City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Winston-Salem, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Winston-Salem - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

250,887
Residents
$57,673
Median income
$208,200
Median home
$1,232
Median rent (state)

Winston-Salem - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Winston-Salem lands in the 32nd percentile for household income and the 9th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

32nd
percentile, household income
45th
percentile, home value
39th
percentile, median rent
9th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Winston-Salem, NC

250,887 people live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $57,673 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.0%. Typical homes in Winston-Salem are valued around $208,200, and the median resident age is 35.6 years. 37.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 2,134 residential building permits were authorized in Winston-Salem (Building Boom), up 80% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Winston-Salem's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3730.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,232 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 91.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

250,887 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$57,673 /yr

Poverty 13.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Winston-Salem compare to other US cities?

Winston-Salem measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 32% higher than other cities
Home value 45% pricier than other cities
Median rent 39% pricier than other cities
Safety 9% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Winston-Salem ranks #146 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Winston-Salem's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

32ndIncome percentile
9thSafety percentile

32nd percentile nationally for median household income · 9th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Winston-Salem's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Winston-Salem's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Winston-Salem's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Winston-Salem's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$208,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 55% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Winston-Salem $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Winston-Salem, NC Winston-Salem, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Winston-Salem, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Winston-Salem, NC median $57,673/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Winston-Salem, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Winston-Salem, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
250,887
Median Income
$57,673
Median Home Value
$208,200
Median Age
35.6
Poverty Rate
13.0%
Labor force participation
57.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3730.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
809.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2921.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
30
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
245,000 residents250,000 residents255,000 residents260,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 249,208 residents 257,271 residents ▲ +3.2%
Winston-Salem's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
2,134
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,168
detached homes
Multifamily
966
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,185
2020 1,582
2021 1,087
2022 2,721
2023 2,141
2024 2,134

Permit volume increased 80% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.2%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
1.2%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
12.3%
Other
1.8%

Based on 113,861 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Winston-Salem sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,232/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
91.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Durham
288,465 people
Fayetteville
209,692 people
Greensboro
298,564 people
Cary
176,686 people
Wilmington
118,578 people
High Point
115,263 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Winston-Salem's 250,887 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Chesapeake, VA
251,153 people
Glendale, AZ
250,193 people
Irving, TX
255,036 people
Laredo, TX
255,949 people
Garland, TX
245,298 people
Scottsdale, AZ
242,169 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Winston-Salem's $57,673 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Shipshewana, IN
$57,679 median income
Boothbay Harbor, ME
$57,679 median income
Luthersburg, PA
$57,667 median income
Cumby, TX
$57,679 median income
Maud, TX
$57,667 median income
Sister Bay, WI
$57,679 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Winston-Salem, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Winston-Salem, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 48.7% 32.4% 7.3% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.9% White 48.7% Black or African American 32.4% Asian 2.3% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 7.3% Two or more races 8.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Winston-Salem compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Winston-Salem (this city) 250,887 $57,673
Durham 288,465 $79,234
Fayetteville 209,692 $56,395
Greensboro 298,564 $58,884
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Winston-Salem, NC?

What is the population of Winston-Salem, NC? +

Winston-Salem, NC counts 250,887 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Winston-Salem, NC? +

Winston-Salem households earn a median of $57,673 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Winston-Salem? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Winston-Salem; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Winston-Salem, NC safe? +

Winston-Salem has a total crime rate of 3730.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Winston-Salem, NC? +

The median home value in Winston-Salem is $208,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.