City comparison
Yes. Oklahoma City's crime index is 183 versus 203 in Winston Salem, and its violent crime index is 197 versus 225, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Winston Salem is cheaper. Median rent is $1,087 a month versus $1,130 in Oklahoma City.
The income gap between Oklahoma City and Winston Salem is significant: $68,656 median household versus $59,268. That spread matters more if you are job hunting locally than if you are remote. Typical rent is $1,130 in Oklahoma City and $1,087 in Winston Salem.
Oklahoma City 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 Oklahoma City 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
Oklahoma City and Winston Salem are 968 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,130 a month in Oklahoma City to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, down $43 a month (4%).
Median household income goes from $68,656 in Oklahoma City to $59,268 in Winston Salem, down $9,388 (14%).
The crime index goes from 183 in Oklahoma City to 203 in Winston Salem, up 20 points (11%).
The move
Winston Salem and Oklahoma City are 968 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $1,130 a month in Oklahoma City, up $43 a month (4%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $68,656 in Oklahoma City, up $9,388 (16%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 183 in Oklahoma City, down 20 points (10%).
Oklahoma City, OK
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 Oklahoma City and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
4% cheaper
Winston Salem rent is 4% cheaper than Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
$1,130/mo
Winston Salem
Winner$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $1,087 a month in Winston Salem versus $1,130 in Oklahoma City, so Winston Salem is 4% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $43, or $516 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 Oklahoma City? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
16% higher
Oklahoma City's median income is 16% higher than Winston Salem
Oklahoma City
Winner$68,656
Winston Salem
$59,268
Median household income is $68,656 in Oklahoma City versus $59,268 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 16% higher in Oklahoma City (about $9,388 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, Oklahoma City 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
10% lower crime
Oklahoma City's crime index is 10% lower than Winston Salem
Oklahoma City
Winner183 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
203 (100 = avg)
Oklahoma City's crime index is 183 versus 203 in Winston Salem (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 10% lower in Oklahoma City. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Oklahoma City, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Winston Salem. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
14% more comfortable
Oklahoma City weather is 14% more comfortable than Winston Salem
Oklahoma City
Winner61°F avg · 69°F highs · comfort 89/100
Winston Salem
57°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 78/100
Oklahoma City averages about 61°F (69°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 57°F (67°F highs). Oklahoma City averages around 61°F. Winston Salem averages around 57°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Oklahoma City scores 14% 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 16% higher ($68,656), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 61°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Oklahoma City is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 10% lower than Winston Salem (183 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 4% 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
Oklahoma City posts $68,656 median household income against $59,268 in Winston Salem. That 14% pay gap is the story when rents are $1,087 in Winston Salem and $1,130 in Oklahoma City.
With only $43 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Weather averages land near 61°F in Oklahoma City and 57°F in Winston Salem.
Between Oklahoma City and Winston Salem, Oklahoma City is ahead on local pay — $68,656 median income against $59,268. Lean Winston Salem instead when keeping rent near $1,087/month beats chasing $68,656 median income.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Oklahoma City and Winston Salem, plus other cities in OK and NC.
