Is Durham cheaper than Winston Salem?

No. Winston Salem is cheaper: typical rent is $1,138 a month versus $1,711 in Durham — 33% lower. Median household income is $74,710 in Durham compared with $72,400 in Winston Salem, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Durham or Winston Salem?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 97 in Durham and 97 in Winston Salem (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, Durham or Winston Salem?

School composites are close: A- in Durham and A- in Winston Salem. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Durham, NC vs Winston Salem, NC

Durham, NC versus Winston Salem, NC is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,711 a month in Durham and $1,138 in Winston Salem, and median household income lands at $74,710 versus $72,400. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Durham takes job market and weather, while Winston Salem takes affordability. The widest gap is typical weather, where Durham leads by 50% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Durham can feel further apart than Durham and Winston Salem do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Durham and Winston Salem reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Durham report Full Winston Salem report

Durham, NC

Rent: $1,711/mo
Median income: $74,710
Crime index: 97
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°F

Winston Salem, NC

Rent: $1,138/mo
Median income: $72,400
Crime index: 97
Schools: A-
Weather: —

Rent

33% cheaper

Winston Salem rent is 33% cheaper than Durham

Durham

$1,711/mo

Winston Salem

Winner

$1,138/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,138 a month in Winston Salem versus $1,711 in Durham, so Winston Salem is 33% cheaper. That's roughly $573/month back in your pocket — $6,876/year. Over five years that's $34,380 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Durham, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Winston Salem is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

3% higher

Durham's median income is 3% higher than Winston Salem

Durham

Winner

$74,710

Winston Salem

$72,400

What this means for your life

Median household income is $74,710 in Durham versus $72,400 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 3% higher in Durham — about $2,310 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

Neck and neck

Durham and Winston Salem are about even on crime index.

Durham

97 (100 = avg)

Winston Salem

97 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Durham and Winston Salem post similar crime indexes (97 vs 97, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

Neck and neck

Durham and Winston Salem are about even on school scores.

Durham

A- · 84/100

Winston Salem

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Durham, A- in Winston Salem). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

50% more comfortable

Durham weather is 50% more comfortable than Winston Salem

Durham

Winner

79°F typical

Winston Salem

Comfort 52/100

What this means for your life

Durham scores 50% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Durham reads as warm weather most of the year; Winston Salem reads as a mixed climate. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Durham is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Winston Salem can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Durham

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 3% higher ($74,710), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Durham report →

Fit check

Who should choose Winston Salem

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Winston Salem

Winston Salem is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 33% cheaper here at about $1,138 a month. Choose Winston Salem if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Winston Salem report →

Bottom line

Durham vs Winston Salem, called

If weather is your priority, Durham is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Winston Salem pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Durham offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Durham vs Winston Salem FAQ

Is Durham cheaper than Winston Salem?: No. Winston Salem is cheaper: typical rent is $1,138 a month versus $1,711 in Durham — 33% lower. Median household income is $74,710 in Durham compared with $72,400 in Winston Salem, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Durham or Winston Salem?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 97 in Durham and 97 in Winston Salem (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Durham or Winston Salem?: School composites are close: A- in Durham and A- in Winston Salem. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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