Cost of living in Winston-Salem research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Winston-Salem is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Winston-Salem is 93, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Winston-Salem is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Winston-Salem ranks as the #54 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Winston-Salem ranks as the #1,658 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Winston-Salem is $255,463.
The median income in Winston-Salem is $57,673.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Winston-Salem has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Winston-Salem has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Winston-Salem ranks as #54 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Winston-Salem ranks as the #103 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Winston-Salem, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Winston-Salem. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Winston-Salem is 105.
The Groceries index in Winston-Salem is 95.
The Health index in Winston-Salem is 111.
The Housing index in Winston-Salem is 85.
The Transportation index in Winston-Salem is 94.
The Utilities index in Winston-Salem is 90.
| Living Expense | Winston-Salem | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 93 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 95 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 111 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 85 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 90 | 95 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Winston-Salem is $255,463.
The Median Rent in Winston-Salem is $1,033.
The Median Income in Winston-Salem is $57,673.
The Home Value To Income in Winston-Salem is 4.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Winston-Salem is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Winston-Salem | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $255,463 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,033 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $57,673 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.4x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Winston-Salem | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.25 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.58 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $22.17 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $52.72 | $45.56 |
| Item | Winston-Salem | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.81 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.58 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.01 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.34 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.17 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.64 | $3.7 |
| Item | Winston-Salem | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $147.25 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.28 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $126.56 | $113.29 |
| Item | Winston-Salem | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.31 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $48.78 | $59.92 |
| Item | Winston-Salem | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $163.41 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.82 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Winston-Salem. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
High Point, NC has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Winston-Salem.
Kernersville, NC has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Winston-Salem.
Thomasville, NC has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Winston-Salem.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Winston-Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Point, NC | 115,263 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Kernersville, NC | 27,439 | 102 | 1.1x |
| Thomasville, NC | 27,261 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Clemmons, NC | 21,574 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Jamestown, ND | 15,774 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Lewisville, NC | 13,655 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Oak Ridge, NC | 7,660 | 135 | 1.5x |
| King, NC | 7,345 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Stokesdale, NC | 5,943 | 104 | 1.1x |