Winston-Salem and Burlington receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Winston-Salem
Burlington
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 47%
vs49 · Bottom 37%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs63 · Top 29%
Climate
78 · Top 7%
vs71 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
57 · Top 48%
vs65 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
93 · Bottom 45%
vs89 · Bottom 34%
Access
89 · Top 27%
vs81 · Top 40%
Economic stability
55 · Top 44%
vs63 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Winston-Salem | Burlington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 689,766 | 176,893 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,975 | $65,651 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,543 | $34,547 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 343/sq mi | 418/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $233,300 | $241,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,016 | $1,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.2% | 65.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 28.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,629 | 1,926 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 10.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.2% | -16.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 38.9 | 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
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Winston-Salem
70
Your Score
67
Area Score
Burlington
69
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area · Burlington, NC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology