City comparison
Yes. Jacksonville's crime index is 150 versus 203 in Winston Salem, and its violent crime index is 155 versus 225, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Winston Salem is cheaper. Median rent is $1,087 a month versus $1,465 in Jacksonville.
Climate is the sharpest divide between Jacksonville and Winston Salem. Jacksonville averages 73°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 $1,465 versus $1,087.
Jacksonville is not a close call here. It leads on 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 Jacksonville is the stronger move.
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
Jacksonville and Winston Salem are 407 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,465 a month in Jacksonville to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, down $378 a month (26%).
Median household income goes from $69,872 in Jacksonville to $59,268 in Winston Salem, down $10,604 (15%).
The crime index goes from 150 in Jacksonville to 203 in Winston Salem, up 53 points (35%).
The move
Winston Salem and Jacksonville are 407 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $1,465 a month in Jacksonville, up $378 a month (35%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $69,872 in Jacksonville, up $10,604 (18%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 150 in Jacksonville, down 53 points (26%).
Jacksonville, FL
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 Jacksonville and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
26% cheaper
Winston Salem rent is 26% cheaper than Jacksonville
Jacksonville
$1,465/mo
Winston Salem
Winner$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $1,087 a month in Winston Salem versus $1,465 in Jacksonville, so Winston Salem is 26% cheaper. That's roughly $378/month back in your pocket ($4,536/year). Over five years that's $22,680 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 Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
18% higher
Jacksonville's median income is 18% higher than Winston Salem
Jacksonville
Winner$69,872
Winston Salem
$59,268
Median household income is $69,872 in Jacksonville versus $59,268 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 18% higher in Jacksonville (about $10,604 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, Jacksonville 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
26% lower crime
Jacksonville's crime index is 26% lower than Winston Salem
Jacksonville
Winner150 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
203 (100 = avg)
Jacksonville's crime index is 150 versus 203 in Winston Salem (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 26% lower in Jacksonville. 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, Jacksonville 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
31% more comfortable
Jacksonville weather is 31% more comfortable than Winston Salem
Jacksonville
Winner73°F avg · 80°F highs · comfort 98/100
Winston Salem
56°F avg · 66°F highs · comfort 75/100
Jacksonville averages about 73°F (80°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 56°F (66°F highs). Jacksonville sits near 73°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. Jacksonville scores 31% 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 18% higher ($69,872), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 73°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Jacksonville is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 26% lower than Winston Salem (150 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
Winston Salem is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 26% 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.
Bottom line
Housing separates these metros first: $1,087/month in Winston Salem versus $1,465 in Jacksonville. Median income reads $59,268 in Winston Salem and $69,872 in Jacksonville, which matters when you stack rent against take-home pay.
Safety still diverges (48/100 in Jacksonville vs 38/100 in Winston Salem), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Weather averages land near 73°F in Jacksonville and 56°F in Winston Salem.
If housing cost drives your move, Winston Salem is the stronger match ($1,087/month rent against $1,465). If an employer or family tie already points to Jacksonville, treat $1,465/month rent and $69,872 income as the numbers that actually govern the decision.
Common questions
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Jacksonville and Winston Salem, plus other cities in FL and NC.
