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
Montgomery
Winston-Salem
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 22%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
71 · Top 50%
vs78 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 49%
vs62 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 28%
vs80 · Top 42%
Access
97 · Top 36%
vs92 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 7%
vs42 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Montgomery | Winston-Salem | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 197,494 | 252,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,811 | $59,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,458 | $37,345 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,235/sq mi | 1,885/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $161,900 | $233,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,089 | $1,087 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.4% | 55.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 39.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.5% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 523 | 1,521 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 6.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 101.2% | -1.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.2" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 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.
Your best match
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Montgomery
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
Winston-Salem
65
Your Score
65
Area Score
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Full profiles: Montgomery, AL · Winston-Salem, NC · How this is calculated: methodology