Is Memphis cheaper than Winston Salem?

No. Winston Salem is cheaper: typical rent is $1,138 a month versus $1,274 in Memphis — 11% lower. Median household income is $48,090 in Memphis compared with $72,400 in Winston Salem, so Winston Salem has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Memphis or Winston Salem?

Winston Salem is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 97 versus 140 in Memphis — 31% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Memphis or Winston Salem?

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

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City comparison

Memphis, TN vs Winston Salem, NC

Memphis, TN 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 $1,274 a month in Memphis and $1,138 in Winston Salem, and median household income lands at $48,090 versus $72,400. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Memphis takes weather, while Winston Salem takes affordability, job market, and safety. The widest gap is median income, where Winston Salem leads by 51% — 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 Memphis can feel further apart than Memphis and Winston Salem do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Memphis and Winston Salem reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Memphis report Full Winston Salem report

Memphis, TN

Rent: $1,274/mo
Median income: $48,090
Crime index: 140
Schools: A-
Weather: 84°F

Winston Salem, NC

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

Rent

11% cheaper

Winston Salem rent is 11% cheaper than Memphis

Memphis

$1,274/mo

Winston Salem

Winner

$1,138/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,138 a month in Winston Salem versus $1,274 in Memphis, so Winston Salem is 11% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $1,632 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Winston Salem still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Memphis.

Median income

51% higher

Winston Salem's median income is 51% higher than Memphis

Memphis

$48,090

Winston Salem

Winner

$72,400

What this means for your life

Median household income is $72,400 in Winston Salem versus $48,090 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 51% higher in Winston Salem — about $24,310 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Winston Salem is the stronger labor market on paper. Memphis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

31% lower crime

Winston Salem's crime index is 31% lower than Memphis

Memphis

140 (100 = avg)

Winston Salem

Winner

97 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Winston Salem's crime index is 97 versus 140 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 31% lower in Winston Salem. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Winston Salem is the easier city. Memphis can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Memphis and Winston Salem are about even on school scores.

Memphis

A- · 84/100

Winston Salem

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Memphis, 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

25% more comfortable

Memphis weather is 25% more comfortable than Winston Salem

Memphis

Winner

84°F typical

Winston Salem

Comfort 52/100

What this means for your life

Memphis scores 25% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Memphis reads as hot, long summers; 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. Memphis 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 Memphis

Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing

Pick Memphis if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (84°F) beat Winston Salem on this page's weather index by 25%. Winston Salem may pay more or cost less, but Memphis is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Open the Memphis report →

Fit check

Who should choose Winston Salem

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

Winston Salem is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 11% 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.

Winston Salem is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 51% higher here ($72,400). Start with Winston Salem if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Winston Salem is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 31% lower than Memphis (97 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Winston Salem report →

Bottom line

Memphis vs Winston Salem, called

If the job market is your priority, Winston Salem is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Memphis pulls ahead.

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

Common questions

Memphis vs Winston Salem FAQ

Is Memphis cheaper than Winston Salem?: No. Winston Salem is cheaper: typical rent is $1,138 a month versus $1,274 in Memphis — 11% lower. Median household income is $48,090 in Memphis compared with $72,400 in Winston Salem, so Winston Salem has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Memphis or Winston Salem?: Winston Salem is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 97 versus 140 in Memphis — 31% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Memphis or Winston Salem?: School composites are close: A- in Memphis and A- in Winston Salem. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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