AT A GLANCE

Stokesdale was originally established in the 1860s as Green Pond because of a swampy pond in the general area of what is now Ellisboro Road and N.C. 68. The town of “Pond” was renamed “Stokesdale” in 1887; it is not certain whether the name was in honor of a railroad executive, a train conductor or the man who surveyed the area at the time.

First incorporated in 1907, Stokesdale went bankrupt during the Depression and became inactive in the 1930s. After its charter was revoked in 1971, the town incorporated for a second time on Nov. 9, 1989, and has since steadily evolved into a healthy, growing community.

The town purchased 25 acres on Angel Pardue Road in 2004 and constructed a 6,600-square-foot town hall, which was completed in April 2011. The town park, which is also on the property, has been developed over the years and now offers athletic fields, picnic shelters, a walking trail, horseshoe pits, volleyball courts, playground areas and disc golf; an adjoining 9.8 acres was purchased in September 2021 for future park expansion.

Stokesdale is the only town in northwestern Guilford County that does not levy a property tax, and it’s the first to operate its own municipal water system. The initial system was installed in 2003 after the town received a $3 million grant from the state to address contaminated water in some parts of the community. With hundreds of new homes on the horizon, the town continues to assess its water system infrastructure needs to serve new homeowners as well as existing homeowners not yet served by the system.

In recent years a private business owner has refurbished several buildings in the historic downtown, and the opening of businesses there is breathing new life into the area. Stokesdale also has a shopping center and other businesses and industries in outlying areas. The convenience of its intersection with N.C. 68, U.S. 158 and N.C. 65 continues to appeal to those who work in nearby cities and enjoy coming home to the country.

Incorporation date: 1989

Size: 21.4 square miles

Tax rate: Stokesdale does not charge a property tax, but Guilford County charges 73¢ per $100 of property value. Additionally, residents in the Stokesdale Fire District pay a fire tax of 10 cents per $100 of property value.

POPULATION

(per U.S. Census figures/July 2021)

EDUCATION (age 25 and over)

degree or higher

Households with broadband internet subscription: 91%

Housing

Estimated number of households: 1,987

Average number of persons per household: 2.94

Median value of owner-occupied housing unit: $250,900

Income

Median household income: $97,337

Families with income in last 12 months below poverty level: 8%

Residents without health insurance (under age 65): 8.7%

Race And Hispanic Origin

Budget

Town Fiscal Year

July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023

General Fund

VETERANS: 190

Data obtained from U.S. Census Bureau/2021 Quick Facts and N.C. Office of State Budget and Management

Voter Statistics

4,729 Stokesdale residents were registered to vote as of January 2023. Of these, 2,134 were registered as Republicans; 831 were registered as Democrats; 1,728 were unaffiliated with a political party; and 36 were registered as Libertarians.

Data provided by Guilford County Board of Elections

Operating Budget: $953,428

Projected Income

Property taxes $0

Sales tax .......................................... $0

Beer and wine excise tax .... $21,000

State-collected taxes............ $295,000 (utilities, cable, phone, internet)

ABC profit share $20,000 (mixed drink sales)

Rental fees: Town Hall, park . $3,000

Planning fees ........................ $35,000

Investment earnings ............. $5,000

Christmas Parade sponsorships ..................... $2,000

Miscellaneous $1,000

Small Town Development Grant $50,000

American Rescue Plan Funds............................... $362,738

Reimb. (for shared overhead expenses) from Water Enterprise Account $158,690

Total projected income $953,428

Projected Expenses Payroll .................................... $247,715 (town clerk, deputy clerks, finance/budget officer salaries + health insurance, F.I.C.A., etc.) * includes $34,800 for council stipends

Annual audit $14,000

Legal fees (town attorney) $50,000

Planning & Zoning................. $31,500

Misc. government/admin $66,475 (includes insurance/bonding, office supplies & equipment, dues, advertising/non-zoning related, town hall repairs)

Public Safety

Animal Control $16,800

Fire inspections/investigations $10,000

Property Park maintenance $6,000 (repairs, cleaning, lights, etc.)

Lawn maintenance ........... $47,000

Town Hall repairs/maint ... $15,000

Community events ................. $7,500

Utilities/Internet/Security (Town Hall) ..................... $28,700

Park improvements $412,738

Total projected expenses $953,428