City comparison
No. Winston Salem's crime index is 203 versus 270 in Houston, and its violent crime index is 225 versus 294, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Winston Salem is cheaper. Median rent is $1,087 a month versus $1,361 in Houston.
Climate is the sharpest divide between Houston and Winston Salem. Houston averages 70°F while Winston Salem averages 56°F, a difference that affects utility bills, outdoor lifestyle, and how you feel nine months of the year. Rent runs $1,361 versus $1,087.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Winston Salem costs less and Houston 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
Houston and Winston Salem are 978 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,361 a month in Houston to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, down $274 a month (20%).
Median household income goes from $64,813 in Houston to $59,268 in Winston Salem, down $5,545 (9%).
The crime index goes from 270 in Houston to 203 in Winston Salem, down 67 points (25%).
The move
Winston Salem and Houston are 978 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $1,361 a month in Houston, up $274 a month (25%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $64,813 in Houston, up $5,545 (9%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 270 in Houston, up 67 points (33%).
Houston, 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 Houston and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
20% cheaper
Winston Salem rent is 20% cheaper than Houston
Houston
$1,361/mo
Winston Salem
Winner$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $1,087 a month in Winston Salem versus $1,361 in Houston, so Winston Salem is 20% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,288, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Winston Salem still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Houston.
Planning to buy in Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
9% higher
Houston's median income is 9% higher than Winston Salem
Houston
Winner$64,813
Winston Salem
$59,268
Median household income is $64,813 in Houston versus $59,268 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 9% higher in Houston (about $5,545 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
25% lower crime
Winston Salem's crime index is 25% lower than Houston
Houston
270 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
Winner203 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem's crime index is 203 versus 270 in Houston (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 25% lower in Winston Salem. 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, Winston Salem is the easier city. Houston can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
33% more comfortable
Houston weather is 33% more comfortable than Winston Salem
Houston
Winner70°F avg · 78°F highs · comfort 100/100
Winston Salem
56°F avg · 66°F highs · comfort 75/100
Houston averages about 70°F (78°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 56°F (66°F highs). Houston sits near 70°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Winston Salem averages around 56°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Houston scores 33% 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
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 9% higher ($64,813), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 70°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Winston Salem is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 20% 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.
Winston Salem is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 25% lower than Houston (203 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.
Bottom line
On rent alone, Winston Salem undercuts Houston by $274/month ($1,087 vs $1,361). I would not pick Houston on housing cost without a job that clears that spread.
Safety still diverges (38/100 in Winston Salem vs 30/100 in Houston), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Weather averages land near 70°F in Houston and 56°F in Winston Salem.
Most movers who prioritize housing cost land in Winston Salem; Houston only makes sense when your offer letter is already written for Houston at $64,813 income.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
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