Winston-Salem, North Carolina Housing Market Prices

Winston-Salem Home Prices and Rent at a Glance

The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.

  • Median home price 43% below the North Carolina median
    $159,187
  • Median rent 12% below the North Carolina median
    $1,077

Housing Market Overview

Metric Winston-Salem North Carolina Avg US Average
Median Home Price $159,187 $278,288 $248,835
Price Trend (Annual %) 4.1% 9.3% 7.5%
Median Gross Rent $1,077 $1,227 $1,407
Rent Trend (Annual %) 5.1% 5.3% 5.1%
Household Income Trend (Annual %) — — —

The median home price in Winston-Salem is about 43% lower than in North Carolina. Rent is about 12% lower than the North Carolina average.

Median Home and Rent Price Trends

Median Home Prices, 2015-2024

Winston-Salem
North Carolina
United States
Year Winston-Salem North Carolina United States

Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024

Winston-Salem
North Carolina
United States
Year Winston-Salem North Carolina United States

Both home prices and rent are rising in Winston-Salem, up about 4.1% and 5.1% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.

Median rent in Winston-Salem rose about 50.0% between 2015 and 2024, from $718 to $1,077. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.

Affordability

On average, housing unit costs 2.7 yearly household incomes in Winston-Salem.

Buying the median-priced home in Winston-Salem costs roughly 12.3 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Winston-Salem. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.

Metric Winston-Salem North Carolina Avg US Average
Median Home Price $159,187 $278,288 $248,835
Median Household Income $58,156 $72,438 $80,455
Price-to-Income Ratio 2.7 3.8 3.1

Home Prices vs Income Over Time

Home Prices
Household Income

Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Winston-Salem rose about 34.2%, while median household income rose about 36.7% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.

Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)

Compare income and housing cost trends.

Household Income Growth %
Housing Cost Growth %
Year Income Growth % Housing Cost Growth % Gap (Cost - Income)

Occupancy & Tenure

Metric Winston-Salem North Carolina Avg US Average
Homeownership Rate 48.7% 58.3% 58.5%
Rental Rate 40.7% 29.2% 31.2%
Vacancy Rate 10.6% 12.5% 10.2%
Median Tenure (years) 12.0 15.0 15.0
Median Year Moved In 2014 2011 2011

Winston-Salem has a homeownership rate of 48.7%, lower than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 10.6%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.

Housing Stock

Metric Winston-Salem North Carolina Avg US Average
Average Household Size 2.33 people 2.44 people 2.53 people
Median Structure Built Year 1981 1989 1978
Median Number of Rooms 5.3 5.6 5.5

The typical housing unit in Winston-Salem was built around 1981. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.3 rooms, staying for about 12.0 years on average.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the housing market in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

What is the median home price in Winston-Salem, North Carolina?

The median home price in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is $159,187, lower than the North Carolina average of $278,288.

What is the average home price in Winston-Salem, North Carolina?

The typical home price in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $159,187. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.

What is the median rent in Winston-Salem, North Carolina?

The median gross rent in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is $1,077 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.

What was the median gross rent in Winston-Salem in 2020?

In 2020, the median gross rent in Winston-Salem, North Carolina was $818 per month.

What is the price-to-rent ratio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina?

The price-to-rent ratio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is about 12.3, meaning it would take roughly 12.3 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Winston-Salem.

Are home prices or rent rising faster in Winston-Salem, North Carolina?

Both home prices and rent are rising in Winston-Salem, up about 4.1% and 5.1% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.

What is the homeownership rate in Winston-Salem, North Carolina?

48.7% of households in Winston-Salem, North Carolina own their home, lower than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.

What is the vacancy rate in Winston-Salem, North Carolina?

The housing vacancy rate in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is 10.6%, lower than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.

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