Natural beauty draws visitors, new residents to Jonesville
Sometimes, a stay in a Jonesville Airbnb is all it takes to persuade people to move there. Moe Rondeau, a broker and Realtor at Dream Maker Properties, says he has helped people buy homes in Jonesville after they came for a vacation but fell in love with the North Carolina community on the Yadkin River and surrounded by mountains. Rondeau, a Rhode Island native, had a similar experience when he and his family bought a small farm in Jonesville. He planned to retire there, but after a few family trips from New England to Jonesville, they relocated in 2014. “We’ll drive down the road sometimes, and we’ll see the mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway," he says. "Up north, some people would buy photos of that to hang on their wall, and we get to see that all the time.”
The community’s hiking trails, wineries and riverfront recreation bring tourists and new residents to Jonesville, but the laid-back nature of the area and its 2,400 residents also contribute to its appeal. “In New England, everything is hustle, bustle and rush,” Rondeau says. “Once you wake up and are out the door, you’re zipping through traffic and honking your horn. Here, when you get to a four-way stop, everybody sits there for a minute telling everybody else to go first. People are extremely accommodating.”
Builders are gradually adding new homes
Rondeau says he feels home prices in Jonesville are reasonable. Houses have recently sold between $130,000 and $465,000, and the median price of $250,000 is less than the national median. Small clusters of vintage bungalows and midcentury ramblers are found in town, while homes on large chunks of land are to the south. New homes are steadily being built, Rondeau adds. “They’re not just slapping in subdivisions with postage-stamp lots. They’re doing it very tactfully.”
Flooding can be a concern, as flood zones surround the Yadkin River and the tributary creeks that run through Jonesville. When Hurricane Helene brought heavy rain to North Carolina in 2024, the river and surrounding creeks swelled and flooded some Jonesville roads, as well as much of downtown Elkin.
Education fund finances projects for Yadkin County teachers
Jonesville Elementary School and Starmount Middle School both receive B-minus grades from Niche, while Starmount High School scores a C-plus. Teachers can get creative in their classrooms thanks to the Yadkin County Education Foundation fund, which awards grants twice a year to teachers in the district who want to introduce new technology, materials or programs. Since 2024, the fund has given out more than $50,000. That includes money to start gardens for Starmount Middle’s gardening club and funding for a scaffolding system used by the construction class at Starmount High.
Trails and parks along the Yadkin River, with more green space in the
Jonesville’s waterfront activities are clustered at Plaza Street, along the bank of the Yadkin River. A playground stands across the road from a dog park, and there’s also the start of the Jonesville Greenway. Hikers, cyclists and horseback riders can follow the trail for nearly 3 miles along the river. Eventually, the greenway will extend more than 30 miles and connect to the Rockford community. Across the river from Jonesville, kayakers and canoers can launch into the Yadkin River from the ramp at Crater Park. Meanwhile, one of the community’s biggest ongoing projects is the buildout of Double Bluff Recreation Area on the east side of Jonesville. The town government plans to create a boat launch, an 18-hole disc golf course and roughly 10 miles of combined hiking and biking trails by 2026.
Green spaces aren’t solely on the riverfront. To the south, Lila Swaim Park hosts games for Yadkin County Baseball, a league for elementary school-aged players. The park is the site of the annual Jonesville Jubilee, a May celebration featuring vendors and live music that’s capped off by a fireworks show.
Access to Jonesville restaurants, Elkin shops and growing winery scene
Jonesville straddles the line between small town and secluded countryside. “If you take a right-hand turn out of my real estate office driveway, within a couple of minutes’ drive, you have Walmart and Lowe’s,” Rondeau says. “Within a quarter of a mile, there are five hotels, every fast-food restaurant and some good home-style restaurants. If you take a left, you won’t see a stop sign or stop light for 10 miles.” Businesses congregate along Winston Road, where shopping centers house Food Lion, Dollar General and Starmount Cinema. The road is home to longstanding establishments, including The Wood Box BBQ Restaurant, which was founded in 1951, and newer additions such as River Roast Coffee, a café and dessert shop that opened in 2024.
It only takes a minute to drive over the Yadkin River to the neighboring town of Elkin, where hangouts like Angry Troll Brewing line Main Street, and people shop at big-box stores such as Walmart. The region’s elevation and fertile soil have enabled the recent growth of the wine industry, with vineyards replacing tobacco farms. For example, Dynamis Estates Wine was founded in Jonesville in 2019.
Driving distance to Winston-Salem and Charlotte
It’s a 45-mile drive to Winston-Salem, the closest large city. Piedmont Triad International Airport is east of Winston-Salem in Greensboro. Interstate 77 passes through Jonesville, providing a direct route to Charlotte, about 75 miles away. Cars aren’t the only way to get around. A shuttle service operated by the Yadkin Valley Economic Development District provides on-demand transit to stops throughout Jonesville, Elkin and Mocksville.
Written By
Alex Soderstrom
