Winston-Salem vs High Point
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $233,800 in Winston-Salem and $235,800 in High Point.
- Households earn more in High Point ($64,561 vs $59,268 median).
- High Point is growing faster: +5.7% since 2020 vs +3.1%.
Side by side
| Winston-Salem, NC | High Point, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 257,271 | 120,571 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.1% | +5.7% |
| People per square mile | 1,924 | 2,099 |
| Median age | 35.9 | 37.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $59,268 | $64,561 |
| Median home value | $233,800 | $235,800 |
| Home value to income | 3.9× | 3.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,087 | $1,116 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.0 | 92.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 71.4 | 74.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,000 | $69,600 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 58% |
| Top state income tax | 3.99% | 3.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.1% | 7.1% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.5 | 20.7 |
| Work from home | 14% | 10% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 15.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 49° / 31° | 49° / 30° |
| July high / low | 88° / 69° | 89° / 69° |
| Precipitation per year | 43 in | 44 in |
| Snowfall per year | 3 in | 7 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 33 | 33 |
| Nights below freezing | 64 | 68 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 91.5 | 93.4 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 42% | 75% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.3% | +4.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +54.9% | +55.1% |
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: Winston-Salem: April to June and September to October. High Point: April to June and October.
Full monthly tables: Winston-Salem weather by month and High Point weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,000 in Winston-Salem and $69,600 in High Point. Moving from Winston-Salem to High Point, you would need about $75,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Winston-Salem and High Point
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Winston-Salem and High Point.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.