Winston-Salem cost of living
Prices in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area run at 92.0 against a national average of 100, ranking it #243 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 71.4.
What drives the number
Prices in Winston-Salem run at 92.0 where the national average is 100, so about 8 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #243 of 387 metro areas. Against North Carolina as a whole it is 2.3 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 71.4 against goods at 96.6 and other services at 88.4, so the overall figure of 92.0 understates how affordable the housing itself is. That combination, ordinary prices with cheap rent, is what people are usually looking for and rarely find.
A salary here goes further than the same salary somewhere at 100. Divide by 92.0 and multiply by 100 to get the nationally comparable figure, and it will come out higher than the headline.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Winston-Salem is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 8,950 | $84,270 | $91,598 | $93,600 |
| Cashiers | 7,270 | $27,540 | $29,935 | $31,190 |
| Retail Salespersons | 6,940 | $29,160 | $31,696 | $34,580 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 6,540 | $37,890 | $41,185 | $38,940 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 6,370 | $27,680 | $30,087 | $30,160 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,860 | $29,120 | $31,652 | $30,480 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 4,740 | $33,940 | $36,891 | $37,090 |
| Nursing Assistants | 4,230 | $37,900 | $41,196 | $39,530 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 92.0.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | 98.2 | 103.5 | #111 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | 97.9 | 99.8 | #116 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | 97.6 | 98.9 | #119 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | 97.3 | 97.6 | #122 |
| Asheville | 96.5 | 93.4 | #136 |
| Wilmington | 96.4 | 93.2 | #142 |
Winston-Salem: common questions
Is Winston-Salem expensive?
Prices are 8% below the national average, a parity of 92.0 where the country is 100. It ranks #243 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against North Carolina as a whole it is 2.3 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Winston-Salem?
The median worker there earns $45,050, which buys what $48,967 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 71.4 against goods at 96.6. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.