Massachusetts vs North Carolina
A $100,000 income in Massachusetts is worth
$94,518
at national prices · RPP 105.8BEA RPP SARPP. Source: BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 vintage · released February 19, 2026 · Official API
In North Carolina, the same income is worth
$106,045
at national prices · RPP 94.3BEA RPP SARPP. Source: BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 vintage · released February 19, 2026 · Official API
$100,000 has $11,527 more purchasing power in North Carolina.
Decision shortcut
To match $100,000 in Massachusetts, you would need about $89,130in North Carolina.
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Where the difference comes from
Price level by component, 100 = US average. Higher means more expensive.
| Component | Massachusetts | North Carolina | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 105.8 | 94.3 | −10.9% |
| Housing rents | 128.1 | 81.4 | −36.5% |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.6 | −2.2% |
| Utilities | 152.1 | 88.6 | −41.7% |
| Other services | 102.9 | 98.2 | −4.6% |
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official API
Housing reality check
ACS median gross rent, home value, and real estate taxes paid — statewide context beyond the index.
US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates · ACS5 · 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official API
Tax at a glance
Hand-curated, tax year 2026 · verified 2026-07-20
Top marginal and average combined rates do not estimate a household's total tax liability.
| Tax | Massachusetts | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax (top rate) | 9.00% | 3.99% |
| Sales tax (combined avg) | 6.25% | 7.00% |
Tax Foundation (income & sales) · Tax · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Massachusetts vs North Carolina: the read
The bottom line
Compare a $100,000 income in Massachusetts and North Carolina: its purchasing power is $94,518 and $106,045, respectively, in national-average terms — a gain of $11,527. North Carolina is the cheaper of the two, running at 94.3 on the price index versus 105.8.
Where the difference comes from
The widest gap is utilities: Massachusetts sits at 152.1 and North Carolina at 88.6 (100 = national). North Carolina has the edge there, and it's the main reason the two states diverge.
Housing
Median rent runs $1,762 in Massachusetts against $1,228 in North Carolina, and the typical home $562,100 versus $288,900. North Carolina is the more affordable place to buy.
Taxes
On tax, Massachusetts has 9.00% top income tax and a combined sales tax of 6.25%; North Carolina has 3.99% top income tax and 7.00%. Those headline rates are useful screening facts, but they do not calculate either household's total liability.
Full profiles: Massachusetts ·North Carolina. Every figure here is sourced on the pages linked above.
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