01 · the cities
Augusta
Augusta is the home of the Masters golf tournament and James Brown's adopted hometown (statue downtown), with the Savannah River running past and old Southern charm in the historic district. The Augusta National is private and mostly hidden, but Masters week shapes the whole city's rhythm. Outside that, it's a slower-paced river town with surprising depth.
full dispatch→Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is Moravian cookie traditions, old tobacco wealth (R.J. Reynolds), and Krispy Kreme's hometown (the original hot doughnut sign is still here). Old Salem is a living history Moravian village downtown. The food scene has picked up nicely, the arts scene leans on the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Slower-paced than its Triad neighbors. A little secret.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,443/mo
$1,508/mo
$65/mo more than Augusta (4%)
Median home price
Median home price
$247k
$283k
$36k more than Augusta
State income tax
State income tax
5.5%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,433/mo
$6,450/mo
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
191 days
186 days
5 fewer than Augusta
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
29 days
8 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
2 days
6 days
days below 20°F per year
Augusta has 21 more days above 95°F each year than Winston-Salem.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
46 / 100
54 / 100
8.0 pts ahead of Augusta
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
0 routes
3 fewer direct routes than Augusta
Metro size
Metro size
628k metro
696k metro
the verdict
4
Augusta
categories won
4
Winston-Salem
categories won
Augusta and Winston-Salem split the categories evenly.
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