City comparison
Yes. Boston's crime index is 147 versus 203 in Winston Salem, and its violent crime index is 175 versus 225, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Winston Salem is cheaper. Median rent is $1,087 a month versus $2,147 in Boston.
The income gap between Boston and Winston Salem is significant: $97,344 median household versus $59,268. That spread matters more if you are job hunting locally than if you are remote. Typical rent is $2,147 in Boston and $1,087 in Winston Salem.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Winston Salem costs less and Boston pays more: the right call depends on whether you are optimizing for take-home pay or monthly burn rate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. Winston Salem at $1,087 average has pockets that run $887 and others at $1,487: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
Boston and Winston Salem are 654 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $2,147 a month in Boston to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, down $1,060 a month (49%).
Median household income goes from $97,344 in Boston to $59,268 in Winston Salem, down $38,076 (39%).
The crime index goes from 147 in Boston to 203 in Winston Salem, up 56 points (38%).
The move
Winston Salem and Boston are 654 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $2,147 a month in Boston, up $1,060 a month (98%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $97,344 in Boston, up $38,076 (64%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 147 in Boston, down 56 points (28%).
Boston, MA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Winston Salem, NC
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Boston and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
49% cheaper
Winston Salem rent is 49% cheaper than Boston
Boston
$2,147/mo
Winston Salem
Winner$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $1,087 a month in Winston Salem versus $2,147 in Boston, so Winston Salem is 49% cheaper. That's roughly $1,060/month back in your pocket ($12,720/year). Over five years that's $63,600 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Boston, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Winston Salem is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.
Planning to buy in Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
64% higher
Boston's median income is 64% higher than Winston Salem
Boston
Winner$97,344
Winston Salem
$59,268
Median household income is $97,344 in Boston versus $59,268 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 64% higher in Boston (about $38,076 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Boston is the stronger labor market on paper. Winston Salem can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
28% lower crime
Boston's crime index is 28% lower than Winston Salem
Boston
Winner147 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
203 (100 = avg)
Boston's crime index is 147 versus 203 in Winston Salem (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 28% lower in Boston. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Boston is the easier city. Winston Salem can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
29% more comfortable
Winston Salem weather is 29% more comfortable than Boston
Boston
50°F avg · 56°F highs · comfort 58/100
Winston Salem
Winner56°F avg · 66°F highs · comfort 75/100
Boston averages about 50°F (56°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 56°F (66°F highs). Boston averages around 50°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Winston Salem averages around 56°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Winston Salem scores 29% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Boston if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Boston is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 64% higher here ($97,344). Start with Boston if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Boston is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 28% lower than Winston Salem (147 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Winston Salem is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 49% cheaper here at about $1,087 a month. Choose Winston Salem if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick Winston Salem if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (56°F) beat Boston on this page's weather index by 29%. Boston may pay more or cost less, but Winston Salem is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Bottom line
Rent is the clearest fork: Winston Salem at $1,087/month versus $2,147 in Boston ($1,060 apart). Boston median income is $97,344 against $59,268 in Winston Salem, so the cheaper lease does not always pair with the stronger local wage base.
Winston Salem rent at $1,087/month is still below Boston's $2,147, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Safety scores read 48/100 in Boston and 38/100 in Winston Salem.
If housing cost drives your move, Winston Salem is the stronger match ($1,087/month rent against $2,147). If an employer or family tie already points to Boston, treat $2,147/month rent and $97,344 income as the numbers that actually govern the decision.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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