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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Winston-Salem, NC

Population: 249,571 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

A
89/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$3.1B
Per Capita
$12,544
Total Revenue
$8.2B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Housing & Community Development
26.0%$813.5M
Other
23.6%$738.4M
Utilities
22.1%$690.5M
Hospitals
7.0%$218.3M
Interest on Debt
6.9%$215.9M
Parks & Recreation
6.4%$199.8M
Public Welfare
5.0%$157.8M
Fire Protection
1.7%$51.7M
Sewerage
1.4%$44.8M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.9%$74.0M
Income Tax
1.6%$130.0M
Intergovernmental
7.7%$639.0M
Charges & Fees
7.9%$649.8M
Other
9.5%$783.2M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$207/person
Parks & Recreation$801/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)97/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Winston-Salem stacks up against another city.

vs Charlotte, NCvs Raleigh, NCvs Greensboro, NC
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in North Carolina

Charlotte, NC

Pop. 875K

C
Total Spending
$13.9B
Per Capita
$15,854

Raleigh, NC

Pop. 466K

B
Total Spending
$6.5B
Per Capita
$13,911

Greensboro, NC

Pop. 297K

C
Total Spending
$5.8B
Per Capita
$19,352

Durham, NC

Pop. 284K

B
Total Spending
$8.9B
Per Capita
$31,264

Compare Winston-Salem With

Charlotte, NC

Spending: $15,854/person · Grade: C

Raleigh, NC

Spending: $13,911/person · Grade: B

Greensboro, NC

Spending: $19,352/person · Grade: C

Durham, NC

Spending: $31,264/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Winston-Salem, NC spends $12,544 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.1B for a population of 249,571. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (89/100).

Winston-Salem, NC has total expenditures of $3.1B and total revenue of $8.2B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Winston-Salem, NC employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Winston-Salem, NC has a Fiscal Health Score of A (89/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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