Tobaccoville makes quiet country living convenient
Tobaccoville has a quiet literal name, as this northwestern Forsyth County village is named after a tobacco factory that fueled the economy in the late 1800s. While tobacco farms have been replaced with family farms and wedding venues, the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company continues the tradition and creates a source of jobs close to home. Though times have changed, Tobaccoville never lost its rural scenery. Tobaccoville residents voted to incorporate the town in 1991, preserving their small-town way of life by preventing nearby King from absorbing the area. “In particular with Tobaccoville, one of the benefits is less light noise, so the stars are brighter at night,” says Shawn Gaudet de Lestard, an experienced broker and Realtor at Keller Williams Realty Elite who sells homes across the Triad area. “It’s nicely located close to King, Rural Hall and Winston-Salem. If people are working in Mount Airy, it’s about 30 minutes away. You get a rural feel, but you know you’re minutes away from everything.”
Churches, homes and the occasional small business are spread out, with patches of forests and farmland surrounding the buildings. The area is less than 20 miles from Winston-Salem and the major city attractions there, so residents can be among crowds, entertainment and retail after a short drive down state Route 52. After a day in the city, people return to their homes set on quiet residential streets.
Older homes ready to be renovated and the occasional new build
Living on the outskirts of Winston-Salem means having larger lots, some of which have enough room for things like horse pens. Long driveways extend from the sidewalk-free streets to the dwellings, usually situated toward the back of the lot. Tall shade trees usually line the back property line, creating a natural divide between neighbors. Most homes were built in the 1970s and 1980s, though many are from 2000 to today. “Tobaccoville’s strength has been the smaller custom builders,” Gaudet de Lestard says. “There are older homes being purchased at a price where people can renovate and modernize and still have equity left over.” Large colonial-inspired homes and New Traditionals on at least an acre have sold for $400,000 to almost $530,000. Split-levels, Craftmans and ranch-style homes on smaller lots are more common and range between $200,000 and $400,000. Any ranch-style homes that sell for $100,000 to $200,000 likely need some repairs.
Commuting down Route 52 and Interstate 74 to jobs nearby
Reynolds American, which owns R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, plans to expand the Tobaccoville plant and add 300 jobs in 2025. HanesBrands is another major employer for the county, and nearby Rural Hall has a distribution center. “It’s easy to get on and off the highway from Tobaccoville,” Gaudet de Lestard says. Some commuters drive about 16 miles down Route 52 to work in Atrium Health primary care offices and hospitals in Winston-Salem, like the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Education jobs are common, particularly in the public school district, and people have a roughly 11-mile drive to the private Wake Forest University. The Interstate 74 beltway opened to drivers in 2025, creating a quicker route to Greensboro, 40 miles away. Using I-74 makes the trip to Greensboro about 40 minutes long, and the 30-mile drive to the Piedmont Triad International Airport is about 30 minutes long.
Reagan High School is one of the top schools in the county
Tobaccoville is on the outer edge of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools district, which receives an A-minus rating from Niche. Old Richmond Elementary School gets a B-plus and serves prekindergarten through fifth grade classes. Northwest Middle School gets a C-plus and feeds into Ronald Wilson Reagan High School, which is rated A and as the third-best public high school in the county. Some residents in the northernmost part of Tobaccoville may land in the Stokes County Schools district, rated B-plus.
Village Park is the outdoor destination in Tobaccoville
Village Park was initially built in 1994, but Tobaccoville received enough grant funding to expand the park. The new space will feature a disc golf course, amphitheater, volleyball court and an extension to the existing walking trail. The current playground, pavilion and paved tennis and basketball courts will stay the same and open to the public. The barn in Village Park was built in 1885 and was turned into the Tobacco Farming Museum in 2008. The museum opens seasonally, allowing visitors to learn about the history of tobacco farming, which ultimately led to Tobaccoville’s founding. The Alice Watts Tuttle Community Center is newer, built in 2001. The village organizes events held at the park, including summer movie nights and the annual Village of Tobaccoville Anniversary Celebration. If residents need more green space to explore, they drive about 10 miles to Pilot Mountain State Park. Visitors might hike 14 miles of trails, go horseback riding or fish in the Yadkin River.
Driving to King for groceries, dinners and shopping
The Dollar General in Tobaccoville has last-minute needs, but most people drive to nearby King to get groceries at Walmart, Food Lion or Lowes Foods. Kings also has the nearest restaurants, from fast food chains like Cook Out to the locally owned StoCo Provision Company. Gaudet de Lestard says people can visit neighboring King to dine at some of his favorite restaurants, like Amazing Thailand or King Kitchen. LTD Farm & Garden is one of the only Tobaccoville businesses that isn’t a ranch or farm, so residents drive to shops like the King Antique Mall in King or the Oak Summit Shopping Center off Route 52.
