The typical owner-occupied home in Winston-Salem is worth about $233,800, 19% below the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 30% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,025 a year in property taxes, about 0.87% of their home's value, higher than the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $59,268 a year, so the median home costs 3.9 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 56% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Winston-Salem at a glance
| Winston-Salem | North Carolina | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $233,800 | $288,900 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,025 | $1,896 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.87% | 0.66% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $59,268 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 56% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 63% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,459 | $1,631 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.7% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,087 | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.4% | 29.5% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1981 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 10.6% | 12.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 252,037 | 10,730,404 | 334,922,499 |
How much equity Winston-Salem owners could borrow
Home equity is what your home is worth minus what you owe. Most lenders let you borrow until your loans add up to 80% to 85% of the home's value. For the median Winston-Salem home of $233,800, 80% is $187,040.
37% of Winston-Salem owners have no mortgage at all, so they could borrow up to the full 80% limit.
Owners with a mortgage here already spend a median $1,459 a month on housing, so a new payment should fit next to that. At the median income of $59,268, lenders typically cap all debt payments at about 43% of gross income, or $2,124 a month.
If you instead refinance and take cash out, the whole loan moves to the new rate (this week's 30-year average is 7.11%). A home equity loan or line of credit keeps your current first mortgage, which is usually better when your existing rate is lower than today's.
| Owe nothing | $187,040 to $198,730 |
|---|---|
| Owe $58,450 | $128,590 to $140,280 |
| Owe $116,900 | $70,140 to $81,830 |
| Owe $151,970 | $35,070 to $46,760 |
Before the lender's own limits, fees and your credit and income checks.
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home equity loans in Winston-Salem
What is the median home value in Winston-Salem?
About $233,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Winston-Salem?
Homeowners pay a median $2,025 a year, which is about 0.87% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
How much can I borrow against my home in Winston-Salem?
Usually up to 80% to 85% of your home's value, minus what you owe. On the median home of $233,800, an 80% limit is $187,040 before subtracting your mortgage.
More about Winston-Salem
- Mortgage Refinance in Winston-Salem
- Home Buying in Winston-Salem
- Debt Relief in Winston-Salem
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data