Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Virginia Beach, VA
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 15 of 23 categories
Virginia Beach
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,544 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900 ✓ 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.
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
89% less violent crime than Winston-Salem
Households earn $33,128 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 39.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $343,700
Higher rents — median is $1,568/mo
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Homes cost $156k less ($187,400 vs $343,700)
Rent averages $612/mo less ($956 vs $1,568)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Virginia Beach
Cons
Median income trails Virginia Beach by $33,128/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 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$33,128
$87,544 vs $54,416/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
89% lower
92.3 vs 809.7 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.2% unemployment
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$156k less
$187,400 vs $343,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Virginia Beach, VA | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $343,700⚠ High | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,568⚠ High | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $87,544 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.5 min | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.7% ✓ Higher | 10.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 183⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 24 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.3:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.8% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| High School or Higher | 94.5% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Virginia Beach City Public Schools | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.4°F | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.7" | 43.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.4" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 457,900 ✓ Larger | 249,571 |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 53.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 23.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.0% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Virginia Beach's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 15 of 23 categories. Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach to Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($343,700 vs $187,400 median home), income ($87,544 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Virginia Beach, VA and Winston-Salem, NC are about 240 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.