Median rent is 45% lower in Winston-Salem ($1,087/mo vs $1,979/mo). Buying is cheaper in Winston-Salem, where the median home runs $233,800 versus $929,900. Households earn more in Oakland ($101,600 vs $59,268 a year).
City A
Oakland, CA
City B
Winston-Salem, NC
How much would you need to earn in Winston-Salem, NC to maintain your standard of living from Oakland, CA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Oakland
California
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Winston-Salem — median rent of $1,087/mo versus $1,979/mo in Oakland, a 45% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Oakland: the median home is $929,900 versus $233,800 in Winston-Salem — 75% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Oakland
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Winston-Salem
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Winston-Salem has cleaner air on average: 43.0 AQI (Good) compared to 60.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Oakland if you prioritize higher median household income ($101,600/yr).
Pick Winston-Salem if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,087/mo median).
Pick Winston-Salem if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 43.0).
Is Oakland cheaper than Winston-Salem?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Oakland vs Winston-Salem?
Median rent is $1,979/mo in Oakland, CA and $1,087/mo in Winston-Salem, NC. Winston-Salem, NC has the lower rent by about 45%.
Which has higher salaries — Oakland or Winston-Salem?
Median household income is $101,600 in Oakland, CA and $59,268 in Winston-Salem, NC. Oakland, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Winston-Salem, NC has better air quality on average: 43.0 AQI versus 60.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Oakland or Winston-Salem?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Winston-Salem to match my Oakland income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
