The level and the direction point different ways. Violent crime runs 113% above the national average and property crime 49% above, putting Winston-Salem in the 4th percentile of the 13,216 jurisdictions SafeNest grades, at a D. Yet violent crime fell 9.0% in the 2024 FBI reporting year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as improving. Schools split the same way: the 30 rated public schools average 4.5/10, while Atkins Academic & Tech High scores 9.1/10, so the city average hides a wide range between individual schools. Flood context here is state-level: 8 FEMA flood declarations for North Carolina between 1962 and 2013, plus 38 hurricane or tropical-storm declarations. None of these figures describe a street or a parcel. Two addresses a mile apart carry the same city numbers, and the same city numbers answer neither of them.
Crime in Winston-Salem vs. the national average
Winston-Salem reports 810 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 113% above the U.S. average of 381, and 2,921 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (49% above). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate fell 9.0% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as improving.
| Winston-Salem | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 810 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 2921 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in Winston-Salem can differ dramatically. For a specific address, a SafeNest report covers it directly — or search free in the iPhone app.
Flood & natural hazard risk
Federal disaster records for North Carolina — the state SafeNest uses for Winston-Salem's flood context — list 8 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1962 and 2013, most recently "Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides". North Carolina has also seen 38 hurricane or tropical-storm declarations, events that frequently drive flooding. These are state-level federal declarations, not a parcel-level flood-zone determination — a specific Winston-Salem address may sit inside or well outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine; check FEMA's flood maps and flood-insurance requirements for that address.
Schools in Winston-Salem
Public schools in Winston-Salem average 4.5/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 30 rated schools. By level, elementary schools rate strongest at 4.7/10 on average, while middle schools average 4.5/10. The highest-scoring is Atkins Academic & Tech High at 9.1/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for Winston-Salem: a single citywide number would blend blocks with very different profiles and mislead more than it informs. Registered offender counts by distance band for any specific Winston-Salem address are included in a SafeNest report, drawn directly from the state's public registry. The iPhone app shows that count free for any address, and maps each registrant with Premium.
Check a specific Winston-Salem address
City averages are a starting point. A SafeNest report covers one specific address — crime, registered offender counts, flood and disaster history, schools, air quality, taxes — delivered by email as a PDF for $6.99.
Or search any Winston-Salem address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in Winston-Salem
Is Winston-Salem, NC safe?
Winston-Salem records 810 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 113% above the US national average of 381. Overall SafeNest grade: D, a city-wide average of reported crime. It does not describe a specific street or address.
What is the crime rate in Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem reports approximately 810 violent crimes and 2921 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does Winston-Salem have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For Winston-Salem, federal records show 8 FEMA flood disaster declarations for North Carolina, most recently in 2013; a specific address may still sit inside or outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine — check FEMA's flood maps for that address.
How this page was built
Every figure here comes from the same public records behind SafeNest's grading. We published the full method and what it does and doesn't support in We graded 13,216 American cities with FBI data — including where a letter grade means almost nothing. City comparisons: safest cities in North Carolina.
Other city safety reports
Data compiled from public sources including FBI crime statistics, FEMA disaster declarations and the FEMA National Risk Index, NCES education data, and state registries. Last updated 2026-08-17. Figures are city-level estimates; verify with primary sources before making decisions. SafeNest is not a consumer reporting agency (see Terms).