Why You Should Move to Winston-Salem, NC

JSinclair

Located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, Winston-Salem is one of the state’s most beloved destinations. It boasts great jobs, affordable living, entertainment, outdoor recreation options and much more. From young professionals to families, the Twin City offers the opportunity to put down roots and thrive. Learn from local residents why it may be time to make the move to Winston-Salem.

Young Professionals Love It Here

Kellina Wanteu moved to Winston-Salem from her home state of Maryland in 2022. As a local journalist, Wanteu regularly explores the city, which she says is one of her favorite parts of the job. She also enjoys the region’s friendly, small-town feel and how people treat each other in the South. “People here are very welcoming and friendly.” 

Wanteu says that the spirit of community can also be seen in the professional realm. “There’s a lot of collaboration between entrepreneurs and businesses,” she says. “It’s also a very entrepreneurial city. There are always new business openings almost every week. It’s super inspiring to see that.” 

That same vigor applies to Winston-Salem’s social and cultural scene, Wanteu says. 

“I know there are tons of things going on because it’s literally my job to find events and things to do,” Wanteau says. “There’s something for every age range to do.” 

JB McCabe

Family Matters in Winston-Salem

Wanteu notes that those ages include babies and kids, a sentiment echoed by young mother Kristin Hutchison. She moved to Winston- Salem from the Washington, D.C., area in 2018 after marrying her husband who was in residency at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. Hutchison says that unlike other locales, Winston-Salem has a plethora of kid-friendly places. 

“There are so many places we can meet up with our friends who don’t have kids and still feel like we can bring our kids along, which is fun,” she says. “It doesn’t feel like we always have to find a babysitter because these venues are kid-friendly places.” 

One of Hutchison’s favorite places to visit is Reynolda Gardens. In addition to a waterfall where kids can splash and play, she loves that they can easily traipse over to the Reynolda House and Village, the former home and historic buildings that once supported the 1,067-acre estate of the R.J. Reynolds family. 

“The area is just so unique,” she says. “It’s such a big old house with so many things to do right there. It feels very easy to move from one thing to the next.” 

Another thing about the area that she loves? Its relative lack of traffic. (The mean travel time to work is under 22 minutes.) “Because there’s so much to do within a 15-minute radius, I feel like I never drive more than 15 minutes,” Hutchison says. 

“And as a mom with young kids, the fact that our friends, our church, where we like to go out to eat and the playgrounds are all so close by is wonderful,” she adds. “It feels very life-giving because it doesn’t feel like you’re constantly in the car or constantly calculating how much time it’ll take during rush hour.” 

Eric Waters

Find Plenty of Food and Fun

After living in cities like New York, London and Miami, local entrepreneur AD Andracchio also appreciates Winston-Salem’s small-town feel, particularly as it relates to starting a family. 

“In a lot of cities, the cost of having children has become prohibitive,” Andracchio says. “Whereas in Winston-Salem, it really feels like something that you can look forward to with hope versus anxiety.” 

Winston-Salem’s size also belies its unique food offerings. 

“One of the biggest reasons that I love living in a city is food,” Andracchio says. “Winston-Salem has incredible restaurants and restaurateurs. I consider myself a pretty big pizza and pasta connoisseur. I get a lot of pizza and pasta in New York and LA, in particular. Peyton Smith at Mission Pizza Napoletana in Winston-Salem is genuinely making the best pizza in the country.” 

You Can Afford to Live in Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem offers a cost of living that is about 81% of the U.S. average and lower than that of other North Carolina metros like Raleigh and Charlotte. And, when it comes to housing, the region boasts several options with varying types and price points. Residents can choose from downtown apartments and master-planned communities to more rural homes with large yards. 

The Region is Welcoming and Thriving

In addition to being wallet-friendly, Greater Winston-Salem is continuously working to become an even more inclusive community. Here, there are opportunities for everyone to thrive – both socially and professionally. Newcomers are warmly welcomed, and residents are willing to lend one another a helping hand. One example: REACH Women’s Network helps connect women newcomers to Winston-Salem resources and offers other programs like mentoring groups. 

Score Excellent Education Options

The region is home to several higher education institutions that are preparing students for their futures and supplying talent to area employers. 

“I’m impressed with all the good options for higher education in the city, including Winston-Salem State, Wake Forest, Salem College and Forsyth Tech Community College,” says Kristopher Glenn, who grew up in nearby Walkertown and now works as the assistant director for university events at Wake Forest University. “One of the things that’s trending nowadays is the lack of people getting into skills-oriented trade careers, and Forsyth Tech offers several opportunities to get into those high-paying, cutting-edge careers.” 

Land Great Jobs in Winston-Salem, NC

Speaking of careers, thanks to the region’s plethora of industries – aviation and aerospace, health care and life sciences, advanced manufacturing, technology and entrepreneurship – newcomers can find jobs they love here. 

Entrepreneurs can also tap into all types of resources through organizations like Winston Starts, Flywheel and the Center for Creative Economy. 

The Arts Scene is Amazing

Another benefit of living in Greater Winston-Salem is there are plenty of fun ways to fill your time. The Sawtooth School for Visual Art, for example, is a community art school that offers classes and camps for youth and adults. 

“There’s a sense of pride that the arts don’t just feel like dessert here,” says Chase Law, a North Carolina native who moved back to her home state from New York City to take a job as the president and CEO of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County. 

Other ways to enjoy arts and culture in the area include hearing the Winston-Salem Symphony or catching a theater performance at Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts. And Winston-Salem’s youngest residents can spend time at Kaleideum, a children’s museum that blends art and science – it is opening a brand-new museum in the heart of downtown. 

Residents can also enjoy a fun night out close to home by playing a round at Twisted Putter, a high-tech, neon-lit mini-golf course at ROAR, which is a 45,000-square-foot dining and entertainment destination. 

– Brittany Anas contributed to this article.