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METRO AREA · 2010 ACS

Winston-Salem Metro

Winston-Salem, NC · 5 counties · 640,595 residents · 2,009.002 sq mi
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The short version

Winston-Salem has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $45,588. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value is $139,771.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 39.0
US median: 37.2
Average education
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
640,595
+13%since 2000
from 569,207 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
319 / sq mi
+13%since 2000
from 283 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 261
Median age
39.0
+6%since 2000
from 36.6 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
468K528K589K649K710K1990201020202024Winston-Salem
2024690K
1990201020202024
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$45,588
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,479 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,459
+16%since 2000
from $21,135 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
26.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 26.2% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
14.6%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 10.4% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.448
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade17.6%
US avg: 10.9%
Information11.2%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 7.2%
Other services6.5%
US avg: 7%
Public administration5.2%
US avg: 4.9%
Finance & insurance4.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical4.1%
US avg: 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing3.2%
US avg: 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 2.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.4%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BARS: THIS PLACE · TICKS: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$139,771
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $100,377 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$638
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $495 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
47.6%
−23.6 ptssince 2000
from 71.1% in 2000
31.0% rent
Vacancy rate
11.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Owner cost-burdened
23.6%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 22.9% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
41.4%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 40.2% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
3.1
+24%since 2000
from 2.5 in 2000
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in Winston-Salem on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic76.1%(433,153)
Black16.9%(96,060)
Hispanic / Latino5%(28,744)
Asian0.8%(4,572)
Other0%
Diversity Score46.9%(266,991)
2010
White, non-Hispanic70.4%(451,146)
Black17.1%(109,416)
Hispanic / Latino9.3%(59,682)
Asian1.4%(8,808)
Other1.4%(9,245)
Diversity Score57.7%(369,873)
Diversity Score
58
+23%since 2000
from 47 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.2%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 21.2% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
83.6%
+5.7 ptssince 2000
from 77.9% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
7.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 6.6% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.1 min
+53%since 2000
from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
84.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 84.0% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
9.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
2.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
1.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
6.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
11.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
32.7%
−29.4 ptssince 2009
from 62.1% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.4% in 2009
Female
51.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
Foreign born
6.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
10.0%
−37.5 ptssince 2009
from 47.5% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
In this metro

Principal cities

Winston-SalemCENTRAL257,271
What's inside

5 component counties

Forsyth CountyCENTRAL401,718Davidson CountyCENTRAL180,182Stokes CountyCENTRAL46,126Davie CountyCENTRAL45,855Yadkin County38,325
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Winston-Salem

Little Rock
Pop 777,607
Greensboro
Pop 805,945
Deltona
Pop 746,933
Toledo
Pop 599,376
Places similar to Winston-Salem
Head to head

Compare Winston-Salem side by side

WINSTON-SALEM VS
Little Rock
Income$67,436+48%
Home value$214,329+53%
Population777,607+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WINSTON-SALEM VS
Greensboro
Income$65,866+44%
Home value$237,517+70%
Population805,945+13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WINSTON-SALEM VS
Deltona
Income$71,355+57%
Home value$322,299+131%
Population746,933+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WINSTON-SALEM VS
Toledo
Income$65,600+44%
Home value$179,767+29%
Population599,376−16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Winston-Salem, NC?

Winston-Salem, NC has about 640,595 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Winston-Salem, NC?

The typical household in Winston-Salem, NC earns about $45,588 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Winston-Salem, NC expensive?

In Winston-Salem, NC, the median home is worth about $139,771, and the typical rent is about $638 a month.

How educated are people in Winston-Salem, NC?

About 24.2% of adults age 25 and over in Winston-Salem, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Winston-Salem, NC?

About 14.6% of people in Winston-Salem, NC live below the federal poverty line.

Has Winston-Salem, NC grown since 1990?

Yes, Winston-Salem, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 152,470 residents, a change of about 31 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

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