Best Places to Live

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

| Overall Score 6.8 / 10
| Overall Score 7.1 / 10
Single-family homes in Winston-Salem's West End
Home in Ardmore, southwest of downtown Winston-Salem
Live music in downtown Winston-Salem
Bars and restaurants on Fourth Street
View All 26 Photos »

What's it like to live in Winston-Salem, NC?

Brent Patterson

Profile written by local expert:

Brent Patterson

Winston-Salem, which locals refer to as Winston, is a region on an upward trajectory that still maintains its Southern roots. Although the city is traditionally Southern in its friendliness, it has an international feel. The metro area celebrates its diversity during an array of festivals and through a variety of cuisines. You'll find restaurants serving everything from traditional North Carolina barbecue to Indian curries and Greek pastries.

Unlike many of North Carolina's other larger metro areas, such as Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham, Winston has not seen a huge population boom over the years. 

This slow and steady growth has preserved the region's small-town feel while allowing for improvements, such as repurposing old textile and tobacco factories into loft apartments. Due to heavy interest in residential and corporate development, the region has become a fertile land for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

See all the best places to live in North Carolina.

Rankings

U.S. News analyzed 125 metro areas in the United States to find the best places to live based on quality of life and the job market in each metro area, as well as the value of living there and people's desire to live there.

Winston-Salem, North Carolina is ranked:

#31 in Best Places to Live

#7 in Best Places to Retire

#4 in Best Places to Live in North Carolina

6.8

Overall

Scorecard

Best Places to Live

  • Desirability
    7.6
  • Value
    7.3
  • Job Market
    6.3
  • Quality of Life
    6.5
  • Net Migration
    6.5

Read how we rank places

Winston-Salem, NC Quick Stats

  • 658,195

    Metro Population

  • $44,910

    Average Annual Salary

  • 69.7° / 49.4°

    Avg High/Low Temps

  • 40.4

    Median Age

  • $145,725

    Median Home Price

  • 46.9 inches

    AVG Annual Rainfall

  • 3.7%

    Unemployment Rate

  • $732

    Median Monthly Rent

  • 23.4 minutes

    Avg Commute Time

What is there to do in Winston-Salem, NC?

The arts have been at the heart of Winston-Salem for almost 250 years. The fifth-largest metro area in North Carolina is home to the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art and the Reynolda House Museum of American Art. The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, an institution that hosts community performances and other cultural events, produced talents such as Jada Pinkett Smith.

The region appeals to outdoorsy types, too. Winston boasts a web of local hiking trails and a couple of state parks, including Pilot Mountain and Hanging Rock, which are just a quick drive away. The metro area's scenic Piedmont Quarry is a must-see as well.

What's the cost of living in Winston-Salem, NC?

One of the most appealing aspects of living in Winston-Salem is the bang you get for your buck. The average income of its residents is less than the national average, but the cost of living is significantly lower as well. Housing costs in Winston-Salem are much less than the national median sale price. 

Value Index

Index Score: 7.3 /10

How we calculate this.

Winston-Salem offer a better value than similarly sized metro areas when you compare housing costs to median household income.

Housing Costs 2018

Winston-Salem
$145,725

USA
$227,025

Find a Top Agent »

Housing Costs Over Time

Data sourced from Zillow median home sale price data series. Additional data provided by the Austin Board of Realtors, Houston Association of Realtors, Intermountain MLS, Omaha Area Board of Realtors, San Antonio Board of Realtors, and the Salt Lake Board of Realtors.

Buying or selling a home? Find top real estate agents in Winston-Salem, NC.

What's the weather like in Winston-Salem, NC?

The weather in Winston-Salem is often mild.

Seasonal Temperature (Avgs)

41.5°F


Winter

58.9°F


Spring

77.0°F


Summer

60.6°F


Fall

Seasonal Rainfall (Avgs)

3.6 in


Winter

4.0 in


Spring

5.0 in


Summer

4.2 in


Fall

Monthly High and Low Temperatures (°F)

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center.

What's the best way to get around Winston-Salem, NC?

A car is definitely a requirement in Winston-Salem, given the sheer size of the metro area – about 132 square miles. While most residents are car-dependent, the traffic is not bad. Typically, the average commute time to work is about 23 minutes in a personal vehicle.

A city bus is a great option for those who don't have other means of transportation. But because of the vast area they service, these buses are not always a time-efficient way to travel.

The nearest major airport is about 30 minutes east in Greensboro, and the closest train station is about 90 minutes south in Charlotte. However, a large bus terminal in downtown Winston provides local and Greyhound service.

Commuting in Winston-Salem, NC

Means of Transportation
Driving
93%
Above national average
Bicycling
0%
Equal to national average
Walking
1%
Equal to national average
Public Transit
1%
Below national average
Average Commute Time

23.4 minutes

3.0 minutes less than national average

Average Commute Times by Zip Code

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Who lives in Winston-Salem, NC?

Winston-Salem's population is relatively young, perhaps due to the large number of students enrolled in the metro area's higher education institutions. It is also culturally diverse and boasts a high average number of international citizens who have shared their traditions with the rest of the community. For example, the mid-May Greek Festival is a much-anticipated event each year.

Roughly half the region's population is affiliated with an organized religion. Baptist and Methodist communities encompass a large portion of the practicing residents. Winston-Salem is also home to a number of other Christian faiths as well as small Jewish and Islamic communities.

Age Distribution

Marital Status Breakdown

About the same number of single people in Winston-Salem as national average

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Previous: Photos
Next: Job Market