Utility rates & providers in Forsyth County, NC

Representative example: Winston-Salem (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal)

Forsyth County is anchored by Winston-Salem, our largest modeled municipality in the county and the hub of the Piedmont Triad. For Winston-Salem, we benchmark residential electric using Duke Energy Carolinas and the North Carolina Public Staff’s published typical monthly bill at 1,000 kWh—consistent with other Duke Carolinas cities in the dataset. Retail electric service is still address-specific at cooperative edges, municipal annexation lines, and new construction; always confirm the legal name on your bill before comparing rates.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$215.08

Modeled for Winston-Salem — your address may use different providers. Estimated total ~$215.08; water ~$29.75/mo at 5,000 gal (when that is the city assumption).

Data freshness: last verified 2026-03-04. County overview narrative last verified 2026-04-12.

Data freshness: 2026-03-04
  • Electric $143.39 (67%)
  • Water $29.75 (14%)
  • Sewer $41.94 (19%)
  • Trash $0.00 (0%)

Utilities here are about 20% lower than the North Carolina city average, driven mainly by trash.

  • In North Carolina, heating and cooling often makes electric the largest share of the bill.
  • Trash and recycling are funded by the municipality at no direct monthly fee to residents; collection may be provided by a contracted hauler. Check your bill for any fees.

Potable water and sanitary sewer for many qualifying Winston-Salem and Forsyth County utility customers are billed through Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities, which publishes a consolidated User Rate & Fee Manual with readiness-to-serve charges and volumetric tiers. Solid waste is jurisdiction-specific: the City of Winston-Salem documents weekly curbside garbage and recycling with standard carts for many homes, and describes the program as funded without a separate monthly household utility line item on our modeled snapshot—unincorporated county addresses and smaller towns may follow different providers or private subscription. Use official city and county materials to match each bill to the correct retail authority.

Utility breakdown by service

Line-item style summary for Forsyth County—figures are from the county overview below, not copied from a single city page. Jurisdiction notes, narrative, and official sources follow in each card.

Electricity

Benchmark

Benchmark — Duke Energy Carolinas typical bill @ 1,000 kWh (Public Staff) for Winston-Salem modeling

Duke Energy Carolinas is the investor-owned utility most Winston-Salem addresses use in public mapping summaries; residential schedules are NCUC-reviewed and summarized for shoppers through the Public Staff’s typical monthly bill at 1,000 kWh. Effective totals still move with riders, weather, and usage.

North Carolina does not offer retail electric choice for standard Carolinas residential service—compare tariffs, assistance programs, and time-of-use options rather than shopping for a competing wires provider.

Verify the distributor on your bill at addresses near municipal boundaries, cooperative lines, and large apartments—ZIP codes can span more than one certified territory.

Official sources

Water

Confirmed

Confirmed — Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities retail schedules (joint city/county utility)

Qualifying Winston-Salem and Forsyth County utility customers typically receive retail water from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities with monthly readiness-to-serve components and tiered consumption charges published in the User Rate & Fee Manual.

Irrigation meters, fire lines, and large commercial accounts use different schedules; always open the current manual rather than extrapolating from a residential snapshot.

Many rural parcels in Forsyth County remain on private wells—those homes should not be modeled with city/county volumetric tiers without confirming the water supply.

Official sources

Sewer / wastewater

Confirmed

Confirmed — Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities sewer components in published manual

Customers on public sanitary sewer through Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities typically see sewer readiness-to-serve and volumetric components on the same utility bill family described in the User Rate & Fee Manual.

Septic systems and private package plants are outside typical city/county retail sewer line items.

New connections and capacity charges are development-specific—use engineering and utility extension materials for projects rather than this residential overview.

Official sources

Trash & recycling

Confirmed

Confirmed — City of Winston-Salem solid waste collections (standard carts); funding model per city pages

The City of Winston-Salem Solid Waste Collections program documents weekly garbage pickup with standard carts for many qualifying homes, alongside recycling services.

Our Winston-Salem modeled snapshot treats standard residential curbside service as not carrying a separate monthly utility fee line item consistent with city materials describing general-fund coverage—overflow bags, extra carts, and special pickups may still have fees.

Smaller municipalities and unincorporated Forsyth County addresses may use private haulers or different municipal programs; confirm jurisdiction before comparing to Winston-Salem’s program.

Official sources

Summaries rely on the North Carolina Public Staff’s Duke Energy Carolinas typical-bill materials, NCUC/Duke Energy customer references, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities publications (User Rate & Fee Manual), and City of Winston-Salem solid waste materials as of the last verified date. Electric cooperative pockets, well water, septic systems, and non-Winston-Salem municipal programs are parcel-specific—this overview supports research, not a substitute for a metered bill or development determination.

Check Internet pricing & availability in Forsyth County

Internet service varies widely—many providers, different plans, introductory offers, and bundles make it hard to compare apples to apples. That's why we don't estimate internet on this page like we do for electric, water, sewer, and trash. Use our tool to compare providers for your address or ZIP code.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$215.08

Winston-Salem

What changes your bill most?

  • Electric is about 67% of your estimated utilities here.
  • Every 100 kWh changes your total by about $12.80.
  • Water increases by about $4.39 per additional 1,000 gallons.

Assumptions

  • Electric: 1,000 kWh/month
  • Water: 5,000 gallons/month

What these labels mean

  • Confirmed — From this area's rate schedule.
  • Benchmark — From an official typical (e.g. state commission 1,000 kWh); not city-specific.
  • Delivery only — Regulated delivery charges only (e.g. Texas); supply varies by plan.
  • Estimated — From other or incomplete sources; use as a rough guide.
Sources

Full line-item breakdown: Winston-Salem utility page. County overview cards above cite additional regional sources.

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Cities in Forsyth County

Estimated monthly utility totals

Totals use each city's modeled usage and tariffs on file—see the city page for electric, water, sewer, and trash breakdowns.

CityEst. total/mo
Winston-Salem (illustrative pattern)$215.08

More in North Carolina

North Carolina utility costsElectric providers in North CarolinaWinston-Salem utility page

FAQ

We use base charges and per-unit rates from official provider and municipal sources for each city in Forsyth County. Electric uses city or provider tariff data; water, sewer, and trash use city or provider rate schedules. Each city page shows assumed usage (kWh, gallons) and source links.
Cities in the same county can have different electric providers, municipal water and sewer systems, and trash contracts. Rates and fee structures vary, so estimated monthly totals differ. Use the comparison table and city links to see details.
Each city page shows a 'last verified' date and links to official sources. Always confirm current rates on the provider's or city's website before making decisions.
Certified electric territories can differ by exact street, especially near cooperative lines and annexation history. Always read the legal service provider named on your bill and use NCUC mapping or the utility’s address lookup when in doubt.
Not automatically. The joint utility serves many qualifying city and county utility accounts under its published manuals, but rural wells, small systems, and other towns can differ. Use the utility’s service materials and your closing documents.
The dataset’s Winston-Salem snapshot focuses on standard curbside cart service described on city pages without a separate monthly household utility line item. Optional fees (overflow bags, extra carts, bulky collection) are not the same as a recurring subscription line on a utility bill.

Learn more

For tips on understanding your bill, comparing cities, and how electric and utility rates work by state, see our blog. Compare Winston-Salem with another city side-by-side, or see how we calculate estimates.