Newport News vs Winston-Salem
The short version
- Winston-Salem is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 6% lower than in the Newport News area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $233,800 in Winston-Salem and $260,600 in Newport News.
- Households earn more in Newport News ($69,634 vs $59,268 median).
- Winston-Salem is growing faster: +3.1% since 2020 vs -1.6%.
Side by side
| Newport News, VA | Winston-Salem, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 183,230 | 257,271 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.6% | +3.1% |
| People per square mile | 2,656 | 1,924 |
| Median age | 34.4 | 35.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31% | 40% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $69,634 | $59,268 |
| Median home value | $260,600 | $233,800 |
| Home value to income | 3.7× | 3.9× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,339 | $1,087 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.9 | 92.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 99.8 | 71.4 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,500 | $69,000 |
| Homeowners | 48% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | 5.75% | 3.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 5.77% | 7.1% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.1 | 21.5 |
| Work from home | 10% | 14% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.8% | 5.7% |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 17.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 49° / 32° | 49° / 31° |
| July high / low | 87° / 71° | 88° / 69° |
| Precipitation per year | 48 in | 43 in |
| Snowfall per year | 3 in | 3 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 30 | 33 |
| Nights below freezing | 52 | 64 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 72.2 | 91.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 78% | 42% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.6% | +3.3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +43.4% | +54.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Newport News: April to June and October. Winston-Salem: April to June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Newport News weather by month and Winston-Salem weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,500 in Newport News and $69,000 in Winston-Salem. Moving from Newport News to Winston-Salem, you would need about $70,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.