Metro area profile · North Carolina
Winston-Salem, NC metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Winston-Salem metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 712,206
- +5.3% since 2020
- Households
- 281,596
- Median household income
- $65,975
- +29.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $233,300
- Jobs located here
- 278,334
- Highest market score
- 80
- Insurance agencies, #36 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Winston-Salem metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Winston-Salem metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 712,206 people live in the Winston-Salem metro area, in 281,596 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Winston-Salem metro area grew 5.3%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Winston-Salem metro area is $65,975 a year, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 29.9% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Winston-Salem metro area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 136, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (67).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Winston-Salem metro area are for insurance agencies (80), mortgage brokers and lenders (77) and collision repair and body shops (74). The Winston-Salem metro area ranks #36 of 387 scored metro areas for insurance agencies.
The Winston-Salem metro area takes in 5 counties: Forsyth County, Davidson County, Stokes County, Davie County and Yadkin County. For its number of households, the Winston-Salem metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for oil change and quick-lube shops (57% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for mortgage brokers and lenders (60% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Winston-Salem metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Winston-Salem metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 80 | #36 of 387 | 354 | 12.6 | $2.1M | 169 | 266 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 77 | #11 of 373 | 49 | 1.7 | Index only | 214 | 17 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 74 | #37 of 381 | 67 | 2.4 | $4M | 131 | 55 |
| House cleaning | 74 | #37 of 375 | 47 | 1.7 | $8.4M | 132 | 132 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 73 | #44 of 387 | 2,263 | 80.4 | $442K | 119 | 1,111 |
| Home inspectors | 71 | #25 of 243 | 11 | 0.4 | Index only | 141 | 12 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 70 | #42 of 387 | 212 | 7.5 | $4.7M | 127 | 101 |
| Pizza | 69 | #66 of 387 | 159 | 5.6 | $6.3M | 124 | 491 |
| Chiropractors | 68 | #64 of 386 | 88 | 3.1 | $3.4M | 142 | 55 |
| Physical therapy | 68 | #72 of 386 | 104 | 3.7 | $2.9M | 119 | 60 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 67 | #72 of 387 | 238 | 8.5 | $1.3M | 128 | 176 |
| Child care and preschools | 67 | #73 of 387 | 108 | 3.8 | $1.1M | 107 | 119 |
| Car washes and detailing | 66 | #74 of 387 | 99 | 3.5 | $2.7M | 108 | 40 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 66 | #81 of 387 | 132 | 4.7 | $2.3M | 127 | 237 |
| Property management | 65 | #65 of 374 | 60 | 2.1 | Index only | 122 | 97 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 65 | #75 of 387 | 211 | 7.5 | $4.7M | 114 | 114 |
| Real estate | 63 | #68 of 387 | 701 | 24.9 | Index only | 134 | 443 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 63 | #90 of 387 | 1,192 | 42.3 | $838K | 126 | 511 |
| Veterinarians | 63 | #100 of 384 | 85 | 3.0 | $2.8M | 102 | 68 |
| Spas and skin care | 62 | #80 of 387 | 229 | 8.1 | $1M | 119 | 41 |
| Electricians | 62 | #89 of 383 | 62 | 2.2 | $12.4M | 104 | 165 |
| Pet stores | 62 | #109 of 382 | 51 | 1.8 | $4.6M | 103 | 19 |
| Funeral homes | 62 | #112 of 377 | 52 | 1.8 | $773K | 114 | 33 |
| Gas stations | 62 | #115 of 387 | 351 | 12.5 | $2.5M | 104 | 283 |
| Pest control | 61 | #99 of 345 | 38 | 1.3 | $10.4M | 102 | 38 |
| Barbershops | 60 | #116 of 387 | 134 | 4.8 | $1.8M | 95 | 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | 60 | #119 of 381 | 88 | 3.1 | $8.8M | 104 | 53 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 59 | #60 of 197 | 10 | 0.4 | $29.9M | 122 | 19 |
| Home repair trades | 59 | #119 of 387 | 319 | 11.3 | $2.4M | 100 | 470 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 59 | #140 of 387 | 355 | 12.6 | $2.8M | 92 | 491 |
| Pet businesses | 58 | #134 of 387 | 289 | 10.3 | $819K | 93 | 146 |
| Convenience stores | 58 | #151 of 387 | 215 | 7.6 | $7.6M | 97 | 47 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 57 | #117 of 387 | 581 | 20.6 | Index only | 129 | 276 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 56 | #147 of 387 | 264 | 9.4 | $1.5M | 89 | 490 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 56 | #167 of 387 | 377 | 13.4 | $1.3M | 105 | 186 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 55 | #165 of 387 | 522 | 18.5 | $964K | 110 | 234 |
| Nail salons | 53 | #167 of 387 | 163 | 5.8 | $1.5M | 88 | 20 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 53 | #173 of 387 | 169 | 6.0 | $4.6M | 96 | 252 |
| Auto repair and car care | 53 | #184 of 387 | 1,032 | 36.6 | $262K | 98 | 422 |
| Auto repair shops | 53 | #184 of 387 | 624 | 22.2 | $434K | 98 | 290 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 51 | #189 of 387 | 1,232 | 43.8 | $194K | 91 | 186 |
| Dry cleaners | 50 | #151 of 272 | 26 | 0.9 | $19.4M | 124 | 30 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 50 | #165 of 347 | 39 | 1.4 | $4.8M | 118 | 92 |
| Laundromats | 50 | #178 of 364 | 39 | 1.4 | $12.9M | 103 | 18 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 50 | #189 of 387 | 110 | 3.9 | $1.7M | 84 | 47 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 50 | #204 of 386 | 114 | 4.0 | $2.1M | 82 | 59 |
| Tire shops | 49 | #217 of 386 | 121 | 4.3 | $2.2M | 89 | 50 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 48 | #199 of 385 | 179 | 6.4 | $2.2M | 76 | 320 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 48 | #211 of 387 | 492 | 17.5 | $3.3M | 98 | 198 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 47 | #220 of 387 | 321 | 11.4 | $580K | 88 | 139 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 45 | #234 of 387 | 2,836 | 100.7 | $105K | 69 | 594 |
| Hair salons | 44 | #249 of 387 | 678 | 24.1 | $352K | 82 | 118 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 43 | #265 of 386 | 103 | 3.7 | $2.9M | 92 | 47 |
| Gyms | 41 | #271 of 387 | 172 | 6.1 | $1.1M | 83 | 92 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 35 | #224 of 290 | 31 | 1.1 | $8.7M | 64 | 33 |
| Grocery stores | 32 | #312 of 387 | 198 | 7.0 | $8.3M | 89 | 151 |
Household spending in the Winston-Salem metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $270.6M | $961 | 100 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $874.6M | $3,106 | 120 |
| Food away from home | $999.1M | $3,548 | 87 |
| Groceries | $1.6B | $5,816 | 92 |
| Personal care products and services | $238.9M | $848 | 84 |
| Child care and other personal services | $115.7M | $411 | 71 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $186.1M | $661 | 67 |
| Medical and dental services | $298.5M | $1,060 | 82 |
| Pets | $236.7M | $841 | 92 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $503.5M | $1,788 | 87 |
| Vehicle insurance | $749M | $2,660 | 136 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $771.2M | $2,739 | 91 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $396.2M | $1,407 | 100 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $4.1B | $14,498 | 87 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Winston-Salem metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 712,206+5.3% since 2020
- Households
- 281,596
- Median age
- 41.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 69%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 2,009 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 343
- Median household income
- $65,975+29.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $90,215
- Median home value
- $233,300
- Jobs located here
- 278,334
- Daytime population
- 663,457Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Winston-Salem metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Winston-Salem metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Winston-Salem metro area 5
- Forsyth County, NC389,977 people
- Davidson County, NC172,954 people
- Stokes County, NC45,139 people
- Davie County, NC44,122 people
- Yadkin County, NC37,574 people
Other markets based in North Carolina 12
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area2,768,407 people
- Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area1,487,302 people
- Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area786,419 people
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area601,724 people
- Wilmington, NC metro area453,347 people
- Asheville, NC metro area414,711 people
- Fayetteville, NC metro area392,380 people
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area368,316 people
- Jacksonville, NC metro area207,906 people
- Greenville, NC metro area177,193 people
- Burlington, NC metro area176,893 people
- Rocky Mount, NC metro area144,952 people
Questions
How fast is the Winston-Salem, NC metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Winston-Salem metro area at 712,206 people in 2025, up 5.3% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 281,596 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 29.9%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area spend?
Households in the Winston-Salem metro area spend about $4.1B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $1.6B on groceries and $999.1M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Winston-Salem metro area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 136, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (67).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Winston-Salem metro area, insurance agencies (80), mortgage brokers and lenders (77) and collision repair and body shops (74) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #36 of 387 scored metro areas.
How does the Winston-Salem, NC metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Winston-Salem metro area is $65,975, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 5.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $233,300, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for oil change and quick-lube shops (57% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for mortgage brokers and lenders (60% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in the Winston-Salem metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Winston-Salem metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in North Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Winston-Salem metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Winston-Salem metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.