Can you afford to live in Winston-Salem?

Median household income, home values and rent in Winston-Salem, NC — how they've changed since 2015 and how much of a typical paycheck housing takes compared with the rest of the country.

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

This story was assembled using AI and public data sources.

What it costs to live in Winston-Salem.

Median household income: $57,673 — +44.6% since 2015 (not adjusted for inflation)

Median gross rent: $1,033/mo — +42.7% since 2015

Median home value, 2015 to 2023

• 2015: 141100
• 2023: 208200

Median household income

• Winston-Salem: 57673
• Forsyth County: 65541
• NC: 69904
• U.S.: 78538

Median gross rent

• Winston-Salem: 1033
• Forsyth County: 1046
• NC: 1162
• U.S.: 1348

Share of income a typical renter spends on rent: 29.5% — U.S.: 30.2%

What it means

The typical household here earns $57,673 — far lower than the national figure of $78,538.

The typical renter here spends 29.5% of household income on rent, below the 30% cost-burden line.

Since 2015, income has kept pace with rent here (+44.6% versus +42.7%), before adjusting for inflation.