01 · the cities
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is a three-mile boardwalk, a giant Neptune statue keeping watch, and Atlantic surf that's warm in August and gentle in September. The military presence (Navy and Air Force) gives the city a structured, welcoming feel. False Cape and Back Bay nature areas are wild marshland just south of the high-rises. October on the boardwalk might be the prettiest month on the East Coast.
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
$1,819/mo
$1,508/mo
$311/mo less than Virginia Beach (21%)
Median home price
Median home price
$375k
$283k
$92k less than Virginia Beach
State income tax
State income tax
5.8%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,035/mo
$6,450/mo
Winston-Salem has $415/mo more gross after rent at $100k
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
211 days
186 days
25 fewer than Virginia Beach
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 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
Winston-Salem has 7 more days above 95°F each year than Virginia Beach.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
57 / 100
54 / 100
3.0 pts behind Virginia Beach
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
17 routes
0 routes
17 fewer direct routes than Virginia Beach
Metro size
Metro size
1.8M metro
696k metro
the verdict
4
Virginia Beach
categories won
4
Winston-Salem
categories won
Virginia Beach wins on weather and lifestyle, Winston-Salem wins on money. Dead even.
run your numbers
How far does your Virginia Beach salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works