Winston-Salem, NC vs High Point, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
High Point, NC spends 28% more per resident than Winston-Salem, NC: $16,038 against $12,544. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Winston-Salem, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 89/100 (grade A) against 51/100 (grade C) for High Point, NC — a 38-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Winston-Salem, NC reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while High Point, NC carries $1,152 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Winston-Salem, NC at $801 per resident and in High Point, NC at $1,139.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Winston-Salem, NC at 9% of total revenue, whereas High Point, NC relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
High Point spends 21.8% more per capita than Winston-Salem ($3,494/person difference). Winston-Salem, NC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 89/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $27 |
| Sales Tax | $297 | $370 |
| Income Tax | $521 | $1,303 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,560 | $26,879 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,604 | $1,954 |
| Other | $3,138 | $3,948 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $207 | $74 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $180 |
| Education | $0 | $29 |
| Public Welfare | $632 | $1,075 |
| Health | $0 | $487 |
| Hospitals | $875 | $1,098 |
| Parks & Recreation | $801 | $1,139 |
| Housing | $3,260 | $3,049 |
| Sewerage | $180 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,767 | $2,301 |
| Interest on Debt | $865 | $327 |
| Other | $2,959 | $6,278 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.