Winston-Salem receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Baton Rouge
Winston-Salem
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 41%
vs55 · Bottom 49%
Growth
55 · Top 45%
vs50 · Bottom 42%
Climate
77 · Top 26%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 40%
vs62 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 44%
vs80 · Top 26%
Access
70 · Bottom 5%
vs92 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 3%
vs42 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Baton Rouge | Winston-Salem | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 222,771 | 252,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,994 | $59,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,731 | $37,345 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,562/sq mi | 1,885/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $234,700 | $233,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,067 | $1,087 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.8% | 55.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.0% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.6% | 39.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.7% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,479 | 1,521 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 6.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -23.3% | -1.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 61.9" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.5 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Baton Rouge
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Winston-Salem
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Baton Rouge
56
Your Score
57
Area Score
Winston-Salem
66
Your Score
65
Area Score
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Full profiles: Baton Rouge, LA · Winston-Salem, NC · How this is calculated: methodology