Side-by-side comparison of Winston-Salem, NC and Wilmington, NC — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Winston-Salem has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.42% compared to Wilmington's 3.54%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $215,000 in Winston-Salem vs $340,000 in Wilmington, while rents come in at $1,150/mo and $1,520/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Wilmington is growing faster at 1.8% annually vs Winston-Salem's 0.7%. Wilmington leads on home value appreciation at 3.7% per year. Strong population growth typically translates to sustained rental demand and long-term price support.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.81% in Winston-Salem vs 0.76% in Wilmington. Vacancy rates of 6% and 5% are mixed — Wilmington has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: Wilmington edges out Winston-Salem on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.54%, Wilmington's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Winston-Salem or Wilmington.