Can An Accountant Afford Rent in Winston-Salem, NC?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.6% of gross income.

Winston-Salem rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (North Carolina state estimate).

Winston-Salem median rent
$1,537/mo
Accountant salary (North Carolina)
$85,333/yr
Rent as % of income
21.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,111, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,133/mo in rent. Winston-Salem's median rent of $1,537 leaves roughly $596/mo of headroom under that threshold. An accountant works roughly 37.5 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and an accountant salary

Accountant pay covers comfortable rent in nearly every US city. The cost-of-living premium that high-cost metros add to rent is offset, in most cases, by higher local accountant pay — but not entirely. At the national-average accountant salary, the 30% rule supports about $2,270 a month in rent, which is above the median rent in most metros tracked here. The per-city pages quantify the surplus or pinch in each market.

Cheaper rent nearby

These North Carolina cities have lower median rent than Winston-Salem, which improves the affordability math on an accountant salary:

China Grove, NC
$1,536/mo (21.6% of income)
New Bern, NC
$1,534/mo (21.6% of income)
Waynesville, NC
$1,533/mo (21.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Winston-Salem

View full rent data for Winston-Salem, NC

Frequently asked questions

Can an accountant afford rent in Winston-Salem, NC?

Median rent in Winston-Salem is $1,537 a month. A typical accountant in North Carolina earns about $85,333 a year, which makes that rent 21.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an accountant afford in Winston-Salem?

Using the 30% rule, an accountant salary in North Carolina (~$85,333/yr) supports up to $2,133 a month in rent. Winston-Salem's current median rent is $1,537/mo, which leaves a $596/mo buffer.

How many hours does an accountant work to cover rent in Winston-Salem?

At an hourly equivalent of about $41 an hour, an accountant in North Carolina works roughly 37.5 hours a month to cover Winston-Salem's median rent of $1,537.

Where is rent cheaper than Winston-Salem for an accountant?

Nearby North Carolina cities with lower median rent include China Grove ($1,536/mo), New Bern ($1,534/mo), Waynesville ($1,533/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an accountant salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived North Carolina state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Winston-Salem, NC. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.