($1,302) Movers From Albany, NY to Winston-Salem, NC

What to know before moving from Albany to Winston-Salem

Moving from Albany to Winston-Salem comes with exciting new opportunities — but also higher living costs. Since Winston-Salem is generally more expensive than Albany, it’s important to plan ahead and budget carefully for the change.

Check out how the two cities compare so you know what to expect before you relocate:

• Rent prices in Winston-Salem are 10% lower than in Albany, 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 11.6% lower than in Albany.
• Income in Winston-Salem is 6.2% lower than in Albany, 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.
• Be sure to budget for higher bills in Winston-Salem, since the cost of living for a single person in Winston-Salem is 34.4% higher than in Albany. This includes routine expenses like utilities, groceries, clothing, and transportation.
• If you’re moving your family to Winston-Salem, keep in mind that your living expenses could increase. The cost of living for a family in Winston-Salem is 25.2% higher than in Albany.
• The unemployment rate in Winston-Salem is 26.76% lower than in Albany.
• You’ll spend less on retail and restaurants in Winston-Salem, since the city’s sales taxes in Winston-Salem are 12.50% lower than in Albany.
• One perk of moving to Winston-Salem is paying less in state income taxes, which are 58.72% lower than in Albany.

To put this in perspective, you would need around $4,031.09 in Winston-Salem to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with $3,000.00 in Albany.

How life is different in Albany vs. Winston-Salem

• The population of Winston-Salem is about 151% greater than Albany, so you may find more to see and do in your new surroundings. Of course, with more people can also come increased competition for jobs and housing.
• Getting around Winston-Salem without a car might be more difficult than in Albany. Winston-Salem has a public transportation score of 3 out of 10, whereas Albany is ranked 8. 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 Albany. Based on its score of 22 out of 100, Winston-Salem isn’t as walkable as Albany, which has a score of 65 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 Albany. While Albany has a bike-friendliness score of 55 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.
• The crime rate in Winston-Salem is higher than in Albany, so you may want to exercise a little extra caution as you're acclimating to your new location. While the crime index is 32.67 in Winston-Salem, it is 10.0 in Albany. With this index, the lower the score, the better, since it indicates a city’s crime levels.
• You might find more confidence in your overall safety in Winston-Salem than in Albany, based on Winston-Salem’s safety index of 67.33 versus 49.65 for Albany. 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 Albany 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 Albany 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: To keep things running smoothly, make sure you're familiar with any HOA or community moving policies before the big day.
• Elevator reservation: Make sure to arrange elevator access in advance if your building requires reservations for moving.
• Truck parking permits: Make sure to look into local parking regulations—some areas require permits for large moving trucks.
• 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). Ensure the company you choose is licensed to handle your move.
• State regulator: You can verify a North Carolina moving company\’s license by visiting the state'spublic utilities commission
• Moving permits: You won’t need a moving permit in North Carolina, though it\’s smart to double-check any local parking restrictions ahead of your move.
• Change of address: To avoid missing any mail, we recommend submitting your USPS change of address form at least a week before your move. You can choose your official move date to make sure everything gets forwarded properly toWinston-Salem Start the process here.
• Moving company insurance: The amount and type of insurance movers must have depends on state regulations.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: Let our moving checklist guide you through the process and help ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

Where to live in Winston-Salem

Now that you’ve chosen "Camel City" as your next home, here are a few of the best neighborhoods in Winston-Salem to check out.

Helpful moving resources