Cost of Living in North Carolina

Avg Index: 90

96 cities · Updated March 2026

$1,241
Avg Rent / Month
$77,243
Avg Income
$298,551
Avg Home Value
90
Avg Cost Index
4.5%
Income Tax
4.75%
Sales Tax
Cheapest in North Carolina
Laurinburg
Index: 49 · Rent: $766/mo
Most Expensive in North Carolina
Weddington
Index: 190 · Rent: $2,205/mo

North Carolina Cost of Living Overview

North Carolina has a cost of living close to the national average, with an average index of 90 across its 96 tracked cities. The average monthly rent across North Carolina cities is $1,241, with median household incomes averaging $77,243 per year. The cheapest city is Laurinburg (index 49) and the most expensive is Weddington (index 190).

North Carolina has a moderate tax environment with a 4.5% top income tax rate, 4.75% sales tax, and 0.8% effective property tax rate.

All 96 Cities in North Carolina — Ranked by Cost

Sorted from cheapest to most expensive (US average = 100)

#CityCost Index RentIncomeHome ValuePopulation
1 Laurinburg 49 $766/mo $39,258 $121,500 15,079
2 Lenoir 49 $671/mo $48,889 $165,200 18,282
3 Kinston 50 $822/mo $35,250 $108,300 19,576
4 Eden 51 $816/mo $50,959 $122,800 15,353
5 Henderson 51 $835/mo $38,780 $116,800 14,922
6 Reidsville 51 $773/mo $42,702 $139,000 14,547
7 Tarboro 51 $698/mo $49,386 $155,500 10,705
8 Roanoke Rapids 52 $816/mo $53,981 $129,400 15,024
9 Mount Airy 53 $699/mo $39,873 $176,600 10,631
10 Lumberton 54 $824/mo $43,114 $140,100 19,220
11 Smithfield 56 $601/mo $37,827 $217,000 11,798
12 Asheboro 57 $855/mo $48,628 $162,800 27,353
13 Lexington 57 $882/mo $41,775 $158,100 19,691
14 Thomasville 57 $853/mo $58,246 $163,200 27,261
15 Kings Mountain 58 $879/mo $45,507 $177,700 11,472
16 Rocky Mount 59 $919/mo $52,927 $148,300 54,175
17 Albemarle 60 $856/mo $52,825 $186,100 16,527
18 Shelby 62 $899/mo $50,705 $185,400 21,868
19 Goldsboro 63 $956/mo $47,005 $173,700 33,448
20 Newton 63 $1,016/mo $56,869 $169,300 13,223
21 Archdale 64 $960/mo $64,984 $188,200 11,992
22 Morganton 65 $909/mo $49,434 $208,300 17,541
23 Wilson 65 $925/mo $47,294 $192,000 47,740
24 Spring Lake 66 $1,228/mo $50,497 $101,300 11,613
25 Burlington 67 $1,030/mo $54,941 $188,700 58,599
26 Lincolnton 67 $920/mo $43,294 $224,600 11,503
27 Graham 68 $990/mo $54,783 $200,600 17,537
28 Sanford 69 $965/mo $54,294 $222,000 30,833
29 Greenville 70 $983/mo $50,564 $213,100 88,540
30 Statesville 70 $935/mo $55,492 $226,100 29,161
31 Hope Mills 71 $1,097/mo $60,671 $176,300 17,823
32 Salisbury 71 $1,030/mo $51,058 $215,200 35,730
33 Winston-Salem 71 $1,033/mo $57,673 $208,200 250,887
34 Elizabeth 73 $1,111/mo $50,947 $202,100 18,740
35 Fayetteville 73 $1,179/mo $56,395 $171,900 209,692
36 Hickory 73 $975/mo $63,361 $248,300 43,747
37 High Point 73 $1,062/mo $61,228 $212,400 115,263
38 New Bern 73 $1,068/mo $56,893 $211,500 31,563
39 Waynesville 75 $1,105/mo $50,554 $254,800 10,408
40 Greensboro 76 $1,114/mo $58,884 $221,300 298,564
41 Havelock 78 $1,269/mo $64,433 $186,800 16,471
42 Piney Green 78 $1,151/mo $65,179 $220,000 14,205
43 Jacksonville 79 $1,268/mo $54,069 $191,700 73,507
44 Kernersville 79 $1,052/mo $69,923 $264,000 27,439
45 Gastonia 81 $1,145/mo $60,554 $250,000 81,632
46 Kannapolis 81 $1,168/mo $70,691 $245,500 56,470
47 Lewisville 81 $1,059/mo $84,424 $284,300 13,655
48 Hendersonville 86 $1,232/mo $52,337 $282,500 15,253
49 Monroe 86 $1,216/mo $67,265 $270,600 35,596
50 Mount Holly 87 $1,145/mo $75,928 $286,400 17,928
51 Clemmons 88 $1,172/mo $84,326 $306,900 21,574
52 Anderson Creek 89 $1,248/mo $86,661 $251,600 14,021
53 Mebane 89 $1,171/mo $84,312 $295,600 18,899
54 Boone 91 $1,080/mo $28,633 $373,600 19,534
55 Winterville 94 $1,495/mo $82,783 $226,600 10,624
56 Belmont 99 $1,274/mo $86,442 $349,700 15,140
57 Concord 100 $1,365/mo $84,752 $327,600 106,518
58 Wilmington 100 $1,311/mo $63,900 $350,300 118,578
59 Wendell 101 $1,397/mo $93,848 $316,700 11,585
60 Garner 102 $1,452/mo $77,496 $320,300 32,543
61 Clayton 103 $1,542/mo $73,348 $292,400 28,043
62 Murraysville 104 $1,667/mo $75,720 $281,600 17,307
63 Southern Pines 104 $1,215/mo $83,681 $416,300 16,052
64 Durham 105 $1,412/mo $79,234 $355,300 288,465
65 Pineville 105 $1,467/mo $64,257 $344,700 10,780
66 Asheville 106 $1,303/mo $67,221 $411,000 94,369
67 Charlotte 108 $1,504/mo $78,438 $351,500 886,283
68 Mooresville 108 $1,505/mo $88,592 $348,500 51,447
69 Knightdale 110 $1,573/mo $91,638 $331,900 19,532
70 Leland 110 $1,603/mo $88,576 $358,800 26,307
71 Raleigh 110 $1,468/mo $82,424 $377,800 470,763
72 Mint Hill 111 $1,498/mo $99,272 $386,900 26,954
73 Elon 113 $1,584/mo $82,717 $355,800 11,325
74 Myrtle Grove 116 $1,523/mo $112,139 $398,600 12,404
75 Spout Springs 117 $1,794/mo $87,905 $310,100 11,073
76 Summerfield 117 $1,148/mo $151,131 $490,100 11,031
77 Carrboro 119 $1,337/mo $85,927 $507,100 21,170
78 Rolesville 119 $982/mo $148,250 $467,400 10,200
79 Matthews 120 $1,670/mo $105,579 $406,800 29,959
80 Stallings 120 $1,749/mo $106,074 $381,700 16,495
81 Indian Trail 121 $1,916/mo $99,073 $343,500 41,146
82 Wake Forest 121 $1,458/mo $120,777 $435,000 51,199
83 Fuquay-Varina 122 $1,646/mo $111,447 $410,600 37,749
84 Pinehurst 122 $1,790/mo $104,955 $423,300 17,992
85 Huntersville 130 $1,742/mo $119,951 $439,300 62,458
86 Cornelius 131 $1,571/mo $114,688 $512,400 32,009
87 Chapel Hill 133 $1,483/mo $85,825 $576,500 59,889
88 Cary 135 $1,621/mo $129,399 $525,200 176,686
89 Morrisville 137 $1,785/mo $125,404 $481,800 30,471
90 Waxhaw 139 $1,770/mo $128,115 $506,300 21,565
91 Apex 141 $1,784/mo $138,442 $514,800 67,765
92 Holly Springs 143 $1,858/mo $132,435 $485,500 43,429
93 Davidson 147 $1,636/mo $152,969 $626,000 14,852
94 Harrisburg 150 $2,407/mo $143,393 $431,900 19,203
95 Lake Norman of Iredell 176 $1,272/mo $194,519 $839,900 12,496
96 Weddington 190 $2,205/mo $196,159 $730,200 13,468

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about cost of living in North Carolina

What is the cost of living in North Carolina?
The average cost of living index across 96 cities in North Carolina is 90 (US average = 100). Average rent is $1,241/month and median household income averages $77,243/year.
What is the cheapest city in North Carolina?
The cheapest city in North Carolina is Laurinburg with a cost index of 49, median rent of $766/month, and median income of $39,258/year.
What is the most expensive city in North Carolina?
The most expensive city in North Carolina is Weddington with a cost index of 190, median rent of $2,205/month, and median income of $196,159/year.
What are taxes like in North Carolina?
North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 4.5%, a sales tax of 4.75%, and an effective property tax rate of 0.8%.
How many cities does CostToLive cover in North Carolina?
We track cost of living data for 96 cities in North Carolina with populations of 10,000 or more, using US Census Bureau ACS 2023 data.