Winter Home Emergency Index · 2026 edition
Winston-Salem, NC: 33rd of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches
Winston-Salem has 15.9 typical December–February searches for furnace, frozen-pipe and emergency plumber help per 1,000 households, 1.3x the median city (12.3). That's 1.11x what its normal winter cold predicts, 43rd of 99 cities on this measure.
Winter in Winston-Salem
- Search demand typically peaks in January, when it runs 1.93x the city's yearly average.
- 15% of winter searches are for urgent problems: burst or frozen pipes, no heat, emergency furnace repair.
- Emergency plumber searches add up to about 8.7 per 1,000 households a year.
- A normal December–February brings 2,099 heating degree days at Greensboro/Piedmont Triad International Airport.
Homes in Winston-Salem
- The median home was built in 1980.
- 50% of homes were built before 1980.
- 32% of households heat with gas and 61% with electricity.
- 55% of households own their home.
- 100,278 households in city limits (ACS 2023).
Winston-Salem ranks 70th in the Summer AC Emergency Index. See Winston-Salem's summer page.
About these numbers
Search demand from Google Ads, Oct 2022 to Sep 2026, for 30 heating and plumbing terms. Each month uses the median of that calendar month across four years. "Winston-Salem" is the location as Google Ads defines it; households are city limits. This measures searches, not breakdowns or claims. Full methodology.
Cite: Home Stats Data, "Winston-Salem, NC ranks 33rd of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches," October 24, 2026, https://homestatsdata.com/plumbing/frozen-pipe-statistics/winston-salem-nc/