Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, NC
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 Concord leads 15 of 23 categories
Concord
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0
Median Household Income
$83,480 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
105,335
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,416
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
249,571 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Concord, NC
Pros
80% less violent crime than Winston-Salem
Households earn $29,064 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 40.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Homes cost $101k less ($187,400 vs $288,100)
Rent averages $303/mo less ($956 vs $1,259)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Concord
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Concord by $29,064/yr
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
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Median Income
$29,064
$83,480 vs $54,416/yr
Concord
Violent Crime
80% lower
159.0 vs 809.7 per 100k
Concord
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.2% unemployment
Concord
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 88.0°F
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 97.0 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$101k less
$187,400 vs $288,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, NC | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $288,100 | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,259 | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,480 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 10.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 183⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.8% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cabarrus County Schools | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.8°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.0" | 43.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.3" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,335 | 249,571 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% ✓ Higher | 53.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 23.4% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Concord leads 15 of 23 categories. Concord wins 15 and Winston-Salem wins 8. 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 Concord to Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($288,100 vs $187,400 median home), income ($83,480 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, NC and Winston-Salem, NC are about 53 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.