City comparison
No. Winston Salem's crime index is 203 versus 221 in Toledo, and its violent crime index is 225 versus 279, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Toledo is cheaper. Median rent is $934 a month versus $1,087 in Winston Salem.
Toledo 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 $934 in Toledo and $1,087 in Winston Salem, and median household income lands at $62,224 versus $59,268. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Toledo is the easier city on typical rent, but Winston Salem can still be the better daily fit depending on schools, safety, and climate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
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
Toledo and Winston Salem are 424 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $934 a month in Toledo to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, up $153 a month (16%).
Median household income goes from $62,224 in Toledo to $59,268 in Winston Salem, down $2,956 (5%).
The crime index goes from 221 in Toledo to 203 in Winston Salem, down 18 points (8%).
The move
Winston Salem and Toledo are 424 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $934 a month in Toledo, down $153 a month (14%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $62,224 in Toledo, up $2,956 (5%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 221 in Toledo, up 18 points (9%).
Toledo, OH
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 Toledo and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
14% cheaper
Toledo rent is 14% cheaper than Winston Salem
Toledo
Winner$934/mo
Winston Salem
$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $934 a month in Toledo versus $1,087 in Winston Salem, so Toledo is 14% 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 $1,836, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Toledo still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Winston Salem.
Planning to buy in Toledo? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
5% higher
Toledo's median income is 5% higher than Winston Salem
Toledo
Winner$62,224
Winston Salem
$59,268
Median household income is $62,224 in Toledo versus $59,268 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 5% higher in Toledo (about $2,956 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
8% lower crime
Winston Salem's crime index is 8% lower than Toledo
Toledo
221 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
Winner203 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem's crime index is 203 versus 221 in Toledo (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 8% 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 Toledo. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
23% more comfortable
Winston Salem weather is 23% more comfortable than Toledo
Toledo
51°F avg · 58°F highs · comfort 61/100
Winston Salem
Winner56°F avg · 66°F highs · comfort 75/100
Toledo averages about 51°F (58°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 56°F (66°F highs). Toledo averages around 51°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Winston Salem averages around 56°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Winston Salem scores 23% 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 Toledo 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
Toledo is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 14% cheaper here at about $934 a month. Choose Toledo if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Toledo is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 5% higher here ($62,224). Start with Toledo 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
Pick Winston Salem if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (56°F) beat Toledo on this page's weather index by 23%. Toledo 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 8% lower than Toledo (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
Weather separates these metros: $1,087/month rent in Winston Salem at 56°F versus $934 in Toledo at 51°F. Income runs $59,268 vs $62,224, but the daily feel of the move is the temperature gap.
With only $153 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Safety scores read 36/100 in Toledo and 38/100 in Winston Salem.
Winston Salem wins on climate (56°F vs 51°F); Toledo is the better fit if $934 rent and $62,224 pay matter more than daily weather.
Common questions
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Next steps
Quotes and listings for Toledo when you're ready to act.
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Toledo and Winston Salem, plus other cities in OH and NC.
