Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 683,637 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area

What is the median household income in Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area?: The median household income in Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area is $64,282 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area is 9.8% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area?: $213,300 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area is $973 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 29.6% of adults in Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

683,637

Median Income

$64,282

Median Home Value

$213,300

Poverty Rate

9.8%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

4.9%

Median Age

40.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$13,508 (+26.6%) Home Value: +$60,900 (+40%) Poverty Rate: -2.0 pp (-16.9%) Bachelor's+: +3.0 pp (+11.3%) Unemployment: -0.6 pp (-10.9%)

Demographics

Total Population 683,637

Median Age 40.0

Female 51.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 11.8% White (non-Hisp.) 65.5% Black 17.4% Asian 1.8% Two or More 7.3% Other 4.4%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Indian

0.4%

Chinese

0.4%

Filipino

0.3%

Vietnamese

0.2%

Korean

0.1%

Japanese

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

7.0%

Puerto Rican

1.1%

Cuban

0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $64,282 ±$1,157

Per Capita Income $88,630

Median Family Income $80,465

Poverty Rate 9.8%

Child Poverty Rate 16.7%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 13.2%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 26.9%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

5.0%

$10–15k

4.2%

$15–25k

8.1%

$25–35k

9.0%

$35–50k

12.8%

$50–75k

18.0%

$75–100k

13.7%

$100–150k

15.4%

$150–200k

6.9%

$200k+

7.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 306,432

Owner-Occupied 68.5%

Renter-Occupied 31.5%

Vacancy Rate 10.1%

Median Home Value $213,300

Median Gross Rent $973

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 16.5%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 36.9%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

5.7%

$50–100k

8.3%

$100–200k

13.2%

$200–300k

26.0%

$300–500k

19.5%

$500k–$1M

7.3%

$1M+

1.2%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

7.6%

$500–1k

45.5%

$1–1.5k

32.7%

$1.5–2k

10.3%

$2–2.5k

2.5%

$2.5–3.5k

0.7%

$3.5k+

0.6%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

5.5%

1 vehicle

29.8%

2 vehicles

36.3%

28.4%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

69.6%

Single-fam. att.

3.1%

2–4 units

1.6%

5–19 units

4.2%

20+ units

4.6%

Mobile home

9.0%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

6.1%

1940–1969

3.7%

1970–1999

15.5%

2000–2009

15.6%

2010+

8.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 89.2%

Bachelor's or Higher 29.6%

Graduate Degree 10.7%

Some College / Associate 21.4%

Less Than High School 4.1%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 60.5%

Unemployment Rate 4.9%

Work from Home 10.6%

Self-Employed 6.0%

Government Workers 11.3%

Private For-Profit 82.5%

Industry

Edu/Health

24.3%

Manufacturing

14.8%

Retail

11.1%

Prof. Services

9.7%

Construction

7.5%

Arts/Entmt.

7.3%

Finance

6.4%

Transportation

6.0%

Public Admin

3.2%

Wholesale

2.3%

Information

1.1%

Agriculture

0.7%

Occupation

Management

38.0%

Sales

20.5%

Production

16.1%

Food Prep

15.8%

Construction

9.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 24.3 min

Drove Alone 77.9%

Carpool 8.7%

Public Transit 0.5%

Work from Home 10.6%

Walked 1.2%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 275,395

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 47.1%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 16.4%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.5%

5–9

5.8%

10–14

6.7%

15–19

6.7%

20–24

6.3%

25–34

12.4%

35–44

11.8%

45–54

13.0%

55–64

7.0%

65–74

6.8%

75–84

10.7%

85+

5.4%

Under 18: 22.1% Working age (18–64): 77.9% 65 and over: 18.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 7.3%

Naturalized Citizen 40.1%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 4.4%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

65.6%

Asia

19.7%

Europe

8.9%

Africa

4.2%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 6.8%

With a Disability 14.2%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 89.6%

Uninsured 10.4%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 88.2%

Has a Computer 94.3%

Same House 1 Year Ago 89.1%

Moved from Abroad 0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023