Cost of Living: Wilmington, NC vs Winston-Salem, NC

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,254/mo in Wilmington, NC versus $4,254/mo in Winston-Salem, NC. In the model, rent is about 19.1% of gross in Wilmington, NC versus 15.05% in Winston-Salem, NC, so Winston-Salem, NC tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Wilmington, NC
$4,254/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Winston-Salem, NC
$4,254/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Wilmington, NC
19.1%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Winston-Salem, NC
15.05%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Wilmington, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Winston-Salem, NC
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Winston-Salem, NC
  • Lower home prices: Winston-Salem, NC
  • Higher median household income: Wilmington, NC

Cost of Living Index

Wilmington, NC: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Winston-Salem, NC: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Wilmington, NC: $1,246/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Winston-Salem, NC: $982/mo

Median rent in Wilmington, NC is $264/mo higher than in Winston-Salem, NC.

Median Home Price

Wilmington, NC: $350,300 · Winston-Salem, NC: $208,200

Median home price in Wilmington, NC is $142,100 higher than in Winston-Salem, NC.

Median Household Income

Wilmington, NC: $63,900 · Winston-Salem, NC: $57,673

Wilmington, NC has a higher median household income than Winston-Salem, NC by $6,227.

Wilmington, NC overview · Winston-Salem, NC overview · Popular comparisons