Winston-Salem NC
North Carolina · Pop. 252,037
Winston-Salem, NC: median household income of $59,268, median rent of $1,087/mo, 5.7% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$59,268
per year
Median Rent
$1,087
per month
Median Home
$234k
home value
Unemployment
5.7%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
17.7%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
21 min
one way
City Reality Check balanced
"Winston-Salem, NC Reality Check"
In Winston-Salem, the rent-to-income burden runs around 22% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $59,268 and median rent is $1,087/month. 47% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $233,800 — that's 3.9× the median income. Employment picture: 5.67% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 17.7%. Average commute: 21 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 97.4/100k avg monthly rate (11691 reported); Property crime: 366.5/100k avg monthly rate (43953 reported). Winston-Salem was founded in 1766 — that's 260 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 133.7 sq miles at 1,885 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 984 ft — modest elevation. Winston-Salem has 6 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 65/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 97.4/100k avg monthly rate (11691 reported); Property crime: 366.5/100k avg monthly rate (43953 reported).