High Point, NC
People living in High Point, NC can rely on The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store to help them find quality health insurance plans at affordable prices. Free rate quotes for residents of High Point, NC are just a phone call or click away. With all the recent changes to the Affordable Care Act, picking a health insurance plan can seem daunting. If you are living in High Point, NC or anywhere in North Carolina, The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store can help. Our friendly agents know all the ins and outs of enrolling in health insurance, and can help you find the coverage that is right for you and your family.
High Point, North Carolina is the highest point in the area at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet, which is how it got its name. It's the ninth largest municipality in the state and is home to just over 104,000 people as of the 2010 census.
Although the majority of the city is located in Guilford County, it is also a part of Randolph, Davidson, and Forsyth counties, making it the only city in the state with the distinction of being in four different counties. The city has a total area of 50.6 square miles, meaning the population is concentrated into a fairly small, compact area. In fact, the population density is somewhere around 1,750 people per square mile, but it doesn't feel over-crowded by any means.
One of the most pressing concerns within the city is healthcare. The primary health concerns within Guilford County are centered upon chronic diseases, especially cancer and heart disease. Roughly two-thirds of all deaths in Guilford County are attributed to chronic diseases. Cancer is the leading cause of death, however, heart disease is the most costly medical condition. Smoking, inadequate health insurance and language barriers are cited as some of the reasons that the rates of cancer are so high in this area of the state. Although efforts are being made to overcome these obstacles.
Prior to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, many individuals and families in High Point, North Carolina were either uninsured or under-insured and the cost of treatment and/or medications were unattainable. However, affordable insurance plans are now available that qualify for subsidies to help cover the costs of premiums, and insurance carriers may no longer disqualify applicants for pre-existing medical conditions.
Residents of High Point, NC can get information on insurance plans available to them from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® and receive a Hight Point, NC health insurance quote, from The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store. Simply call and speak to one of the knowledgeable agents at The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® store for information on insurance plans, or click the insurance quote button above, for a free, no obligation quote. The right insurance plan can offer financial protection in the event a trip to High Point Regional Hospital is required for a you or a family member.
Despite being in the south, High Point NC does experience all four seasons, although not as severely as northern states. Like most of North Carolina, High Point is hot and humid in the summers with plenty of rainy days. The city experiences moderately cold winters, although there have been some extremely cold times in the last 100 years. It's not exactly what you would consider a winter-wonderland, but it does snow. The average snowfall in the winter time is right around five inches; however, on very rare occasions, upwards of twenty inches have been recorded.
There are a huge number of restaurants providing residents and visitors with every culinary delight imaginable. Whether you're looking for a pizza, sandwich or quick snack, there are plenty of small places that are sure to delight your taste buds during lunch hour. Dinner time options include high-end dining experiences, family restaurants and everything in between. In High Point, there truly is something for everyone. The southern hospitality and warm friendly atmosphere make it a great place to bring the entire family or a special date for a romantic evening. From small boutiques and gift shops to retailers featuring a wide variety of fashions for the entire family, there is nothing better than spending the day in High Point, NC shopping. Browse through jewelry stores for a beautiful new gem or a shoe store for a to-die-for pair of heels, or find a toy store for the kids to shop in. If you spend a day wandering around town, you're sure to find something unique and interesting to reward and pamper yourself, or for a unique gift for someone you love for their birthday, anniversary or any other occasion.
Because High Point, North Carolina is home to more than 40 of the finest retail furniture outlets anywhere in the United States, it's also the place to find the perfect piece of furniture for your home or office. From dining room furniture to sofas, beds, dressers and bookshelves, every piece of furniture imaginable is built and sold here. No matter what style of furniture you like from traditional to modern, you'll find at least one store that caters to your needs. Plan on spending a lot of time looking though, it's going to be hard to decide on one piece since there are so many choices.
If you're more of an adventure-seeker than a shopper, you'll really enjoy the Kersey Valley Zip Line. Located just a few minutes away from the city, there are 14 zip lines spread over 1.5 miles of cable, making it one of the largest in the world. You'll fly over the trees and wide open fields for a spectacular view. It's not just about the zip line though, there's also a Maize Adventure, Kersey Valley Laser Tag and Kersey Valley Spookywoods. It's a great way to spend the day having fun with friends and family. If you'd rather take in a little history, visit a civil-war plantation or the historic train depot, right in the center of downtown High Point, North Carolina. Evenings are a great time to visit one of the downtown art galleries, take in a little theatre or a lakeside concert or a festival in the park. The nightlife is just as active with many clubs and bars as well. Whether you take in a show, visit a museum or just walk through the city and take in all the sights, sounds and smells, one thing is for sure, you won't be bored for a minute.
The High Point Market is one of the highlights of any visit to the area. Held twice a year, it's a trade show for the furniture and furnishings industry. Every April and November more than 12,000,000 square feet of showroom space spread out among 188 buildings is filled by over 2000 exhibitors. More than 100 countries are represented in the event and it draws in thousands of visitors to the area. High Point is often called the “Furniture Capital of the World” due to the high number of furniture manufacturers and retailers located in the city. It's even home to what is referred to as the world’s largest chests of drawers. It's really a 38 foot tall functional building that looks like a dresser with handles and even some socks hanging out of one of the drawers. It was originally only twenty feet tall back in the 1920's, but in 1996, it was renovated and enlarged.
The city was initially settled sometime before 1750, but wasn't incorporated until 1859. Some of the first Europeans to settle the area of what is now known as Guilford County were Quakers and German immigrants. Due to its central location and transportation, the city grew quickly because of the ability to bring in raw materials such as cotton and lumber as well as the processed goods the early residents needed. In the very early days, the most important industries were tobacco, woodworking and textile manufacturing.
Since the 1600's, the High Point area has been producing functional furniture and it is one of the founders of the furniture industry in the South. By the late 1800's many wealthy developers were attracted to High Point, NC because of its convenient access to the hardwood forests that blanketed the central and western parts of the state. The first furniture company that was formed here in 1889 was called the High Point Furniture Manufacturing Company. In the ten years that followed, a total of thirty eight new furniture factories opened in the state and more than a dozen of them made their home in High Point. The location, along with convenient means of transportation and relatively cheap labor, made it an economically advantageous place to set up production.
Today, the city is more economically diverse, although there is still a great deal of emphasis on the furniture industry. The city is now known as a center for the distribution of many products, transportation and logistics. It's also home to a large number of customer service centers, banking institutions and pharmaceutical companies. Unemployment rates are right around the national average and the median income for a household in the city, as of the latest census, was right around $48,000, while the national average is roughly $51,000.
Overall, High Point, North Carolina is a good place to live, work and raise a family, however, there are issues, just like in any other city in the country. As residents, politicians, civic leaders and healthcare professionals come together to overcome the challenges the city faces, things are slowly improving. Educating residents on exercising, eating healthier and the importance of health care screenings are just a few of the efforts that are already making a difference, in addition to the affordable health insurance plans now available to residents through The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store.
As a visitor, you'll find it to be a charming, entertaining and exciting place with every possible amenity you could dream up. There's no end to the fun that can be had, and the history of the area is more than fascinating. So next time you're in North Carolina, visit High Point and see for yourself why this incredibly beautiful southern city charms so many people from so many walks of life.
