Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Among the top 11% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 40% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 39% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 7% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 89% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 33% of US places
- top 6% for natural disaster risk
- top 7% for walkability
- bottom 1% for violent crime
Winston-Salem is a city in North Carolina with about 250,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include natural disaster risk, walkability, and commute time. It rates lower on property crime and violent crime.
Official websitecityofws.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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63%53%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.1 in3.2 in
muggy 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 42% of US places
Home Value$187k58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$956better than 45% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 49% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.00%better than 50% of US places
Income Tax4.50%better than 61% of US places
Sales Tax7.00%better than 60% of US places
Estimated total tax burden10.25%better than 44% of US places
Unemployment6.2%better than 30% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation43.2 in54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall6.2 inbetter than 66% of US places
Sunny Days211 daysbetter than 28% of US places
Summer Humidity67°Fbetter than 31% of US places
Comfortable Days84 daysbetter than 55% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk23.2better than 94% of US places
Air Quality52 AQIbetter than 12% of US places
School Quality46.0better than 27% of US places
Violent Crime4200/100kbetter than 1% of US places
Property Crime3897/100kbetter than 3% of US places
Community
Population249,571100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.725th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6295th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9030th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1418th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)44.9%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)32.4%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)16.6%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.5%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.6%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 78% of US places
Walkability12.2/20better than 93% of US places
Airport Distance73 mibetter than 52% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.7%better than 44% of US places
Amenities Nearby9.10better than 14% of US places
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 68% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Winston-Salem an affordable place to live?
- Winston-Salem is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 42% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Winston-Salem?
- The median home value in Winston-Salem is $187k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Winston-Salem?
- Median household income in Winston-Salem is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Winston-Salem?
- Median gross rent in Winston-Salem is $956 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Winston-Salem safe?
- Winston-Salem is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 4200/100k (better than 1%). Property crime is 3897/100k.
- What is the weather like in Winston-Salem?
- Winston-Salem averages 79°F in July and 40°F in January, with 43.2 in of annual precipitation and about 211 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Winston-Salem?
- Public-school quality in Winston-Salem is below average, scoring better than 27% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Winston-Salem?
- The average one-way commute in Winston-Salem is 22 min.
Other places in Forsyth County
Places near Winston-Salem
Compare Winston-Salem
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)