($1,342) Movers From Boston, MA to Winston-Salem, NC

What to know before moving from Boston to Winston-Salem

Moving from Boston to Winston-Salem means adjusting to a different pace of life — and a different price tag. On average, it costs significantly more to live in Boston than in Winston-Salem, making the move an opportunity for many to enjoy a lower cost of living.

Check out how Boston compares to Winston-Salem so you know what to expect before you relocate:

• Rent prices in Winston-Salem are 62% lower than in Boston, which means you’ll have more money in your pocket each month.
• In terms of homeownership, you’ll be able to get more for your money in Winston-Salem.
  Home prices in Winston-Salem are 66.3% lower than in Boston.
• Income in Winston-Salem is 30.0% lower than in Boston, so you could earn less for doing the same job. The top employers in Winston-Salem include Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Novant Health, and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.
• The cost of living for a single person in Winston-Salem is 49.8% lower than in Boston. This includes routine expenses like utilities, groceries, clothing, and transportation.
• The cost of living for a family in Winston-Salem is 53.4% lower than in Boston.
• The unemployment rate in Winston-Salem is 16.13% lower than in Boston.
• You’ll spend more on retail and restaurants in Winston-Salem, since the city’s sales taxes in Winston-Salem are 12.00% higher than in Boston.
• One perk of moving to Winston-Salem is paying less in state income taxes, which are 50.00% lower than in Boston.

To put this in perspective, you would need around $1,506.22 in Winston-Salem to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with $3,000.00 in Boston.

How life is different in Boston vs. Winston-Salem

• Winston-Salem might offer you a slower pace of life, since the population is about 63% less than Boston.
• Getting around Winston-Salem without a car might be more difficult than in Boston. Winston-Salem has a public transportation score of 3 out of 10, whereas Boston is ranked 9. Ratings are based on a city’s transit connectivity, service frequency, and accessibility to key destinations like jobs and grocery stores.
• Winston-Salem neighborhoods and districts might not be as easy to navigate on foot as Boston. Based on its score of 22 out of 100, Winston-Salem isn’t as walkable as Boston, which has a score of 98 out of 100. The higher the walkability score a city has, the easier it is to access amenities. The most walkable cities also tend to be more densely populated and have shorter block lengths.
• You probably won’t see as many cycling lanes or off-road trails in Winston-Salem, which is ranked as less bike-friendly than Boston. While Boston has a bike-friendliness score of 86 out of 100, Winston-Salem earned a 29. Scores are based on factors like whether a city accommodates cyclists on major roadways, how often people bike to work, and how many steep hills it has.
• Winston-Salem has a lower crime rate than Boston based on scores of 32.67 and Boston's 39.88, respectively. The crime index shows how safe a city is perceived to be. So, a lower score generally means less crime.
• You might find more confidence in your overall safety in Winston-Salem than in Boston, based on Winston-Salem’s safety index of 67.33 versus 60.12 for Boston. With this index, higher scores indicate more safety, particularly around how comfortable residents feel walking alone during the day and at night.
• The air quality in Winston-Salem and Boston is generally the same (Good). Cities with good to moderate ratings have clean or acceptable air quality, with the possibility of small pollutants affecting people with certain health conditions like asthma. Anything beyond the moderate rate means increased impact on residents.

Other things to consider for your Boston vs. Winston-Salem move

• Weather: Climate in Winston-Salem is unlikely to affect your move but a freezing day in the winter could affect the conditions of the roads.
• HOA rules: Be sure to review your community or HOA guidelines before moving day to avoid any surprises or delays.
• Elevator reservation: If your building has an elevator, make sure to find out how to reserve it ahead of your move.
• Truck parking permits: Many cities require special permits for parking large moving trucks. Check in advance to see if one is needed for your move.
• State licensing: For-profit household goods carriers in the state fall under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina Utilities Commission, Transportation Division. All legitimate movers should have a “C Number” issued by the commission, signifying that they’ve met minimum insurance requirements and adhere to the provisions outlined in the state’s Maximum Rate Tariff (MRT).Double-check that the moving company is properly licensed before you hire them.
• State regulator: You can check the status of a North Carolina moving license through the state's public utilities commission.
• Moving permits: North Carolina doesn\’t require moving permits, but it\’s still a good idea to check local parking rules before your move-in day.
• Change of address: We suggest filing your USPS change of address form at least one week before your move. You’ll be able to set your official move date, helping ensure your mail is forwarded correctly to Winston-Salem. Start the process here.
• Moving company insurance: Each state has its own requirements for the level of insurance moving companies must carry.Choose Released Value Protection for no-cost, minimal coverage from movers, with responsibility limited to 60 cents per pound per article. For comprehensive coverage, explore alternatives with your chosen moving company or consider a third-party insurance provider.
• Moving checklist: Use our moving checklist to stay on top of every detail and reduce last-minute stress.

Where to live in Winston-Salem

Ready to relocate to "Camel City"? Here are some of the top neighborhoods to consider in Winston-Salem.

Helpful moving resources