Maryland vs North Carolina
A $100,000 income in Maryland is worth
$95,238
at national prices · RPP 105.0BEA 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 $10,807 more purchasing power in North Carolina.
Decision shortcut
To match $100,000 in Maryland, you would need about $89,810in North Carolina.
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Where the difference comes from
Price level by component, 100 = US average. Higher means more expensive.
| Component | Maryland | North Carolina | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 105.0 | 94.3 | −10.2% |
| Housing rents | 121.1 | 81.4 | −32.8% |
| Goods | 102.5 | 96.6 | −5.8% |
| Utilities | 110.9 | 88.6 | −20.1% |
| Other services | 101.6 | 98.2 | −3.3% |
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 | Maryland | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax (top rate) | 6.50% | 3.99% |
| Sales tax (combined avg) | 6.00% | 7.00% |
Tax Foundation (income & sales) · Tax · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Maryland vs North Carolina: the read
The bottom line
Compare a $100,000 income in Maryland and North Carolina: its purchasing power is $95,238 and $106,045, respectively, in national-average terms — a gain of $10,807. North Carolina is the cheaper of the two, running at 94.3 on the price index versus 105.
Where the difference comes from
The widest gap is housing rents: Maryland sits at 121.1 and North Carolina at 81.4 (100 = national). North Carolina has the edge there, and it's the main reason the two states diverge.
Housing
Median rent runs $1,705 in Maryland against $1,228 in North Carolina, and the typical home $419,900 versus $288,900. North Carolina is the more affordable place to buy.
Taxes
On tax, Maryland has 6.50% top income tax and a combined sales tax of 6.00%; 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: Maryland ·North Carolina. Every figure here is sourced on the pages linked above.
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