Charmed Life: Why Young Professionals Are Moving Back to Surry County, NC
With close proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Winston-Salem, and Greensboro, Surry County’s “rural not remote” location appeals to retirees and young professionals. The shorter commutes, career opportunities and outdoor activities in communities like Mount Airy, Elkin, Dobson and Pilot Mountain help create an exceptional quality of life in Surry County, NC, that is hard to rival in larger metropolitan areas.
Mayberry Charm & Community Connection
Kody Easter didn’t have much trouble convincing his wife, a Seattle native, to settle in his hometown of Mount Airy after they had their first child. For Easter’s family, hearing his wife say “y’all” for the first time was an event worthy of celebration.
The small-town charm of the community that inspired the town of Mayberry in The Andy Griffith Show is still alive and well.
“The town still has that Mayberry charm,” Easter says.
After a stint in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he graduated from Liberty University, Easter returned to Mount Airy to work as a financial adviser at Edward Jones. For Easter, whose job relies on in-person connections, networking is essential. The close-knit community of Surry County has made those connections more fruitful.
“A handshake and eye contact go a long way in small towns,” Easter says. “It’s been the best professional decision I made.”
Easter now has four children with his wife and has found Mount Airy to be the ideal environment to raise a family. With an abundance of local churches, youth sports leagues and safe neighborhoods, the Easter family can always find ways to build community and spend quality time together. While Easter still enjoys traveling and exploring other towns, the foothills hold his heart.
“We’ve traveled all over the world, from Europe to New Zealand,” Easter says. “Truly, there’s no place like home. We just love being here.”
A Growing Manufacturing and Industry Landscape
With more companies breaking ground in Surry County, opportunities for workers across industries abound.
Daniel Haymore, who grew up not far from the Altec Inc. plant in Mount Airy, returned to work for the company as a talent sourcing program manager after 13 years away from the region.
“Surry County has come back in manufacturing and various other industries, and it’s given me the opportunity to come work at Altec and come back home,” Haymore says.
Since he left home to attend college, Haymore worked in larger cities like Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Hickory. The small-town charm and abundant outdoor opportunities around Mount Airy drew him back home. Now, Haymore says he can have a thriving professional life while enjoying a slower pace outside of work.
Haymore and his family frequent nearby state parks like Hanging Rock State Park and Pilot Mountain State Park, while also spending weekends in the revitalized, growing downtowns of Mount Airy, Elkin and Pilot Mountain.
“Come see it for yourself,” Haymore says. “Everybody knows everybody. It’s friendly. There are things to do, but until you come experience it, it’s hard to really convey it.”
Haymore recommends renting a room in town for a weekend, checking out the craft breweries and local restaurants on Market Street or exploring one of the many nearby state parks.
Establishing Family Traditions
For Jordan Mosley, returning to the area where she was born and raised was always part of the plan. Even after spending her college years in Boone at Appalachian State, Mosley found her way back to Dobson.
“I had no question in my mind that I would be moving back to Surry County,” Mosley says.
Mosley, who now serves as the director of human resources at Hugh Chatham Health, found a direct pipeline back to the Surry County region through an internship at the hospital during her undergraduate studies.
The slower pace of life and outdoor recreation opportunities were a huge bonus for Mosley, who loves kayaking on the Yadkin River, hiking with wild ponies at Grayson Highlands State Park and backpacking around Linville Gorge.
Family was also an important factor to Mosley when moving back to the area. Her family, as well as her husband’s, still reside nearby. Mosley is now raising her own daughter in the region where she grew up, establishing family traditions that she hopes she can pass down, such as attending the annual Fourth of July celebration, Mosley’s favorite event of the year.
“I want her to grow up in an area where she can establish traditions or look forward to something such as the Fourth of July celebration with her kids down the road,” Mosley says. “I could not imagine raising her anywhere else other than here.”
Get to Know Surry County
Want to learn more about living and working in Surry County, NC? Check out the latest edition of Livability Surry County, North Carolina.