Market Intelligence

Winston-Salem, NC

Updated quarterly · Data sourced from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI, Census ACS, and FHFA. · North Carolina overview

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Home Value

$235k+6.2%

Median Rent

$1,380+0.9%

Per month average

Gross Yield

7.05%

Annual rent / value

Rent / Price

0.587%

1% rule benchmark

HH Income

$58,000

Median household

Owner-Occ

66.0%

Renter-Occ

34.0%

Tenant demand share

Population

680k

Metro area census

Market Analysis

The Winston-Salem, NC real estate market currently sits at a median home value of $235k with median rents around $1,380/month, producing a gross yield of 7.05%. That puts Winston-Salem in the category of solid gross yield, right at the 7% LTR sweet spot. Over the past year, home values are up 6.2%, while rents rose 0.9%, the gap between those two trends is what determines whether yield compresses or expands over time for buy-and-hold investors in North Carolina. Winston-Salem is an owner-occupier market (66% owner-occupied) where investor competition is generally lighter, with median household income of $58,000 setting the affordability ceiling on future rent growth.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Winston-Salem, NC?
As of late 2025, the median rent in Winston-Salem is approximately $1,380 per month, with rent growth of 0.9% year over year.
Is Winston-Salem a good market for rental property investing?
Winston-Salem produces a gross rental yield of about 7.05%. That is above the 7% threshold most long-term rental investors target, making it an attractive cash-flow market. Run your specific numbers in a calculator before committing capital.
What is the median home price in Winston-Salem?
The median home value in Winston-Salem, NC is approximately $235,000, up 6.2% from a year ago.
How have home prices changed in Winston-Salem over the past year?
Home values in Winston-Salem have moved 6.2% year over year, while rents have changed by 0.9%. This price-to-rent gap is the single biggest driver of long-term rental investor returns in the North Carolina market.
What is the rent-to-price ratio in Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem has a rent-to-price ratio of 0.587%, meaning monthly rent is about 0.587% of the home's price. The "1% rule" used by buy-and-hold investors looks for 1.0%+; this market falls short of that bar, which is typical for most large US metros today.

Nearby North Carolina markets

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