Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 Winston-Salem leads 15 of 22 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High
Population
200,431
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,416 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
249,571 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $64k less ($123,000 vs $187,400)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 49°F
Cons
Violent crime (1246.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Winston-Salem by $11,952/yr
Property crime (4031.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 6.2%)
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
35% less violent crime than Birmingham
Households earn $11,952 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (6.2%)
More college-educated — 35.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (809.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2921.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Birmingham
Median Home Value
$64k less
$123,000 vs $187,400
Birmingham
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 88.0°F
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 92.6 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Income
$11,952
$54,416 vs $42,464/yr
Winston-Salem
Violent Crime
35% lower
809.7 vs 1246.6 per 100k
Winston-Salem
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
6.2% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 ✓ Lower | $187,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $54,416 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 6.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min | 21.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 10.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 183⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High | 213⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% | 35.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" | 43.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 | 249,571 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 53.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 23.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Winston-Salem leads 15 of 22 categories. Birmingham wins 7 and Winston-Salem wins 15. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Birmingham to Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $187,400 median home), income ($42,464 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and Winston-Salem, NC are about 411 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.