Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Overland Park, KS
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 Overland Park leads 16 of 23 categories
Overland Park
Kansas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$100,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
196,676
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
7
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.
Overland Park, KS
Pros
Households earn $46,460 more per year on average
77% less violent crime than Winston-Salem
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 62.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (184.4 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $361,800
Higher rents — median is $1,378/mo
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Homes cost $174k less ($187,400 vs $361,800)
Rent averages $422/mo less ($956 vs $1,378)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Overland Park by $46,460/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 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Overland Park
Median Income
$46,460
$100,876 vs $54,416/yr
Overland Park
Violent Crime
77% lower
184.4 vs 809.7 per 100k
Overland Park
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
3.2% vs 6.2% unemployment
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 93.3 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$174k less
$187,400 vs $361,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Overland Park, KS | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $361,800⚠ High | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,378⚠ High | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,876 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter | 21.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.5% ✓ Higher | 10.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 ✓ Safer | 183⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.5% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.2% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Blue Valley | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6" ✓ Drier | 43.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 6.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,676 | 249,571 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.4 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.4% ✓ Higher | 53.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 23.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.1% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Overland Park's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Overland Park leads 16 of 23 categories. Overland Park wins 16 and Winston-Salem wins 7. 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 Overland Park to Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($361,800 vs $187,400 median home), income ($100,876 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Overland Park, KS and Winston-Salem, NC are about 813 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.