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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match North Carolina's value. 9 out of 9 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Fayetteville at index 83, where median rent of $1,426/month saves renters $5,628/year versus the national median (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville | 83 | $1,426 | Details |
| 2 | High Point | 86 | $1,469 | Details |
| 3 | Greensboro | 81 | $1,382 | Details |
| 4 | Winston-Salem | 84 | $1,445 | Details |
| 5 | Cary | 96 | $1,649 | Details |
| 6 | Durham | 96 | $1,651 | Details |
| 7 | Charlotte | 100 | $1,705 | Details |
| 8 | Raleigh | 92 | $1,567 | Details |
| 9 | Wilmington | 98 | $1,670 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Fayetteville — cost index 83, rent $1,426/mo, income $56,395
9 of 9 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Dollar for dollar, few states match North Carolina's value. 9 out of 9 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Fayetteville at index 83, where median rent of $1,426/month saves renters $5,628/year versus the national median (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
Why Fayetteville ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 83 on the cost index, residents save roughly 28% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,426/month — for better or worse — while the median household pulls in $56,395/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 83, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $222,766 — $244,604 below the national median.
The 3.5× rule is a conservative benchmark: lenders often approve up to 4-5× income, but 3.5× keeps monthly payments safely under 28% of gross income at typical rates. On $60K, that means targeting homes under $210,000 — whether that matters depends on your situation — . Fayetteville offers a median home at $222,766 — a 3.7× ratio with room to spare. An outlier in the best sense.
The same data, viewed through a different lens: State context matters: North Carolina's 9 cities average a 91 cost index with $1,552/month — not a number you see very often, by the way — median rent and $74,175 household income. Research Triangle tech boom meets Appalachian affordability. What the trend analysis reveals: one of these cities is moving in the wrong direction.
Bottom line: Fayetteville leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. That's more or less in line with the region. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers. I'll say what the data can't: this city punches above its weight in ways that don't show up in a spreadsheet. There's a reason people who move here tend to stay. You can call it quality of life, you can call it vibes, whatever — the point is, the cost structure gives people room to actually enjoy where they live, and that's increasingly rare in this country.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Fayetteville | 4.5% | 6.98% | 0.7% | $42,083 |
2High Point | 4.5% | 6.98% | 0.7% | $42,083 |
3Greensboro | 4.5% | 6.98% | 0.7% | $42,083 |
4Winston-Salem | 4.5% | 6.98% | 0.7% | $42,083 |
5Cary | 4.5% | 6.98% | 0.7% | $42,083 |
6Durham | 4.5% | 6.98% | 0.7% | $42,083 |
7Charlotte | 4.5% | 6.98% | 0.7% | $42,083 |
8Raleigh | 4.5% | 6.98% | 0.7% | $42,083 |
9Wilmington | 4.5% | 6.98% | 0.7% | $42,083 |
209,749 residents · North Carolina
Dive into Fayetteville's numbers: cost index 83 (28 points below national average), rent $1,426/month, income $56,395, and a home price of $222,766. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 83, while Healthcare runs 97. With 209,749 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
116,926 residents · North Carolina
Look, Why High Point ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 86 on the cost index, residents save roughly 25% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,469/month while the median household pulls in $61,228/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 86, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $246,725 — $220,645 below the national median.
302,296 residents · North Carolina
Here's Greensboro by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 81. Rent: $1,382/month. Income: $58,884/year. Home price: $261,036. Population: 302,296. The strongest category is Housing at 81; the most expensive is Healthcare at 96. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $6,156 per year vs. the national median. At this level, the city practically pays for your move.
252,975 residents · North Carolina
The #4 spot goes to Winston-Salem, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,445/month — saving renters $5,400 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 84, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 97. The 30% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes). No gimmicks — just good numbers.
180,010 residents · North Carolina
So, Cary. Cost index of 96, rent at $1,649/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $129,399, which is above average. That's more or less in line with the region.
We divide median home price by median household income for each city in North Carolina. A ratio of 3× means a home costs 3 years of gross income — generally considered affordable. Ratios above 5× signal a stretched market. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Fayetteville ranks #1 in North Carolina for this analysis with a cost index of 83 and median income of $56,395.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Fayetteville (ranked #1) has a cost index of 83 and rent of $1,426/mo, while Wilmington (ranked #9) has a cost index of 98 and rent of $1,670/mo — a 15-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Fayetteville is $1,426/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $469 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Fayetteville is $222,766, which is 4.0× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
North Carolina has a 4.5% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.98%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.7%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.