Mount Airy, North Carolina  Mount Airy  is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,388. The town is the birthplace and hometown of actor Andy Griffith. Mount Airy was settled in the 1750s as a stagecoach stop on the road between Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Galax, Virginia. It was named for a nearby plantation. Mount Airy was incorporated in 1885. The City's official seal was established in 1977, which depicts major industries that are home to Mount Airy including: furniture, textiles, and the granite quarry. In 1994, Mount Airy was named an All American City. The W. F. Carter House, William Carter House, Edgar Harvey Hennis House, William Alfred Moore House, Mount Airy Historic District, North Carolina Granite Corporation Quarry Complex, Renfro Mill, and Trinity Episcopal Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Mount Airy is located at (36.5006, −80.6093), along the Ararat River, about 5 km (3 mi) south of the Virginia state line. The United States Census Bureau says the city has a total area of , all of it land. The city is located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, about 14 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway. As of the census of 2010, there were 10,388 people in 4,934 households. The people per square mile was 891.4. There were 5,296 housing units. The Population percent change from 2000 to 2010 was 22.4% up. The racial makeup of the city was 84.1% White descent, 8.2% African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 2.2% Persons reporting two or more races, 6.7% Hispanic or Latino. Persons per household was 2.10. Average household income was $35,428. Persons below poverty level was 21.1%. High school graduates were 76.9% and bachelor's degree or higher was 25.9%. As of the census of 2000, there were 8,484 people, 3,667 households, and 2,130 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,010.8 people per square mile (390.4/km²). There were 4,129 housing units at an average density of 491.9 per square mile (190.0/km²).