Winston-Salem, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

672,914

0.262% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

40.6

0% 1-year change

2021 Poverty Rate

15.1%

1.19% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$55,454

5.41% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$165,000

4.63% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

308,913

0.136% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Winston-Salem, NC had a population of 673k people with a median age of 40.6 and a median household income of $55,454. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Winston-Salem, NC grew from 671,156 to 672,914, a 0.262% increase and its median household income grew from $52,607 to $55,454, a 5.41% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Winston-Salem, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (67%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (17.4%), White (Hispanic) (5.68%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.53%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (2.26%).

None of the households in Winston-Salem, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.6% of the residents in Winston-Salem, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Winston-Salem, NC are Wake Forest University (2,875 degrees awarded in 2021), Forsyth Technical Community College (2,569 degrees), and Davidson-Davie Community College (1,400 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Winston-Salem, NC was $165,000, and the homeownership rate was 67.7%.

Most people in Winston-Salem, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Winston-Salem, NC was 2 cars per household.

Winston-Salem, NC borders Albemarle, NC, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, Greensboro-High Point, NC, Martinsville, VA, Mount Airy, NC, and North Wilkesboro, NC.

Photo by Brandon Ore

United States North Carolina

Population & Diversity

Winston-Salem, NC is home to a population of 673k people, from which 95.6% are citizens. As of 2021, 7.01% of Winston-Salem, NC residents were born outside of the country (47.2k people).

In 2021, there were 3.86 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (451k people) in Winston-Salem, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 117k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 38.2k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.6%

2021 Citizenship

95.7%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 95.6% of Winston-Salem, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Winston-Salem, NC was 95.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Winston-Salem, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Winston-Salem, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
451k ± 745
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
117k ± 1.32k
White (Hispanic)
38.2k ± 1.84k

10.8%

Hispanic Population

72.6k people

10.8% of the people in Winston-Salem, NC are hispanic (72.6k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Winston-Salem, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
219,250 ± 11,374 people
India
77,157 ± 6,794 people
Honduras
37,868 ± 4,769 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 219,250 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 77,157 and Honduras with 37,868.

Foreign-Born Population

7.01%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

47.2k people

6.85%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

46k people

As of 2021, 7.01% of Winston-Salem, NC residents (47.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Winston-Salem, NC was 6.85%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Winston-Salem, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
13,461 ± 706
Gulf War (2001-)
5,987 ± 682
Gulf War (1990s)
5,413 ± 567

Winston-Salem, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.25 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Winston-Salem, NC employs 309k people. The largest industries in Winston-Salem, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (48,969 people), Manufacturing (46,540 people), and Retail Trade (34,597 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($62,828), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($58,958), and Utilities ($58,110).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,490. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

309k

2021 Value

± 4,790

−0.136%

1 Year decline

± 2.16%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Winston-Salem, NC declined at a rate of −0.136%, from 309k employees to 309k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Winston-Salem, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (34,518 people), Management Occupations (30,887 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (29,164 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Winston-Salem, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

309k

2021 Value

± 4,790

−0.136%

1 Year decline

± 2.16%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Winston-Salem, NC declined at a rate of −0.136%, from 309k employees to 309k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Winston-Salem, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (48,969 people), Manufacturing (46,540 people), and Retail Trade (34,597 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Winston-Salem, NC, though some of these residents may live in Winston-Salem, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,762

Median earning men ± $844

$32,435

Median earning women ± $554

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($67,590), Public Administration ($52,894), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($50,624).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,388), Public Administration ($44,133), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($38,144).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

4,057
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
3,286
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
3,150
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$6.42M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$5.74M
Manufacturing
$3.58M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $53.7B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($49.7B) and Machinery ($44.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina.

$462B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $462B. This is expected to increase 100% to $926B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

South Carolina
$32.8B
Virginia
$26.1B
Georgia
$18.1B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $32.8B, followed by Virginia with $26.1B and Georgia and $18.1B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 49.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (48.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.881%).

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Winston-Salem, NC. Showing the available data for North Carolina.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (49.9%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (48.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.881%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 49.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (48.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.881%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in North Carolina for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Ted Budd

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Winston-Salem, NC awarded 8,718 degrees. The student population of Winston-Salem, NC in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 10,330 male students and 18,012 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Winston-Salem, NC are White (5,060 and 60.9%), followed by Black or African American (1,749 and 21%), Hispanic or Latino (723 and 8.7%), and Unknown (290 and 3.49%).

The largest universities in Winston-Salem, NC by number of degrees awarded are Wake Forest University (2,875 and 33%), Forsyth Technical Community College (2,569 and 29.5%), and Davidson-Davie Community College (1,400 and 16.1%).

The most popular majors in Winston-Salem, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (747 and 8.57%), General Business Administration & Management (613 and 7.03%), and Registered Nursing (458 and 5.25%).

The median tuition costs in Winston-Salem, NC are $21,550 for private four year colleges, and $4,949 and $18,894 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Winston-Salem, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 40.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 28.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 28,342 (36.4% men and 63.6% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 28,342 students enrolled in Winston-Salem, NC, 36.4% men and 63.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 14,093 records, of which 60.3% were women and 39.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
161 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
262 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
199 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Winston-Salem, NC was General Psychology with 161 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Winston-Salem, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Wake Forest University
2,875 degrees awarded
Forsyth Technical Community College
2,569 degrees awarded
Davidson-Davie Community College
1,400 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Wake Forest University with 2,875 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 3,483 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Winston-Salem, NC, which is 0.665 times less than the 5,235 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,060 degrees mean that there were 2.89 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,749 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($21,550) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,645) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,450) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2021, 0.886% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.756% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (2.13M), Some college (1.85M), and Bachelors Degree (1.58M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Winston-Salem, NC was $165,000 in 2021, which is 0.674 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $157,700 to $165,000, a 4.63% increase. The homeownership rate in Winston-Salem, NC is 67.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Winston-Salem, NC have an average commute time of 24.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Winston-Salem, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Winston-Salem, NC is $55,454. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Winston-Salem, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $88,471, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $88,465 and $79,416.

Housing

Property

$165,000

Median Property Value 2021

±$1,632

$181,154

Median Property Taxes

±$3,306

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Winston-Salem, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Winston-Salem, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

67.7%

Homeownership

2021

67.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 67.7% of the housing units in Winston-Salem, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 67.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Winston-Salem, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Winston-Salem, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $88,471, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $88,465 and $79,416.

The following map shows all of the counties in Winston-Salem, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$55,454

Median Household Income

± $994

268k

Number of Households

± 4,249

In 2021, the median household income of the 268k households in Winston-Salem, NC grew to $55,454 from the previous year's value of $52,607.

The following chart displays the households in Winston-Salem, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Winston-Salem, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2021, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.00774% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (80.7%)
Carpooled (8.79%)
Worked At Home (7.56%)

In 2021, 80.7% of workers in Winston-Salem, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.79%) and those who worked at home (7.56%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Winston-Salem, NC have a shorter commute time (24.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.19% of the workforce in Winston-Salem, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Winston-Salem, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Winston-Salem, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Winston-Salem, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

15.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Winston-Salem, NC (99.5k out of 659k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Winston-Salem, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

89% of the population of Winston-Salem, NC has health coverage, with 45.1% on employee plans, 15.9% on Medicaid, 14% on Medicare, 12.6% on non-group plans, and 1.37% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1399 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.427% decrease from the previous year (1405 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1710 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 363 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

1,399 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,399 patients per year. This represents a 0.427% decrease from the previous year (1,405 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in North Carolina in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.8% under 18 years, 19.7% between 18 and 34 years, 39.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11%

Uninsured

45.1%

Employer Coverage

15.9%

Medicaid

14%

Medicare

12.6%

Non-Group

1.37%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Winston-Salem, NC grew by 0.651% from 10.9% to 11%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Winston-Salem, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.