Head-to-Head · City Comparison
O'Fallon, MO
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 O'Fallon leads 13 of 23 categories
O'Fallon
Missouri
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
Median Household Income
$104,863 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
91,825
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
10
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.
O'Fallon, MO
Pros
Households earn $50,447 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than Winston-Salem
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (3.1%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (59.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 42.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Homes cost $96k less ($187,400 vs $283,600)
Rent averages $355/mo less ($956 vs $1,311)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 39°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than O'Fallon
Cons
Median income trails O'Fallon by $50,447/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 3.1%)
Key Differences at a Glance
O'Fallon
Median Income
$50,447
$104,863 vs $54,416/yr
O'Fallon
Violent Crime
93% lower
59.0 vs 809.7 per 100k
O'Fallon
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
3.1% vs 6.2% unemployment
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$96k less
$187,400 vs $283,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | O'Fallon, MO | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $283,600 | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,311 | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,863 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 10.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 18 ✓ Safer | 183⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 23 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.4% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.4% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT ZUMWALT SCHOOL DISTRICT | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.4" | 43.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.5" | 6.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,825 | 249,571 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.9% ✓ Higher | 53.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 23.4% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
O'Fallon's cost of living index is 96.3 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, O'Fallon leads 13 of 23 categories. O'Fallon wins 13 and Winston-Salem wins 10. 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 O'Fallon to Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($283,600 vs $187,400 median home), income ($104,863 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
O'Fallon, MO and Winston-Salem, NC are about 603 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.