NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Winston-Salem, NC

Metro Market Score 53.4 (Challenging), ranked #142 of 298 metros. 1,405 establishments, 25,877 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 53.4
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

⚡Rising Wages

Winston-Salem's accommodation and food services market sits near the national metro median, ranking #142 of 298 with a market score of 53.4. No single metric stands out as an outlier, which means entry conditions depend more on your specific business model than on broad market forces.

Industry Concentration
51.7
LQ: 1.05
Rank #154 of 298 metros
Wage Competitiveness
40.6
$23,583 avg wage
Growth Trend
50.0
Employment growth index
Rank #150 of 298 metros
Wage Pressure
76.8
YoY wage change index

1,405 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Winston-Salem

1,405
Establishments
+0.3% YoY
25,877
Total Employment
+0.1% YoY
$23,583
Average Annual Wage
+5.1% YoY
1.05
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Winston-Salem vs North Carolina Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to North Carolina overall. The state ranks #2/51 for entry risk.

Measure Winston-Salem NC Statewide
Overall Score 53.4 Challenging 23.4 Low
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #142 of 298 metros #2 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Winston-Salem

Other Services 31.6 Information 34.6 Construction 35.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 39.9 Retail Trade 60.3 Administrative and Support Services 62.8 Healthcare and Social Assistance 63.5 Finance and Insurance 77.7

Accommodation and Food Services in Other North Carolina Metros

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 30.8 #16/298 Durham-Chapel Hill 40.0 #49/298 Raleigh-Cary 42.8 #64/298 Burlington 45.6 #92/298 Greensboro-High Point 49.3 #111/298 Wilmington 50.4 #117/298 Rocky Mount 52.0 #131/298 Greenville 54.0 #149/298 Jacksonville 59.4 #179/298 Fayetteville 60.0 #184/298

+ 3 more metros. View all in North Carolina →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Winston-Salem's accommodation and food services sector, the wage pressure component (76.8) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.