Old Salem, Winston-Salem: homes, schools, parks and commute

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Sources: the City of Winston-Salem’s South Central Winston-Salem Area Plan and local historic districts page, the city’s school zone and parks map layers, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2025-26 accountability data, WSTA’s published schedule data, OpenStreetMap and Zillow Research.

Old Salem is the Moravian town that grew into the southern half of Winston-Salem. The city’s South Central Winston-Salem Area Plan calls Salem, begun as the Moravians’ central community in the Wachovia Tract, “the most significant historic resource” in its planning area. It says Old Salem is a National Historic Landmark and North Carolina’s first locally zoned historic district. Today it mixes privately owned homes with museum buildings and the Salem Academy and College campus, just south of downtown in ZIP code 27101.

What this means for you

• Zoned high school: R.J. Reynolds High for almost all of the district, 47.2% of state tests at grade level in 2025-26, according to the state’s accountability data. Confirm an address with the district at 336-727-2292.
• Home value: $226,961 in ZIP code 27101 in August 2026, according to the Zillow Home Value Index.
• Nearest freeway exit: Salem Parkway Exit 233A at South Main Street, about 0.5 mile by road.

Part of our Winston-Salem neighborhoods guide.

Where it is

The local district runs along South Main and Church streets south of Salem Parkway, around Salem Square, as drawn on the city’s Old Salem Historic District map. The South Central plan lists Old Salem and Salem Academy and College among the major institutions of the area. Old Salem Road, South Main Street and Salem Avenue are the main streets through and beside it.

The Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission reviews exterior alterations, additions and new construction in the district through a certificate of appropriateness, using its own design review standards, according to the city’s local historic districts page. Check with the commission before buying a property you plan to change.

Schools

Old Salem is in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. We checked 14 evenly spaced points inside the local district on the city’s published school zone map layers. All 14 were zoned for Diggs-Latham Elementary and Flat Rock Middle; 13 were zoned for R.J. Reynolds High and one for Parkland High.

Scores are the share of state tests at grade level or above in 2025-26 and the state’s growth rating. The district average was 52.4%. More in our schools guide.

Home values

Zillow publishes no figure for Old Salem alone. The Zillow Home Value Index is a modeled typical value for the middle third of homes, not a sale price.

ZIP code 27101 also covers downtown, the West End and East Winston. Trends are on our home prices page.

Parks and trails

• Salem Square, the green at the center of the district, is mapped as a park on OpenStreetMap.
• Central Park, 801 E. Salem Ave., a 5-acre neighborhood park, and Happy Hill Park, 1230 Alder St., a 29-acre park with a splash pad, are on the district’s east and southeast sides, according to the city’s parks map layer and its splash pads page.
• The Salem Creek Greenway runs south of the district and connects to Old Salem and Salem College, according to its city page. The Strollway, 1.6 miles, runs from Eighth Street to Salem Avenue along Old Salem Road and Trade Street, according to the South Central plan.

More in our parks and trails guide.

Getting around

• Salem Parkway: Exit 233A at South Main Street is about 0.5 mile by road; Exit 233B at Marshall and Cherry streets is about 0.7 mile.
• Downtown: about 0.9 mile by road to City Hall.
• Piedmont Triad International Airport: about 23.5 miles by road.
• Buses: WSTA Route 104 (Teague Road, Old Salem, Old Lexington) and Route 85 (Broad Street) stop in or beside the district, according to WSTA’s current schedule data. See wstransit.com.

Distances were measured with the OSRM routing engine on OpenStreetMap roads. They are distances, not drive times. More in our getting around guide.

Groceries and everyday stores

There is no supermarket inside the district. OpenStreetMap lists these about a mile away:

• Supermarkets: Guru Market, 635 Peters Creek Parkway; Asia Grocery, Peters Creek Parkway; Compare Foods, North Cleveland Avenue.
• Pharmacy: CVS Pharmacy, 589 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

How we built this page

The history and status come from the city’s South Central area plan and historic districts page; the outline we used is the local district boundary published by the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office. School zones come from the city’s map layers, checked at evenly spaced points; confirm an address with the district. We found no public list of homeowners associations for Old Salem, so this page does not describe them.

Frequently asked questions

Can you live in Old Salem?

Yes. Old Salem is a city neighborhood with privately owned homes as well as museum buildings and Salem Academy and College. Because it is a local historic district, exterior changes need approval from the Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission.

What schools serve Old Salem?

All 14 points we checked inside the Old Salem historic district on the city’s school zone maps were zoned for Diggs-Latham Elementary and Flat Rock Middle, and 13 for R.J. Reynolds High. Confirm an address with the district at 336-727-2292.

What ZIP code is Old Salem?

Old Salem is in ZIP code 27101. Zillow’s Home Value Index for 27101 was $226,961 in August 2026; Zillow publishes no figure for Old Salem alone.

Is Old Salem a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. The city’s South Central area plan says Salem, now known as Old Salem, is a National Historic Landmark and North Carolina’s first locally zoned historic district.