NAICS 52

Finance and Insurance in Winston-Salem, NC

Metro Market Score 77.7 (Difficult), ranked #324 of 331 metros. 958 establishments, 10,089 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 77.7
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national finance and insurance average.

💰High-Cost Market

Winston-Salem's finance and insurance sector saw employment decline over the past year (growth trend: 7.5). That contraction, combined with a 77.7 market score, puts this metro in the bottom 10% for market conditions. Understand why the local market is shrinking before committing.

Industry Concentration
82.2
LQ: 0.92
Rank #272 of 331 metros
Wage Competitiveness
81.6
$108,821 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 7.5
Employment growth index
Rank #307 of 331 metros
Wage Pressure
45.2
YoY wage change index

958 Finance and Insurance Firms in Winston-Salem

958
Establishments
-1.3% YoY
10,089
Total Employment
-7.3% YoY
$108,821
Average Annual Wage
+5.9% YoY
0.92
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Winston-Salem vs North Carolina Statewide

How this metro's finance and insurance market compares to North Carolina overall. The state ranks #17/51 for entry risk.

Measure Winston-Salem NC Statewide
Overall Score 77.7 Difficult 48.4 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #324 of 331 metros #17 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 Accommodation and Food Services 53.4 Retail Trade 60.3 Administrative and Support Services 62.8 Healthcare and Social Assistance 63.5

Finance and Insurance in Other North Carolina Metros

Jacksonville 24.0 #17/331 Rocky Mount 25.5 #22/331 Goldsboro 27.5 #29/331 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 33.1 #64/331 Greenville 39.1 #97/331 Wilmington 39.7 #102/331 Pinehurst-Southern Pines 41.8 #116/331 Fayetteville 43.0 #127/331 Asheville 59.2 #240/331 Burlington 61.4 #252/331

+ 4 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 finance and insurance sector, the employment growth component (92.5) 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.