Affordable Winston Salem Storage Units

Moving and storage go hand in hand. Whether traveling across town or the country, moving is an exciting and fresh start. While Storage Rentals of America is here to help you with all your storage needs, we also want to help you get familiar with the area. That's why we put together this resource guide for Winston-Salem.

About Winston-Salem, NC

Winston-Salem is a highly desirable place to live in the center of North Carolina. Winston-Salem is the county government seat of Forsyth County.

The area experiences the four seasons. There is an abundance of natural places to enjoy during the different times of the year. Salem Lake has biking and hiking trails. Salem Lake is in a gorgeous forest, especially when the leaves change color in autumn. The lake is fun for boating and fishing during spring and summer.

The population of Winston-Salem is just over 249,000, making it a nice city with all the modern conveniences. It has good schools and many pleasant suburban neighborhoods. This city is a great place to raise a family.

What to do in Winston-Salem, NC

This city has a history that goes back to before America’s Revolutionary War. It has such historical significance as one of the earliest settlements for those arriving from Europe seeking religious freedom. It also has a nice contemporary feel because of all the college students.

• Shopping: The Hanes Mall is the largest shopping complex in the state. For boutique shopping, try the art district in the downtown area. The Reynolda Village and the Thruway Shopping Center are other popular places to shop.
• Old Salem: Many very old buildings underwent a complete restoration in this historic district. Some are almost three centuries old, dating back to the 1700s when the city founders came to the area.
• Historic Bethabara Park: This park is so interesting. It has a museum and a replica of a village that shows what life was like in the 1700s.

Working in Winston-Salem, NC

It is a big change from when the tobacco industry was the largest employer. The three industries that now create the local economy are health care, education, and hospitality. The area has a 5.2% unemployment rate. This figure aligns with the average 6% unemployment rate in America.

Household income is about $40,480, which is quite low. Future job growth should be about 34% over the next ten years, which is just a little better than the national average predicted to be 33.5% for the next decade.

The biggest employers include health care, professional, scientific, technical services, education, finance, insurance, hospitality, public administration, and construction.

Winston-Salem, NC Neighborhoods

A few super-expensive areas in Winston-Salem attract C-level professionals, rich business owners, and wealthy families. A person who has an average household income of $40,480 cannot afford these homes.

Here are the three desirable neighborhoods to consider when looking for a luxurious place to buy or rent:

• Buena Vista: Buena Vista is the best area if you can afford it. It is a well-established neighborhood downtown. The houses cost around $861,710 for the median price. You can get a two-story southern mansion with five or more bedrooms for that amount.
• Meadowlark Drive / Century Oaks Lane: This neighborhood ranks in second place. The median price for a house is only $581,900. This area is on the western side of the city, where there is a transition from city living to a more rural part of North Carolina.
• West Highlands: The next best thing to Buena Vista is West Highlands. The neighborhood is close to Buena Vista, yet the housing prices are lower. The prices are $535,996 for a median-priced home. Renting a home is possible, with the vacancy rate being very substantial at 17.2%. However, be prepared to pay up to $1,493 a month for a single-family rental home of three or four bedrooms.

Winston-Salem, NC School District

The Winston-Salem Forsyth County School District manages the 80 public schools. The school district allocates $9,641 per year for each student. The ratio of students-to-teacher is 14 to 1.

You will find about 20 private schools to consider. The ones with the best online reviews are Salem Academy (high school), Calvary Day School (PK to 12th grade), and Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School (elementary and middle school).

The higher-educational institutions include Salem College, Winston-Salem State University, Carolina University, and Wake Forest University.

Moving to Winston-Salem, NC

Moving to Winston-Salem requires establishing utility services. The government provides garbage collection, water, and sewer services through the Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Utilities Department. Duke Energy is for electricity. Piedmont Natural Gas provides natural gas. Wirefly is helpful for TV, telephone, and Internet connections.

All the public parks, Salem Lake, and the many greenways are maintained by the Recreation and Parks Department. Many residents enjoy the activities offered at the public recreational centers.

The local political system includes a mayor and council members. There are eight elected representatives, one from each ward (district) of the city, serving on the Winston-Salem City Council. Elections are every four years. Everyone in Winston-Salem who is at least 18 and registered to vote gets a chance to choose the mayor. The registered voters of each ward get to elect a city council member to represent them.

Winston-Salem, NC Housing

Home prices have increased significantly in this area over the past few years. Home values increased more than 18% each year, which is great if you sell a home but is off-putting if you try to buy one. The good news is that Winston-Salem is still a good value compared to pricier areas in North Carolina.

Even after accounting for the high home prices, the cost of living in Winston-Salem is 2% less than the statewide average. It is 7% less than all of the USA.