Ohio vs North Carolina
In $100,000 in Ohio
$107,759
The same income in North Carolina
$106,045
$100,000 has $1,714 more purchasing power in Ohio.
Figures are in national-average dollars: what the income buys once each state's prices are accounted for (US = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, released February 19, 2026. How it's calculated
Salary needed in North Carolina
$101,616
to match $100,000 in Ohio, before tax.
We compare it with your current income after local prices.
Enter an offer greater than zero, or leave this field blank.
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Where the difference comes fromPrice components
Where the difference comes from
Price level by component, 100 = US average. The Difference column compares the destination price level with the origin; higher means the destination is more expensive.
| Component | Ohio | North Carolina | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.8 | 94.3 | +1.6% |
| Housing rents | 73.0 | 81.4 | +11.5% |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.6 | +3.1% |
| Utilities | 95.8 | 88.6 | −7.5% |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 | −0.7% |
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official data
Housing reality checkRent, homes & property tax
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 data
Tax at a glanceIncome & sales tax
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 | Ohio | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax (top rate) | 2.75% | 3.99% |
| Sales tax (combined avg) | 7.29% | 7.00% |
Tax Foundation (income & sales) · Tax · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Who comes out ahead in North Carolina?
The answer depends on your situation. Each card compares statewide medians for one situation; the state named is the one the numbers favor.
An unchanged income buys about 1.6% less in North Carolina than in Ohio. On $100,000 that is $1,714 of national-average purchasing power a year.
Median gross rent is $1,034 in Ohio and $1,228 in North Carolina, $194 a month ($2,328 a year) more in North Carolina. Renters spend a median 28.3% and 29.5% of income on rent.
The median home is worth $214,800 in Ohio (3× median household income) and $288,900 in North Carolina (4×). Median property taxes equal 1.31% and 0.66% of the median home value.
Median household income is $71,389 in Ohio and $72,388 in North Carolina. After adjusting for prices, that is $76,928 and $76,764: local pay goes further in Ohio.
Unemployment is 3.4% in Ohio and 3.6% in North Carolina (July 2026). The two labor markets are about equally tight. Pay for specific jobs is compared below.
Ohio and North Carolina head to head
Statewide figures the calculator above does not show. “Edge” (bold on small screens) marks the state with the lower cost or higher income on that row; rows without a clear better direction are left blank.
| Measure | Ohio | North Carolina | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | |||
| Median household income | $71,389 | $72,388 | North Carolina |
| Adjusted for local prices | $76,928 | $76,764 | Ohio |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownership rate | 67.2% | 66.6% | |
| Rent as % of renter income | 28.3% | 29.5% | Ohio |
| Owner costs as % of income | 16.0% | 16.0% | |
| Home value ÷ household income | 3× | 4× | Ohio |
| Home price change, 2020–2025 · FHFA index | +54.3% | +62.6% | |
| Taxes | |||
| Top income tax rate | 2.75% (flat) | 3.99% (flat) | Ohio |
| Combined sales tax (avg) | 7.29% | 7.00% | North Carolina |
| Median property tax paid | $2,822 | $1,896 | North Carolina |
| Property tax ÷ home value | 1.31% | 0.66% | North Carolina |
| Jobs | |||
| Unemployment (July 2026) | 3.4% | 3.6% | Ohio |
| Minimum wage | $11.00/hr | $7.25/hr | |
| Everyday costs | |||
| Median rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,063/mo | $1,164/mo | Ohio |
| Average electric bill (2024) | $135/mo | $144/mo | Ohio |
| Electricity price | 16.0¢/kWh | 14.1¢/kWh | North Carolina |
| Health care spending per person (2025) | $10,900 | $9,310 | |
| All consumer spending per person (2025) | $55,295 | $55,700 | |
| People | |||
| Population change since July 2020 | +0.9% | +7.2% | |
| Net moves from other states | −27,732 | +468,133 | |
| Median age | 39.7 | 39.1 | |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 31.5% | 35.7% | |
| No health insurance | 6.4% | 9.9% | Ohio |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 25.1 min | Ohio |
| Crime (2025, per 100,000 residents) | |||
| Violent crime | 275.6 | 330.3 | Ohio |
| Property crime | 1,428.8 | 1,779.9 | Ohio |
| Murder | 4.5 | 6.5 | Ohio |
| Climate (1991–2020 averages) | |||
| Average temperature | 51.7°F | 59.6°F | |
| July average high | 84.0°F | 88.1°F | |
| January average low | 20.3°F | 30.3°F | |
| Precipitation | 41.1 in | 50.8 in | |
Sources: Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates, FHFA house price index via FRED, BLS LAUS, Tax Foundation 2026, US DOL minimum wage, EIA, BEA consumer spending, Census population estimates, FBI crime estimates, and NOAA statewide climate. Median property tax covers owner-occupied homes. Spending is in current dollars and reflects both prices and incomes.
Who is moving between Ohio and North Carolina
In 2024, about 6,401 people living in North Carolina had lived in Ohio a year earlier, and about 6,467 made the opposite move. The difference (−66 for North Carolina) is within the survey's margin of error, so the flow is roughly balanced.
Census State-to-State Migration Flows (ACS 1-year, 2024). ± values are 90% margins of error. Ohio and North Carolina profiles list each state's largest sources and destinations. What the biggest moves trade →
Salary in North Carolina that matches your Ohio pay
Pre-tax salary needed in North Carolina to keep the same purchasing power, using the all-items price levels (92.8 and 94.3).
| Salary in Ohio | Equivalent in North Carolina | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $40,647 | +$647 |
| $60,000 | $60,970 | +$970 |
| $80,000 | $81,293 | +$1,293 |
| $100,000 | $101,616 | +$1,616 |
| $150,000 | $152,425 | +$2,425 |
| $200,000 | $203,233 | +$3,233 |
What the same job pays in Ohio and North Carolina
BLS median annual wages (May 2025), then the same wages adjusted for each state's price level. The last column names the state where the job's median pay buys more.
| Occupation | Ohio | North Carolina | OH adjusted | NC adjusted | Goes further in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $84,350 | $88,912 | $89,449 | North Carolina |
| Software Developers | $114,090 | $134,710 | $122,942 | $142,853 | North Carolina |
| Elementary School Teachers | $77,370 | $54,930 | $83,373 | $58,250 | Ohio |
| Electricians | $64,700 | $56,800 | $69,720 | $60,233 | Ohio |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,800 | $51,530 | $64,440 | $54,645 | Ohio |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,320 | $82,050 | $85,474 | $87,010 | North Carolina |
| Police & Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $77,020 | $59,300 | $82,996 | $62,884 | Ohio |
| Pharmacists | $137,020 | $138,860 | $147,651 | $147,253 | Ohio |
| Dental Hygienists | $88,990 | $97,850 | $95,894 | $103,765 | North Carolina |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers | $50,340 | $50,590 | $54,246 | $53,648 | Ohio |
Prices inside each state
A statewide price level averages cities and rural areas. The BEA also publishes price levels for metro areas; here is the range in each state.
Ohio
- Lowest Youngstown-Warren, OH 87.4
- Highest Columbus, OH 95.5
- Metro areas 15
North Carolina
- Lowest Rocky Mount, NC 88.0
- Highest Raleigh-Cary, NC 98.2
- Metro areas 16
Ohio vs North Carolina: the read
The bottom line
Compare a $100,000 income in Ohio and North Carolina: its purchasing power is $107,759 and $106,045, respectively, in national-average terms — a loss of $1,714. Ohio is the cheaper of the two, running at 92.8 on the price index versus 94.3.
Where the difference comes from
The widest gap on the index is housing rents: Ohio sits at 73 and North Carolina at 81.4 (100 = national), and Ohio has the edge there. Rent is also the largest item in most household budgets, so this gap does the most to separate the two states' overall price levels.
Housing
Median rent runs $1,034 in Ohio against $1,228 in North Carolina, and the typical home $214,800 versus $288,900. Ohio is the more affordable place to buy.
Taxes
On tax, Ohio has 2.75% top income tax and a combined sales tax of 7.29%; 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: Ohio · North Carolina. Every figure here is sourced on the pages linked above.
Ohio vs North Carolina: common questions
Is it cheaper to live in Ohio or North Carolina?
Ohio is cheaper overall. Its price level is 92.8 against 94.3 in North Carolina (US = 100), so the same basket of goods and services costs about 1.6% less there. The difference is usually largest for rent.
What salary in North Carolina matches $100,000 in Ohio?
About $101,616, before tax. That is $100,000 × 94.3 ÷ 92.8. Income tax, your actual rent or mortgage, and commuting costs can all shift the break-even point.
Which state has lower taxes, Ohio or North Carolina?
Ohio has a flat income tax with a top rate of 2.75% and an average combined sales tax of 7.29%. North Carolina has a flat income tax with a top rate of 3.99% and 7.00%. Median real estate taxes paid by owners are $2,822 and $1,896 a year. Which state costs a household less depends on its income, spending, and whether it owns a home.
Do people earn more in Ohio or North Carolina?
Median household income is $71,389 in Ohio and $72,388 in North Carolina. Adjusted for prices, that is $76,928 and $76,764 in national-average dollars, so households in Ohio have more purchasing power at the median.
Are more people moving from Ohio to North Carolina or the other way?
In 2024, about 6,401 people moved from Ohio to North Carolina and about 6,467 moved from North Carolina to Ohio, according to Census state-to-state migration estimates. The difference is within the margin of error, so the two flows are roughly balanced.
Comparing a different pair? Use the full tool →