High Point
Why High Point?
High Point was named for being the highest point on the North Carolina Railroad between Goldsboro and Charlotte, as city’s central location in the state appeals to industry and commerce.
As a globally connected city, High Point earns its nicknames as North Carolina’s International City™ and Home Furnishings Capital of the World™. Twice each year, the City hosts the High Point Market, the world’s largest home furnishings trade show.
High Point is not only the home furnishings capital of the world, it’s also a diverse business community with industries ranging from manufacturing to biotech enterprises. The area thrives on its entrepreneurial spirit and because of this, new industries are always emerging. Most recently biotech, pharmaceutical, distribution and warehousing businesses have sprung up.
Affordability
- Ranked as the lowest cost location for Fortune 500 corporate headquarters among 30 major U.S. metro areas.
- The corporate income tax is 6% in 2004 and will drop to 5% in 2015.
Location
- Conveniently located in the heart of the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, just 20 minutes from both Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Charlotte and Raleigh are within an hour and a half drive.
- Within 650 miles of more than half of the U.S. population and most major domestic markets.
- High Point’s Mid-Atlantic location is paramount to being an East Coast manufacturing center and hub for logistics/transportation. Part of the “Carolina Corridor”, the region lies at the intersection of five Interstate highways (I-40, 73, 74, 77, 85) and a number of major federal highways (US 29, 52, 70, 220, 311, 421).
Economic Development
- The High Point Market remains a centerpiece to High Point’s economy and the city’s most recognized industry. Its bi-annual trade show is the largest furniture and furnishings industry event in the world. It is held in April and October of each year. 2300 furniture and accessory exhibitors in 188 separate buildings use approximately 12,000,000 square feet of showroom space. Over 100 countries are represented through both vendors and visitors.
- Once synonymous with Furniture, High Point has diversified its economy as a center for distribution and logistics, customer service, banking, manufacturing, photography and pharmaceuticals.
- Several major employers have locations in High Point, including Bank of America, High Point Regional Health System, Thomas Built Buses, Ralph Lauren, Cornerstone Health Care, TE Connectivity, and Aetna.
- High Point is the home to High Point University, named No. 1 best Regional College in U.S. News & World Reports “America’s Best Colleges.” Laurel University is an interdenominational Wesleyan college offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs in religious studies. Guilford Technical Community College also maintains a High Point campus.
Infrastructure
- Located near the intersection of the two most traveled interstates in the nation – I-85 and I-40, with Interstates I-77 and I-95 only a short drive away.
- Piedmont Triad International Airport services over half a million passengers every year. It is part of a 4,000-acre campus supporting 50 companies that infuse an estimated $1 billion into the local community annually. More than 4,000 people work on the campus.
- FedEx operates a Mid-Atlantic Air Hub at the Piedmont Triad International Airport and a FedEx Ground facility a few miles away, providing strategic overnight delivery services and a competitive advantage for local companies. Both UPS Ground and FedEx maintain regional sorting hubs here with collective sorting capabilities of over 100,000 packages an hour.
- Local freight service is provided by Norfolk Southern and CSX, while passenger service is provided by Amtrak from the historically renovated High Point depot.
- Major ports such as Wilmington, Morehead City, and Norfolk are all within 300 miles.