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
San Antonio
Winston-Salem
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
73 · Top 39%
vs78 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 38%
vs62 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
78 · Top 46%
vs80 · Top 42%
Access
95 · Top 49%
vs92 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 27%
vs42 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | San Antonio | Winston-Salem | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,479,835 | 252,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,056 | $59,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,929 | $37,345 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,966/sq mi | 1,885/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $235,700 | $233,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,324 | $1,087 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.2% | 55.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.0% | 39.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.1% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,295 | 1,521 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 6.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.1% | -1.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.4" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 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
San Antonio
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
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.
San Antonio
64
Your Score
62
Area Score
Winston-Salem
65
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: San Antonio, TX · Winston-Salem, NC · How this is calculated: methodology