City comparison
No. Winston Salem's crime index is 203 versus 209 in Louisville, and its violent crime index is 225 versus 207, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Winston Salem is cheaper. Median rent is $1,087 a month versus $1,120 in Louisville.
Louisville and Winston Salem are closer on paper than many city pairs, so the move comes down to how you weight cost, safety, and climate. Typical rent sits near $1,120 in Louisville and $1,087 in Winston Salem, and median household income lands at $66,849 versus $59,268. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
Winston Salem is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Louisville makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Winston Salem is the stronger move.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
The move
Louisville and Winston Salem are 338 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,120 a month in Louisville to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, down $33 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $66,849 in Louisville to $59,268 in Winston Salem, down $7,581 (11%).
The crime index goes from 209 in Louisville to 203 in Winston Salem, down 6 points (3%).
The move
Winston Salem and Louisville are 338 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $1,120 a month in Louisville, up $33 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $66,849 in Louisville, up $7,581 (13%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 209 in Louisville, up 6 points (3%).
Louisville, KY
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 Louisville and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
3% cheaper
Winston Salem rent is 3% cheaper than Louisville
Louisville
$1,120/mo
Winston Salem
Winner$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $1,087 a month in Winston Salem versus $1,120 in Louisville, so Winston Salem is 3% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $33, or $396 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 Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
13% higher
Louisville's median income is 13% higher than Winston Salem
Louisville
Winner$66,849
Winston Salem
$59,268
Median household income is $66,849 in Louisville versus $59,268 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 13% higher in Louisville (about $7,581 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, Louisville 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
3% lower crime
Winston Salem's crime index is 3% lower than Louisville
Louisville
209 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
Winner203 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem's crime index is 203 versus 209 in Louisville (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 3% lower in Winston Salem. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Winston Salem, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Louisville. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
4% more comfortable
Winston Salem weather is 4% more comfortable than Louisville
Louisville
56°F avg · 65°F highs · comfort 75/100
Winston Salem
Winner57°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 78/100
Louisville averages about 56°F (65°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 57°F (67°F highs). Louisville averages around 56°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 4% 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 Louisville 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
Louisville is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 13% higher here ($66,849). Start with Louisville if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
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 3% 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 Louisville on this page's weather index by 4%. Louisville may pay more or cost less, but Winston Salem is the city where the forecast fights you less.
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 3% lower than Louisville (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
Winston Salem is cheaper on rent ($1,087/month vs $1,120), but Louisville's $66,849 median income beats Winston Salem's $59,268 by 11%. Remote workers paid on Louisville scales can make that trade; local-market earners often cannot.
With only $33 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Weather averages land near 56°F in Louisville and 57°F in Winston Salem.
Between Louisville and Winston Salem, Louisville is ahead on local pay — $66,849 median income against $59,268. Lean Winston Salem instead when keeping rent near $1,087/month beats chasing $66,849 median income.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Louisville and Winston Salem, plus other cities in KY and NC.
