Winston-Salem Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 92.0 → 106.7
Rent Delta: +$1,295/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $18K higher median salary

Cons of Moving

  • - 15% higher cost of living
  • - $1295/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Winston-Salem to Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 92.0 to 106.7 (100 = US average), so a Winston-Salem salary needs to be multiplied by 1.16 to hold the same purchasing power in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $960/month in Winston-Salem to $2,255/month in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom - a higher monthly bill of $1,295, or $15,540/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $63,918 in Winston-Salem versus $81,568 in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom - a raw gap of $17,650 higher. The Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom labor market has 1,060,500 tracked jobs against 259,100 in Winston-Salem, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Winston-Salem and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom are 365 and 477 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.8:1 at origin versus 21.5:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $9,487/year in Winston-Salem versus $17,920/year in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom. Our composite verdict - Unfavorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Winston-Salem
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 92.0
RPP 106.7
Winston-Salem
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$960/mo
$2,255/mo
Winston-Salem
💼 Wages
$63,918
$81,568
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
🔒 Crime
365 per 100K
477 per 100K
Winston-Salem
🎓 Schools
15.8:1
21.5:1
Winston-Salem
👶 Childcare
$9,487/yr
$17,920/yr
Winston-Salem
🌿 Environment
2788 violations
17550 violations
Winston-Salem

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Winston-Salem to see what you'd need to earn in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom more expensive than Winston-Salem?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom has an RPP of 106.7 compared to Winston-Salem's 92.0 (100 = national average). Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom is $2,255/mo vs $960/mo in Winston-Salem.
What are salaries like in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom compared to Winston-Salem?
The median salary in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom is $81,568 compared to $63,918 in Winston-Salem. That's a +$17,650 difference.
Is Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom safer than Winston-Salem?
The violent crime rate near Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom is 477 per 100K vs 365 per 100K near Winston-Salem (state-level data). Winston-Salem has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom to match my Winston-Salem salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Winston-Salem salary by 1.16. For example, a $75,000 salary in Winston-Salem would need to be $86,919 in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Unfavorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Unfavorable" means the origin clearly wins on most dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)