Winston, NC business phone guide
Population, businesses by sector and industry, area codes and local numbers for the Winston-Salem, NC metro area.
- Population
- 705,0002024 est.
- Establishments
- 14,336CBP 2023
- Counties
- 5
- Area codes
- 2
About the Winston-Salem, NC metro area
The Winston-Salem, NC metro area covers 5 counties in North Carolina and had 705,000 residents in July 2024, up 4.3% since April 2020. The U.S. population grew 2.6% over the same period. Forsyth County, NC is the most populous, with 398,000 people. By population it ranks 86th of the 925 metro and micropolitan areas and 94th by business establishments.
| County | Population (2024) |
|---|---|
| Forsyth County, NC | 398,143 |
| Davidson County, NC | 177,809 |
| Stokes County, NC | 45,857 |
| Davie County, NC | 45,383 |
| Yadkin County, NC | 37,995 |
Source: Census Vintage 2024 metropolitan and micropolitan area estimates.
Establishments and employment in Winston, NC
County Business Patterns counted 14,336 establishments in the area in 2023, employing 257,305 people in mid-March with $14.5 billion in annual payroll. That is an average of 17.9 employees per establishment. 53.5% of establishments with employees had fewer than five people. By establishment count, the largest sectors are retail trade (2,198), construction (1,692), and other services (except public administration) (1,592).
| Sector (NAICS) | Establishments | Employees | Annual payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade (44) | 2,198 | 31,988 | $1,077,252,000 |
| Construction (23) | 1,692 | 12,615 | $803,858,000 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) (81) | 1,592 | 10,193 | $340,246,000 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance (62) | 1,353 | 33,894 | $2,089,807,000 |
| Accommodation and Food Services (72) | 1,344 | 27,482 | $574,963,000 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54) | 1,282 | 10,101 | $781,198,000 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (56) | 924 | 14,177 | $538,223,000 |
| Finance and Insurance (52) | 774 | 12,591 | $1,094,022,000 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing (53) | 726 | 3,067 | $192,605,000 |
| Wholesale Trade (42) | 652 | 12,119 | $870,486,000 |
| Manufacturing (31) | 638 | 34,543 | $2,152,205,000 |
| Transportation and Warehousing (48) | 418 | 7,754 | $403,206,000 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71) | 260 | 5,414 | $181,744,000 |
| Information (51) | 175 | 2,474 | $171,331,000 |
| Educational Services (61) | 155 | 12,236 | $880,230,000 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises (55) | 87 | 25,971 | $2,272,984,000 |
| Utilities (22) | 23 | 455 (high noise) | $50,224,000 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11) | 20 | 98 | $4,689,000 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (21) | 9 | 121 | $8,191,000 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023, two-digit NAICS sectors. Manufacturing, retail and transportation span several two-digit codes; CBP reports them under 31, 44 and 48.
Winston, NC compared with the U.S.
Winston, NC has 20.3 business establishments per 1,000 residents, 17.3% below the U.S. figure of 24.6. Establishments average 17.9 employees against 16.7 nationally, and payroll per employee is $56,307 (17.6% below the U.S. $68,342). 53.5% of establishments with employees have fewer than five people (U.S.: 55.5%), while 5.9% have 50 or more. Averages are pulled up by large employers; the size table is the better guide to what a typical business here looks like.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 7,676 | 53.5% | 55.5% |
| 5–9 employees | 2,541 | 17.7% | 17.5% |
| 10–19 employees | 1,779 | 12.4% | 12.5% |
| 20–49 employees | 1,497 | 10.4% | 9.1% |
| 50 or more employees | 843 | 5.9% | 5.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Small-business industries in Winston, NC
Of the 141 industries these guides cover, 134 have a published Census count in Winston, NC. The largest are full-service restaurants (511), limited-service restaurants (491), and landscaping services (320). Relative to population, surveying and mapping services firms are the most over-represented: 4.0 per 100,000 residents against 2.1 nationally.
Selected small-business industries (six-digit NAICS) covered by these guides. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Which area codes serve Winston, NC
The area's named cities and towns have 265 NANPA-assigned exchanges across 2 area codes; 336 has the most (84%). A local number in the code your customers know is the simplest signal that you are nearby; Callata's plan includes up to 3.
Local numbers by city
Pages for 13 cities and towns in the area list their area codes, prefixes and carriers.
| Place | Population (2024) | Area codes | Exchanges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem, NC | 255,769 | 336, 743 | 164 |
| Kernersville, NC | 28,760 | 336, 743 | 12 |
| Thomasville, NC | 27,605 | 336, 743 | 10 |
| Lexington, NC | 19,904 | 336, 743 | 36 |
| Lewisville, NC | 14,203 | 336, 743 | 5 |
| King, NC | 7,764 | 336, 743 | 5 |
| Mocksville, NC | 6,224 | 336, 743 | 5 |
| Walkertown, NC | 6,027 | 336, 743 | 5 |
| Rural Hall, NC | 3,562 | 336, 743 | 3 |
| Yadkinville, NC | 3,026 | 336 | 4 |
| Walnut Cove, NC | 1,603 | 336, 743 | 4 |
| Denton, NC | 1,580 | 336, 743 | 3 |
| Boonville, NC | 1,215 | 336, 743 | 3 |
Phone costs for a typical Winston, NC business
Per-seat phone plans multiply by headcount. For the rounded average establishment size in Winston, NC, 18 users on RingCentral RingEX Core come to $540.00 a month and on Ooma Office Pro $449.10, at month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026. On Callata the same 18 people cost $359.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $359.00 | $4,308.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $342.00 | $4,104.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $414.00 | $4,968.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $449.10 | $5,389.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $486.00 | $5,832.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $540.00 | $6,480.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Callata in Winston, NC
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Winston, NC, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
What area codes serve Winston, NC?
336 and 743, by NANPA-assigned exchanges in the area's named places.
How many businesses are in the Winston, NC area?
14,336 establishments in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns.
How much does a business phone system cost in Winston, NC?
Callata is $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user; for an 18-person team that is $359.00 a month. The same team on Ooma Office Pro lists at $449.10 a month (checked September 28, 2026).