Housing data for Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem, NC has an estimated 252,037 residents and 115,270 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Forsyth County.
44.4% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,087 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+3.2%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 252,037 (±74)
- Housing units
- 115,270 (±925)
- Households that rent
- 44.4%
- Median gross rent
- $1,087
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +3.2%
What stands out in Winston-Salem
Households that rent: 44.4% (±1.2 points) in Winston-Salem, higher than in Forsyth County (36.4%).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 25.5% (±1.5 points) in Winston-Salem, higher than in Forsyth County (20.7%).
Households without a vehicle: 8.2% (±0.7 points) in Winston-Salem, higher than in Forsyth County (6.2%).
Median household income: $59,268 (±$1,883) in Winston-Salem, lower than in Forsyth County ($67,165).
- Renters and owners in Winston-Salem
- Types of homes in Winston-Salem
- Commute and cars in Winston-Salem
- Income and affordability in Winston-Salem
Housing in Winston-Salem at a glance
- Median rent: $1,087 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,052 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 50.7% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 44.4% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $59,268 median household income
- Home values: $233,800 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,459 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $2,025 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 25.5% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 55.8% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 48.1% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 7.8% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 60.6% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 21.5 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 745 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +3.2% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 28.9% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 2.7% of homes have more than 1 person per room
- Fair Market Rent: $1,500 Small Area FMR, 2 bedrooms (ZIP 27109)
Winston-Salem against Forsyth County, its state and the nation
| Winston-Salem | Forsyth County | North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 252,037 (±74) | 389,977 (exact) | 10,730,404 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 115,270 (±925) | 175,631 (±271) | 4,895,668 (±642) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 44.4% (±1.2 points) | 36.4% (±0.8 points) | 33.4% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,087 (±$22) | $1,098 (±$20) | $1,228 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $59,268 (±$1,883) | $67,165 (±$1,465) | $72,388 (±$324) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $233,800 (±$5,817) | $250,400 (±$5,111) | $288,900 (±$1,086) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $2,025 (±$75) | $1,984 (±$41) | $1,896 (±$8) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 48.1% (±1.6 points) | 43.8% (±1.2 points) | 33.9% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 21.5 minutes (±0.7) | 22.7 minutes (±0.6) | 25.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 88.4% (±1.1 points) | 90.2% (±0.7 points) | 90.1% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 35.9 years (±0.4) | 38.4 years (±0.2) | 39.1 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Winston-Salem covers 133.7 square miles of land, about 1,885 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Winston-Salem has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 244,115 (±71) | 252,037 (±74) | +3.2% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 108,049 (±729) | 115,270 (±925) | +6.7% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $806 (±$13) | $1,087 (±$22) | +34.9% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $147,900 (±$2,672) | $233,800 (±$5,817) | +58.1% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $45,750 (±$1,241) | $59,268 (±$1,883) | +29.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,171 (±$18) | $1,459 (±$40) | +24.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,620 (±$35) | $2,025 (±$75) | +25.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 46.5% (±1.0 points) | 44.4% (±1.2 points) | −2.1 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.8% (±1.2 points) | 7.8% (±1.5 points) | −3.0 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Winston-Salem
In 2025, the Winston-Salem Police Department reported 745 violent and 3,024 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Forsyth County, the departments that report recorded 545 violent and 2,481 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Winston-Salem
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27109 | 100% | 2,823 | — | — | — |
| 27110 | 100% | 2,181 | — | — | — |
| 27104 | 98% | 31,783 | $1,171 | $359,300 | $81,529 |
| 27103 | 83% | 33,325 | $1,259 | $241,700 | $67,012 |
| 27106 | 82% | 49,670 | $1,145 | $313,100 | $68,568 |
| 27105 | 75% | 40,678 | $926 | $168,400 | $44,080 |
| 27101 | 74% | 22,973 | $1,010 | $221,000 | $44,198 |
| 27127 | 48% | 41,443 | $1,118 | $219,600 | $61,926 |
| 27107 | 36% | 50,769 | $883 | $220,900 | $60,729 |
| 27040 | 15% | 12,665 | $1,514 | $278,000 | $92,601 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Winston-Salem
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walkertown | 6.1 mi | $1,379 | $236,900 | 26.0% |
| Bethania | 6.7 mi | $1,617 | $290,000 | 19.4% |
| Wallburg | 8.1 mi | — | $343,700 | 1.7% |
| Clemmons | 8.5 mi | $1,269 | $335,800 | 24.3% |
| Rural Hall | 8.6 mi | $967 | $189,600 | 43.9% |
| Midway | 9.1 mi | $778 | $274,100 | 10.5% |
| Lewisville | 9.1 mi | $1,095 | $325,400 | 14.3% |
| Kernersville | 10.0 mi | $1,082 | $290,700 | 39.5% |
Places in North Carolina most like Winston-Salem
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | $1,063 | $278,400 | $64,576 | 45.0% |
| Salisbury | $1,071 | $242,500 | $53,716 | 48.2% |
| High Point | $1,116 | $235,800 | $64,561 | 42.2% |
| Burlington | $1,051 | $199,200 | $56,880 | 46.2% |
| Greensboro | $1,172 | $244,800 | $61,515 | 49.5% |
| Statesville | $1,000 | $248,000 | $52,880 | 48.4% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across North Carolina.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Winston-Salem, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,079 | $1,224 | $1,332 | $1,754 | $2,135 |
HUD also publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent for each ZIP code in the area; the Fair Market Rent page for this place lists its ZIP codes.
HUD income limits for Winston-Salem, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $20,050 | $33,350 | $53,400 |
| 2 people | $22,900 | $38,150 | $61,000 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $42,900 | $68,650 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $47,650 | $76,250 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $51,500 | $82,350 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $55,300 | $88,450 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $59,100 | $94,550 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $62,900 | $100,650 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $96,700.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Winston-Salem
What is the average rent in Winston-Salem, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Winston-Salem is $1,087 (±$22) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Winston-Salem?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Winston-Salem, NC is $966 (±$42) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Winston-Salem rent-burdened?
50.7% of renting households in Winston-Salem pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem has an estimated 45,767 (±1,256) renting households, 44.4% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Winston-Salem?
The median household income in Winston-Salem is $59,268 (±$1,883) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Winston-Salem, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $233,800 (±$5,817) for owner-occupied homes in Winston-Salem (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Winston-Salem growing?
In Winston-Salem, the number of residents went from 244,115 in 2015–2019 to 252,037 in 2020–2024 (+3.2%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Winston-Salem?
The ZIP codes that cover Winston-Salem are 27109, 27110, 27104, 27103, 27106, 27105, 27101, 27127, 27107, 27040.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Winston-Salem city, North Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Winston-Salem city, North Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Winston-Salem city, North Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Winston-Salem city, North Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Winston-Salem city, North Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Winston-Salem city, North Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Winston-Salem city, North Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Winston-Salem Police Department (ORI NC0340200)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Winston-Salem city, North Carolina (place:75000, in state:37).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .