City comparison
Yes. El Paso's crime index is 87 versus 203 in Winston Salem, and its violent crime index is 88 versus 225, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
El Paso is cheaper. Median rent is $1,073 a month versus $1,087 in Winston Salem.
Safety is where El Paso and Winston Salem split most clearly. El Paso scores 116 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,073 in El Paso and $1,087 in Winston Salem.
El Paso is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Winston Salem makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone El Paso is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. El Paso has rougher pockets and Winston Salem has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
El Paso and Winston Salem are 1,529 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,073 a month in El Paso to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, up $14 a month (1%).
Median household income goes from $59,745 in El Paso to $59,268 in Winston Salem, down $477 (1%).
The crime index goes from 87 in El Paso to 203 in Winston Salem, up 116 points (133%).
The move
Winston Salem and El Paso are 1,529 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $1,073 a month in El Paso, down $14 a month (1%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $59,745 in El Paso, up $477 (1%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 87 in El Paso, down 116 points (57%).
El Paso, TX
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 El Paso and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
1% cheaper
El Paso rent is 1% cheaper than Winston Salem
El Paso
Winner$1,073/mo
Winston Salem
$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $1,073 a month in El Paso versus $1,087 in Winston Salem, so El Paso is 1% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $14, or $168 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in El Paso? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
1% higher
El Paso's median income is 1% higher than Winston Salem
El Paso
Winner$59,745
Winston Salem
$59,268
Median household income is $59,745 in El Paso versus $59,268 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 1% higher in El Paso (about $477 more household income a year). The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
57% lower crime
El Paso's crime index is 57% lower than Winston Salem
El Paso
Winner87 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
203 (100 = avg)
El Paso's crime index is 87 versus 203 in Winston Salem (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 57% lower in El Paso. 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, El Paso 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
28% more comfortable
El Paso weather is 28% more comfortable than Winston Salem
El Paso
Winner66°F avg · 72°F highs · comfort 100/100
Winston Salem
57°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 78/100
El Paso averages about 66°F (72°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 57°F (67°F highs). El Paso sits near 66°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Winston Salem averages around 57°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. El Paso scores 28% 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 Winston Salem 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 plus year-round outdoor access
El Paso is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 1% cheaper here at about $1,073 a month. Choose El Paso if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 1% higher ($59,745), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 66°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
El Paso is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 57% lower than Winston Salem (87 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
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Winston Salem
On these five categories El Paso takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Winston Salem because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Winston Salem only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Bottom line
Winston Salem carries the heavier crime signal on this page (38/100 safety vs 64/100 in El Paso). That 26-point spread matters more than the $14 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Median income is $59,745 in El Paso versus $59,268 in Winston Salem — with rent matched, the paycheck gap matters more.
Pick El Paso when you want the stronger safety signal (64/100). Otherwise, Winston Salem's case rests on a Winston Salem ZIP you trust at $1,087 rent.
Weather averages land near 66°F in El Paso and 57°F in Winston Salem.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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