Winston-Salem, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

683,637

0.795% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

40.6

0.49% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

13.9%

3% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$64,282

6.88% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$213,300

10.1% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

316,250

1.45% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Winston-Salem, NC had a population of 684k people with a median age of 40.6 and a median household income of $64,282. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Winston-Salem, NC grew from 678,243 to 683,637, a 0.795% increase and its median household income grew from $60,145 to $64,282, a 6.88% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Winston-Salem, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (65.5%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (17%), Two+ (Hispanic) (4.03%), Other (Hispanic) (3.93%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.28%).

None of the households in Winston-Salem, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.6% of the residents in Winston-Salem, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Winston-Salem, NC are Wake Forest University (2,979 degrees awarded in 2022), Forsyth Technical Community College (1,987 degrees), and Davidson-Davie Community College (1,614 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Winston-Salem, NC was $213,300, and the homeownership rate was 68.5%.

Most people in Winston-Salem, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Winston-Salem, NC was 2 cars per household.

Winston-Salem, NC borders Albemarle, NC, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, Greensboro-High Point, NC, Martinsville, VA, Mount Airy, NC, and North Wilkesboro, NC.

Photo by Brandon Ore

United States North Carolina

Population & Diversity

Winston-Salem, NC is home to a population of 684k people, from which 95.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 7.3% of Winston-Salem, NC residents were born outside of the country (49.9k people).

In 2023, there were 3.85 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (448k people) in Winston-Salem, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 116k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 27.6k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.6%

2023 Citizenship

95.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 95.6% of Winston-Salem, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Winston-Salem, NC was 95.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Winston-Salem, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Winston-Salem, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
448k ± 1.01k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
116k ± 1.25k
Two+ (Hispanic)
27.6k ± 2.06k

11.8%

Hispanic Population

80.8k people

11.8% of the people in Winston-Salem, NC are hispanic (80.8k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Winston-Salem, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

7.3%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

49.9k people

7.06%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

47.9k people

As of 2023, 7.3% of Winston-Salem, NC residents (49.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Winston-Salem, NC was 7.06%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Winston-Salem, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
12,777 ± 755
Gulf War (2001-)
6,892 ± 895
Gulf War (1990s)
5,887 ± 647

Winston-Salem, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.85 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Winston-Salem, NC employs 316k people. The largest industries in Winston-Salem, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (50,675 people), Manufacturing (46,914 people), and Retail Trade (35,257 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($91,250), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($80,078), and Finance & Insurance ($72,043).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

316k

2023 Value

± 5,064

1.45%

1 Year growth

± 2.18%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Winston-Salem, NC grew at a rate of 1.45%, from 312k employees to 316k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Winston-Salem, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (35,068 people), Management Occupations (32,170 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (29,894 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Winston-Salem, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

316k

2023 Value

± 5,064

1.45%

1 Year growth

± 2.18%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Winston-Salem, NC grew at a rate of 1.45%, from 312k employees to 316k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Winston-Salem, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (50,675 people), Manufacturing (46,914 people), and Retail Trade (35,257 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Winston-Salem, NC, though some of these residents may live in Winston-Salem, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,551

Median earning men ± $866

$36,929

Median earning women ± $594

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($80,444), Public Administration ($59,240), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($58,617).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,034), Public Administration ($47,776), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($43,329).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,091
Construction
1,009
Other Services (except Public Administration)
970
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.64M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$2.03M
Manufacturing
$1.32M
Management of Companies and Enterprises

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2022, universities in Winston-Salem, NC awarded 8,450 degrees. The student population of Winston-Salem, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 10,458 male students and 18,270 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Winston-Salem, NC are White (4,825 and 60.8%), followed by Black or African American (1,606 and 20.2%), Hispanic or Latino (741 and 9.33%), and Two or More Races (242 and 3.05%).

The largest universities in Winston-Salem, NC by number of degrees awarded are Wake Forest University (2,979 and 35.3%), Forsyth Technical Community College (1,987 and 23.5%), and Davidson-Davie Community College (1,614 and 19.1%).

The most popular majors in Winston-Salem, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (673 and 7.96%), General Business Administration & Management (520 and 6.15%), and Information Technology (409 and 4.84%).

The median tuition costs in Winston-Salem, NC are $21,550 for private four year colleges, and $4,949 and $18,894 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Winston-Salem, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 39.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 24.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 28,728 (36.4% men and 63.6% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 28,728 students enrolled in Winston-Salem, NC, 36.4% men and 63.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 13,591 records, of which 61% were women and 39% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
173 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
213 degrees awarded
General Psychology
175 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Winston-Salem, NC was General Biological Sciences with 173 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Winston-Salem, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Wake Forest University
2,979 degrees awarded
Forsyth Technical Community College
1,987 degrees awarded
Davidson-Davie Community College
1,614 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Wake Forest University with 2,979 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 3,551 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Winston-Salem, NC, which is 0.725 times less than the 4,899 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,825 degrees mean that there were 3 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,606 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($21,550) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,883) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,520) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Winston-Salem, NC was $213,300 in 2023, which is 0.703 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $193,800 to $213,300, a 10.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Winston-Salem, NC is 68.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Winston-Salem, NC have an average commute time of 24.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Winston-Salem, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Winston-Salem, NC is $64,282. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Winston-Salem, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $101,763, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $99,243 and $91,548.

Housing

Property

$213,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,145

$188,742

Median Property Taxes

±$3,521

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Winston-Salem, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Winston-Salem, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.5%

Homeownership

2023

67.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 68.5% of the housing units in Winston-Salem, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Winston-Salem, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Winston-Salem, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $101,763, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $99,243 and $91,548.

The following map shows all of the counties in Winston-Salem, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$64,282

Median Household Income

± $1,157

275k

Number of Households

± 4,348

In 2023, the median household income of the 275k households in Winston-Salem, NC grew to $64,282 from the previous year's value of $60,145.

The following chart displays the households in Winston-Salem, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Winston-Salem, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (77.9%)
Worked At Home (10.6%)
Carpooled (8.67%)

In 2023, 77.9% of workers in Winston-Salem, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.6%) and those who carpooled to work (8.67%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Winston-Salem, NC have a shorter commute time (24.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.18% of the workforce in Winston-Salem, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Winston-Salem, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Winston-Salem, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Winston-Salem, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

13.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Winston-Salem, NC (93.3k out of 670k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Winston-Salem, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

89.6% of the population of Winston-Salem, NC has health coverage, with 44.9% on employee plans, 16.5% on Medicaid, 14.6% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 1.35% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1413 patients per year on average, which represents a 1% increase from the previous year (1399 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1657 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 336 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

1,413 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,413 patients per year. This represents a 1% increase from the previous year (1,399 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in North Carolina in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.6% under 18 years, 20% between 18 and 34 years, 38.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

10.4%

Uninsured

44.9%

Employer Coverage

16.5%

Medicaid

14.6%

Medicare

12.4%

Non-Group

1.35%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Winston-Salem, NC declined by 1.35% from 10.6% to 10.4%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Winston-Salem, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Keep Exploring

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State

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

MSA

Greensboro-High Point, NC