BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Winston-Salem, NC

B
Score
55/100
Rank #66 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Winston-Salem tends to score well for remote work—particularly on typical rent (2br), plus broadband subscription. Overall, it performs well across the scorecard (#66 of 200). The main watch-out is median household income.

Methodology · Sources · NC rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Winston-Salem ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $992/mo (31% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 87% (4% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 37% (7% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Median household income: $57,673 (24% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 9% (20% lower than the national median; better for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
250,887
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 47%Female 53%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$992/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
12%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
87%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$57,673
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
37%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
9%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
99/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
87/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
19/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
91/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

12%
Less than HS
51%
HS / Some college
22%
Bachelor’s
16%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

12%
Work from home
88%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

87%
Broadband
13%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$992/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
87%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
12%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$57,673
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
37%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
9%

Similar cities (by score)

#64 West Valley City, UT
55/100
#65 Wichita, KS
55/100
#67 Fort Wayne, IN
55/100
#68 Chattanooga, TN
54/100

FAQ

›What is Winston-Salem’s remote work score and rank?
Winston-Salem, NC scores B (55/100) and ranks #66 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Winston-Salem city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Winston-Salem, NC?
Population is about 250,887 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Winston-Salem, NC?
About 47% male and 53% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Winston-Salem, NC?
Typical rent (2BR) is $992/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Winston-Salem, NC?
Work-from-home share is 12% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Winston-Salem, NC?
Broadband subscription is 87% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Winston-Salem, NC?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 12%, HS/some college 51%, bachelor’s 22%, advanced 16%.
›Where does this data come from for Winston-Salem, NC?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).