Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 Orange leads 13 of 23 categories
Orange
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
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.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $54,919 more per year on average
72% less violent crime than Winston-Salem
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 49°F
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Winston-Salem
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Homes cost $661k less ($187,400 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $1192/mo less ($956 vs $2,148)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $54,919/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
Orange
Median Income
$54,919
$109,335 vs $54,416/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
72% lower
226.1 vs 809.7 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.2% unemployment
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$661k less
$187,400 vs $848,200
Winston-Salem
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 88.0°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 10.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 183⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 43.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 249,571 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 53.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 23.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orange leads 13 of 23 categories. Orange 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 Orange to Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $187,400 median home), income ($109,335 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Winston-Salem, NC are about 2,122 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.