Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Louis, MO
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 Winston-Salem leads 12 of 23 categories
St. Louis
Missouri
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ Larger
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,416 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
249,571
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1367.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
41% less violent crime than St. Louis
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 41°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Louis
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
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$13k less
$174,100 vs $187,400
St. Louis
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Income
$1,475
$54,416 vs $52,941/yr
Winston-Salem
Violent Crime
41% lower
809.7 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Louis, MO | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $174,100 ✓ Lower | $187,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $938 ✓ Lower | $956 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,941 | $54,416 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 10.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 325⚠ High | 183⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 360⚠ High | 213⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 272⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.6% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LOUIS CITY | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 40.6°F | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 43.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 6.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 298,018 ✓ Larger | 249,571 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.9% | 53.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 23.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Louis'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, Winston-Salem leads 12 of 23 categories. St. Louis wins 11 and Winston-Salem wins 12. 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 St. Louis to Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($174,100 vs $187,400 median home), income ($52,941 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Louis, MO and Winston-Salem, NC are about 575 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.