Moving from Charlotte to Winston-Salem
Your paycheck goes 5.8% further in Winston-Salem than in Charlotte. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Winston-Salem: $79,600
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $79,600 in Winston-Salem, NC to match $85,000 in Charlotte, NC ($5,400 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in North Carolina, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Charlotte vs Winston-Salem: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,594 → $1,102/mo
- Median home value
- $400,400 → $270,700
- Median household income
- $85,938 → $65,903
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 97.3 → 92.0
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (89.2 → 81.0 of 100)
Charlotte vs Winston-Salem cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Charlotte, NC | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 97.3 | 92.0 |
| Median rent | $1,594 | $1,102 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $63,760 | $44,080 |
| Median home value | $400,400 | $270,700 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,446 | $1,683 |
| Income needed to buy | $104,819 | $72,140 |
| Median property tax | $2,552 | $1,644 |
| State income tax on $85,000 | $2,883 | $2,883 |
| Metro population | 2,883,370 | 705,187 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Charlotte vs Winston-Salem
On an $85,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $50,661 a year in Charlotte and $44,757 in Winston-Salem if you rent: $5,904 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $60,882 and $51,732 ($9,150 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | CharlotteBefore | Winston-SalemAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $85,000, single filer | $19,255 | $19,255 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,722 | $1,722 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $925 | $925 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,975 | $1,975 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,656 | $7,656 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $19,128 | $13,224 | -$5,904 |
| Total if you rent | $50,661 | $44,757 | -$5,904 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $25,444 | $17,202 | -$8,242 |
| Property tax median home | $2,552 | $1,644 | -$908 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,353 | $1,353 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $60,882 | $51,732 | -$9,150 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $12,370 a year in Charlotte and $12,370 in Winston-Salem (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Charlotte to Winston-Salem
About 1,710 households (2,933 people) moved from the Charlotte metro area to the Winston-Salem metro area in 2022–2023, making Winston-Salem the #2 destination for people leaving Charlotte among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,590 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $57,956.
Cost to move from Charlotte to Winston-Salem
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 80 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Charlotte vs Winston-Salem
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Charlotte area among the highest (score 89.2) and the Winston-Salem area among the highest (score 81), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $326 vs $299 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Winston-Salem cheaper than Charlotte?
Overall prices in the Winston-Salem area are 5.4% lower than in Charlotte (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,102 vs $1,594 a month, and the median home is $270,700 vs $400,400.
What salary do I need in Winston-Salem to match $100,000 in Charlotte?
About $93,800, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in North Carolina, so state income tax is the same.
How much does it cost to move from Charlotte to Winston-Salem?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 80 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Charlotte to Winston-Salem?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,710 households (2,933 people) moved from the Charlotte metro area to the Winston-Salem metro area, and 1,590 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Charlotte move
- Charlotte to Raleigh 1,789 households
- Charlotte to Columbia 1,411 households
- Charlotte to New York 1,320 households
- Charlotte to Greensboro 1,066 households
- Charlotte to Wilmington 1,065 households
- Charlotte to Atlanta 1,034 households
- Charleston 865 households
- Greenville 813 households