | $48,620 | $221,370 | -8% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 520 | 0.69 | $94,600 | $42,210 | $149,700 | -19% |
| Registered Nurses | 10,180 | 1.72 | $86,120 | $71,550 | $105,490 | -12% |
| Management Analysts | 640 | 0.41 | $82,050 | $52,860 | $137,390 | -19% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | 500 | 1.33 | $80,310 | $50,420 | $160,030 | -8% |
These figures are for the whole Winston-Salem, NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,380 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.7% |
| Manufacturing | 17.8% |
| Retail trade | 10.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 8.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.6% |
| Other services | 4.9% |
| Construction | 4.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 4.6% |
| Public administration | 3.2% |
| Information | 0.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Kernersville lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Guilford County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth County | 389,977 | $34,373 million | $88,141 | 192,587 | 11,366 | $66,257 | -0.1% | 3.3% | 183,230 |
| Guilford County | 547,940 | $46,945 million | $85,675 | 287,996 | 17,452 | $61,546 | +0.3% | 3.4% | 265,551 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 43,109 | 26.7% | $72,632 | 1.56 |
| Retail trade | 22,366 | 13.9% | $40,661 | 1.16 |
| Accommodation and food services | 18,281 | 11.3% | $24,473 | 1.04 |
| Manufacturing | 16,130 | 10.0% | $77,884 | 1.02 |
| Administrative and waste services | 12,537 | 7.8% | $49,050 | 1.11 |
| Finance and insurance | 9,036 | 5.6% | $113,589 | 1.16 |
| Construction | 8,371 | 5.2% | $73,794 | 0.83 |
| Professional and technical services | 8,356 | 5.2% | $85,432 | 0.62 |
| Educational services | 6,916 | 4.3% | $126,378 | 1.74 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5,124 | 3.2% | $41,330 | 0.88 |
| Management of companies | 4,749 | 2.9% | $135,514 | 1.46 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,853 | 1.8% | $26,619 | 0.88 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,958 | 1.2% | $61,326 | 0.65 |
| Information | 1,508 | 0.9% | $85,200 | 0.42 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 12.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,918 |
| Income per person | $41,725 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,082 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.1% |
| Median home value | $290,700 |
| Homeowners | 60.5% |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.0 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,380 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 37.0% |
| Born abroad | 6.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 65.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.8 | 37 | 74 |
| Feb | 4.6 | 40 | 75 |
| Mar | 9.0 | 48 | 90 |
| Apr | 14.6 | 58 | 93 |
| May | 19.5 | 67 | 103 |
| Jun | 24.2 | 76 | 109 |
| Jul | 26.2 | 79 | 115 |
| Aug | 25.5 | 78 | 112 |
| Sep | 21.9 | 71 | 106 |
| Oct | 15.4 | 60 | 88 |
| Nov | 9.0 | 48 | 88 |
| Dec | 4.9 | 41 | 93 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Point | NC | 9 mi | 116,245 | $64,561 | $1,116 |
| Winston-Salem | NC | 10 mi | 252,037 | $59,268 | $1,087 |
| Summerfield | NC | 12 mi | 11,116 | $160,275 | $1,521 |
| Greensboro | NC | 14 mi | 301,198 | $61,515 | $1,172 |
| Archdale | NC | 16 mi | 12,087 | $64,757 | $1,034 |
| Thomasville | NC | 16 mi | 27,321 | $60,935 | $879 |
| Clemmons | NC | 18 mi | 21,871 | $87,655 | $1,269 |
| Lewisville | NC | 19 mi | 13,828 | $100,917 | $1,095 |
| Lexington | NC | 24 mi | 19,690 | $43,128 | $893 |
| Reidsville | NC | 28 mi | 14,585 | $42,921 | $822 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
27,830 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,082 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.1% of the median household income.
$71,918 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.3% (BLS county, Forsyth County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.