City comparison
Yes. Colorado Springs's crime index is 200 versus 203 in Winston Salem, and its violent crime index is 204 versus 225, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Winston Salem is cheaper. Median rent is $1,087 a month versus $1,648 in Colorado Springs.
The income gap between Colorado Springs and Winston Salem is significant: $84,818 median household versus $59,268. That spread matters more if you are job hunting locally than if you are remote. Typical rent is $1,648 in Colorado Springs and $1,087 in Winston Salem.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Winston Salem costs less and Colorado Springs 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
Colorado Springs and Winston Salem are 1,357 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, down $561 a month (34%).
Median household income goes from $84,818 in Colorado Springs to $59,268 in Winston Salem, down $25,550 (30%).
The crime index goes from 200 in Colorado Springs to 203 in Winston Salem, up 3 points (2%).
The move
Winston Salem and Colorado Springs are 1,357 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs, up $561 a month (52%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $84,818 in Colorado Springs, up $25,550 (43%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 200 in Colorado Springs, down 3 points (1%).
Colorado Springs, CO
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 Colorado Springs and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
34% cheaper
Winston Salem rent is 34% cheaper than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
$1,648/mo
Winston Salem
Winner$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $1,087 a month in Winston Salem versus $1,648 in Colorado Springs, so Winston Salem is 34% cheaper. That's roughly $561/month back in your pocket ($6,732/year). Over five years that's $33,660 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 Colorado Springs, 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
43% higher
Colorado Springs's median income is 43% higher than Winston Salem
Colorado Springs
Winner$84,818
Winston Salem
$59,268
Median household income is $84,818 in Colorado Springs versus $59,268 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 43% higher in Colorado Springs (about $25,550 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, Colorado Springs 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
1% lower crime
Colorado Springs's crime index is 1% lower than Winston Salem
Colorado Springs
Winner200 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
203 (100 = avg)
Colorado Springs's crime index is 200 versus 203 in Winston Salem (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 1% lower in Colorado Springs. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Colorado Springs, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Winston Salem. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
8% more comfortable
Winston Salem weather is 8% more comfortable than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
55°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 72/100
Winston Salem
Winner57°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 78/100
Colorado Springs averages about 55°F (63°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 57°F (67°F highs). Colorado Springs averages around 55°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Winston Salem averages around 57°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Winston Salem scores 8% 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 Colorado Springs 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
Colorado Springs is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 43% higher here ($84,818). Start with Colorado Springs if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Colorado Springs is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 1% lower than Winston Salem (200 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 34% 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 (57°F) beat Colorado Springs on this page's weather index by 8%. Colorado Springs may pay more or cost less, but Winston Salem is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Bottom line
Colorado Springs runs $1,648/month while Winston Salem sits at $1,087 — roughly 34% lower on typical leases. Unless your offer letter is Colorado Springs-sized, that monthly gap compounds fast.
Winston Salem rent at $1,087/month is still below Colorado Springs's $1,648, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Weather averages land near 55°F in Colorado Springs and 57°F in Winston Salem.
Between Colorado Springs and Winston Salem, Winston Salem is ahead on housing cost — $1,087/month rent against $1,648. Lean Colorado Springs instead when your $84,818 income offer in Colorado Springs outweighs saving $561/month in Winston Salem.
Common questions
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Colorado Springs and Winston Salem, plus other cities in CO and NC.
