City comparison
No. Winston Salem's crime index is 203 versus 495 in Memphis, and its violent crime index is 225 versus 629, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Winston Salem is cheaper. Median rent is $1,087 a month versus $1,181 in Memphis.
Safety is where Memphis and Winston Salem split most clearly. Winston Salem scores 292 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,181 in Memphis and $1,087 in Winston Salem.
Winston Salem is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Memphis 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.
The crime gap is citywide. Winston Salem has rougher pockets and Memphis has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Memphis and Winston Salem are 554 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,181 a month in Memphis to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, down $94 a month (8%).
Median household income goes from $51,736 in Memphis to $59,268 in Winston Salem, up $7,532 (15%).
The crime index goes from 495 in Memphis to 203 in Winston Salem, down 292 points (59%).
The move
Winston Salem and Memphis are 554 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $1,181 a month in Memphis, up $94 a month (9%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $51,736 in Memphis, down $7,532 (13%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 495 in Memphis, up 292 points (144%).
Memphis, TN
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 Memphis and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
8% cheaper
Winston Salem rent is 8% cheaper than Memphis
Memphis
$1,181/mo
Winston Salem
Winner$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $1,087 a month in Winston Salem versus $1,181 in Memphis, so Winston Salem is 8% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $94, or $1,128 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
15% higher
Winston Salem's median income is 15% higher than Memphis
Memphis
$51,736
Winston Salem
Winner$59,268
Median household income is $59,268 in Winston Salem versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 15% higher in Winston Salem (about $7,532 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, Winston Salem is the stronger labor market on paper. Memphis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
59% lower crime
Winston Salem's crime index is 59% lower than Memphis
Memphis
495 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
Winner203 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem's crime index is 203 versus 495 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 59% 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. Memphis can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
24% more comfortable
Memphis weather is 24% more comfortable than Winston Salem
Memphis
Winner64°F avg · 74°F highs · comfort 97/100
Winston Salem
57°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 78/100
Memphis averages about 64°F (74°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 57°F (67°F highs). Memphis averages around 64°F. Winston Salem averages around 57°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Memphis scores 24% 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
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Memphis if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (64°F) beat Winston Salem on this page's weather index by 24%. Winston Salem may pay more or cost less, but Memphis is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Winston Salem is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 8% 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 city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 15% higher here ($59,268). Start with Winston Salem if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
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 59% lower than Memphis (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
Crime and safety tilt toward Winston Salem: Winston Salem scores 38/100 versus 11/100 in Memphis, with typical rent at $1,087 versus $1,181. I would vet the exact ZIP in Memphis before trading 27 safety points for housing savings.
Safety still diverges (38/100 in Winston Salem vs 11/100 in Memphis), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $59,268 in Winston Salem versus $51,736 in Memphis.
Pick Winston Salem when you want the stronger safety signal (38/100). Otherwise, Memphis's case rests on a Memphis ZIP you trust at $1,181 rent.
Common questions
Ready to move to Winston Salem?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for Winston Salem when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Memphis and Winston Salem, plus other cities in TN and NC.
