Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 Urban Honolulu leads 15 of 23 categories
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,772 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
348,547 ✓ Larger
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
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Urban Honolulu, HI
Pros
77% less violent crime than Winston-Salem
Households earn $28,356 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (185.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (5.1%)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 49°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 88°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $805,500
Higher rents — median is $1,734/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Homes cost $618k less ($187,400 vs $805,500)
Rent averages $778/mo less ($956 vs $1,734)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Urban Honolulu
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Median income trails Urban Honolulu by $28,356/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 5.1%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Urban Honolulu
Median Income
$28,356
$82,772 vs $54,416/yr
Urban Honolulu
Violent Crime
77% lower
185.2 vs 809.7 per 100k
Urban Honolulu
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
5.1% vs 6.2% unemployment
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 106.8 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$618k less
$187,400 vs $805,500
Winston-Salem
Summer Heat
9.0°F warmer
July avg high 88.0°F vs 79.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Urban Honolulu, HI | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.8⚠ High | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $805,500⚠ High | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,734⚠ High | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,772 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.5 min | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.7% | 10.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 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 | 85 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.2% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hawaii Department of Education | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.0°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 79.0°F | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.2" ✓ Drier | 43.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 348,547 ✓ Larger | 249,571 |
| Median Age | 42.5 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.0% | 53.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 23.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.3% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Urban Honolulu's cost of living index is 106.8 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Urban Honolulu leads 15 of 23 categories. Urban Honolulu 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 Urban Honolulu to Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($805,500 vs $187,400 median home), income ($82,772 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Urban Honolulu, HI and Winston-Salem, NC are about 4,692 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.