Moving from Greensboro to Winston-Salem
Your paycheck buys about the same in Winston-Salem as in Greensboro. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Winston-Salem: $64,300
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $64,300 in Winston-Salem, NC to match $65,000 in Greensboro, NC ($700 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.
Greensboro vs Winston-Salem: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,171 → $1,102/mo
- Median home value
- $271,000 → $270,700
- Median household income
- $66,072 → $65,903
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 92.9 → 92.0
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (88.5 → 81.0 of 100)
Greensboro vs Winston-Salem cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Greensboro, NC | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 92.9 | 92.0 |
| Median rent | $1,171 | $1,102 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $46,840 | $44,080 |
| Median home value | $271,000 | $270,700 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $1,712 | $1,683 |
| Income needed to buy | $73,358 | $72,140 |
| Median property tax | $1,966 | $1,644 |
| State income tax on $65,000 | $2,085 | $2,085 |
| Metro population | 800,722 | 705,187 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Greensboro vs Winston-Salem
On a $65,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $39,007 a year in Greensboro and $38,179 in Winston-Salem if you rent: $828 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $45,495 and $45,154 ($341 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | GreensboroBefore | Winston-SalemAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $65,000, single filer | $12,677 | $12,677 | $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 | $14,052 | $13,224 | -$828 |
| Total if you rent | $39,007 | $38,179 | -$828 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $17,221 | $17,202 | -$19 |
| Property tax median home | $1,966 | $1,644 | -$322 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,353 | $1,353 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $45,495 | $45,154 | -$341 |
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 Greensboro and $12,370 in Winston-Salem (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Greensboro to Winston-Salem
About 3,447 households (6,159 people) moved from the Greensboro metro area to the Winston-Salem metro area in 2022–2023, making Winston-Salem the #1 destination for people leaving Greensboro among the 149 metro areas we cover. 3,004 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $54,779.
Cost to move from Greensboro 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 30 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: Greensboro vs Winston-Salem
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Greensboro area among the highest (score 88.5) and the Winston-Salem area among the highest (score 81), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $257 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 Greensboro?
Overall prices in the Winston-Salem area are 1.0% lower than in Greensboro (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,102 vs $1,171 a month, and the median home is $270,700 vs $271,000.
What salary do I need in Winston-Salem to match $100,000 in Greensboro?
About $98,900, 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 Greensboro to Winston-Salem?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 30 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 Greensboro to Winston-Salem?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 3,447 households (6,159 people) moved from the Greensboro metro area to the Winston-Salem metro area, and 3,004 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Greensboro move
- Greensboro to Charlotte 1,390 households
- Raleigh 976 households
- Durham 585 households
- Wilmington 355 households
- Atlanta 222 households
- Washington, D.C. 206 households
- New York 191 households
- Fayetteville, NC 172 households