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
Winston-Salem
Montgomery
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 39%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
78 · Top 24%
vs71 · Top 50%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 45%
vs58 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
80 · Top 42%
vs89 · Top 28%
Access
92 · Bottom 41%
vs97 · Top 36%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 16%
vs33 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Winston-Salem | Montgomery | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 252,037 | 197,494 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,268 | $56,811 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,345 | $33,458 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,885/sq mi | 1,235/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $233,800 | $161,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,087 | $1,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.6% | 54.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 33.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,521 | 523 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.0 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.6% | 101.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 36.6 | 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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Winston-Salem
65
Your Score
65
Area Score
Montgomery
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
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Full profiles: Winston-Salem, NC · Montgomery, AL · How this is calculated: methodology