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Why High Point is a Great Place to Live

A long list of amenities and attractions puts High Point on the map for ideal living.

By Kevin Litwin on July 31, 2017

High Point, NC
High Point / Photo courtesy of the High Point Convention and Visitors Bureau

Nicknamed the “Home Furnishings Capital of the World,” High Point enjoys a long history of quality furniture making and still has more than 40 retail furniture outlets that feature a variety of manufacturers and limitless styles. The city’s official slogan is “North Carolina’s International City” thanks in large part to a semi-annual High Point Furniture Market that attracts 100,000 exhibitors and buyers from around the world.

Perhaps the city’s most unusual landmark is the World’s Largest Chest of Drawers (pictured), which stands 38 feet tall and is adorned with two large socks hanging from the drawers. The socks symbolize the region’s successful hosiery industry.

But High Point is much more than furniture and socks, and here are reasons why it’s such a great place to live:

Economic Strength

High Point built its economy with fine craftsmen who excel in the furniture industry, but the city has diversified in recent years. Other sectors gaining strength include advanced manufacturing, banking, distribution and logistics, pharmaceuticals and technology.

Multiple Choices

Go to the head of the class if you know that High Point students have a number of top academic options for earning a good education, including High Point University and South University. Also available is John Wesley University, a private interdenominational Christian university.

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The Great Outdoors

Get some fresh air when visiting a number of recreational attractions, including a highly used Greenway Trail as well as High Point City Lake Park. The park offers boating, fishing, paddle boats and canoe rentals. Also in High Point are two recreation centers, a soccer complex, tennis center, two athletic complexes and Oak Hollow Lake Park & Marina.

Festive Occasions

It’s easy to find fun things to do in High Point, with several annual events scheduled throughout the year. Top attractions include a Banff Mountain Film Festival, Arts Splash Outdoor Concert Series, Village Fair at Mendenhall Plantation, Taste of the Town and a highly popular John Coltrane International Jazz & Blues Festival.

Feast First

Step up to the plate and savor the cuisine scene in High Point, with several independent restaurants that represent multiple ethnicities. Popular dining hotspots include Alex’s House, Austin’s, Blue Rock Pizza & Tap, Blue Zucchini, Dog House Restaurant, Dragon City, Furniture City Grill, Ham’s, Little Tokyo, Mi Pueblo, Sanibel’s Seafood and Wilk’s Skillet.

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Travel Companions

Residents and traveling visitors have access to a strong transportation system in High Point, with several major highways passing through the city. They include Interstates 40, 74, 85 and 85 Business along with U.S. Routes 29, 70 and 311.

Upswing for Downtown

In 2016, city officials announced a Main Street Project that resulted in major renovations to a highly traveled downtown district along North Main Street from Parkway Avenue to Westwood Avenue. The goal was to upgrade infrastructure (sewers, streetscape, underground power lines) and create a more aesthetically pleasing area for new and existing stores, restaurants and businesses. The project was completed in April 2017.

Appreciation of History

History buffs, rejoice. The High Point community respects its past by making efforts to preserve old buildings and upgrade them whenever possible. More than 25 buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the John H. Adams House, High Point Central High School, Kilby Hotel and an entire West High School Historic District.

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