North Carolina by the numbers
A decision-oriented profile: what it costs to live here, what the job market looks like, and how it stacks up against where you are now. Every figure links to its official source.
The bottom line on North Carolina
The cost-of-living picture
Overall prices in North Carolina run at 94.3 on the BEA index, where 100 is the US average — cheaper than most of the country. That puts it 6% below the national level, the 21st-cheapest state of 51. The single biggest factor is housing rents, which sits at 81.4 — 19% below the national norm.
Housing
The typical renter pays $1,228 a month — 13% below the national median of $1,413, the 27th-highest rent in the country. Buying is a bigger gap: the median home is worth $288,900, 13% below the national median. 66.6% of homes are owner-occupied, making it roughly typical in its owner/renter split. Renters here spend a median 29.5% of their income on rent, within the range usually considered affordable.
Do paychecks keep up with prices?
Median household income is $72,388, the 38th-highest of 51 states. But income only matters relative to prices: adjusted for local costs, that is worth $76,764 in national-average terms. Its rank barely moves after adjusting for costs, so pay and prices here are broadly in step.
The tax trade-off
Income is taxed through a single flat rate, topping out at 3.99%. Combined sales tax averages 7.00%. The two roughly offset, leaving a middle-of-the-pack tax profile. (Tax figures are hand-verified from the Tax Foundation and dated on the page below.)
The job market
Unemployment stands at 3.7% (May 2026), 12% below the national 4.2%. That is a tighter labor market than the country as a whole. It is also the one figure here that refreshes monthly, rather than annually.
Every figure above is drawn from the sourced data on this page — no estimates, no filler.
What it costs to live here
Price level by component, 100 = US average. Higher means more expensive than the national average.
| Component | North Carolina | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 94.3 | −5.7% |
| Housing rents | 81.4 | −18.6% |
| Goods | 96.6 | −3.4% |
| Utilities | 88.6 | −11.4% |
| Other services | 98.2 | −1.8% |
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 2026 · Official API
Housing & income (ACS)
| Median gross rent | $1,228/mo |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $288,900 |
| Median household income | $72,388/yr |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% |
| Median rent as % of income | 29.5% |
| Median owner costs as % of income | 16.0% |
US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates · ACS5 · 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official API
The job market
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in North Carolina is 3.7% as of May 2026 (preliminary). This is the one figure here that updates monthly.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics · LAUS · May 2026 · rel. May 2026 · Official API
How North Carolina has changed since 2005
Home prices (FHFA index)
Home prices in North Carolina are up 131% since 2005 (FHFA index). That outpaces the national 97% — home values here have grown faster than the country as a whole.
Data table
| Year | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 304 | 363 |
| 2006 | 324 | 379 |
| 2007 | 336 | 375 |
| 2008 | 334 | 348 |
| 2009 | 321 | 330 |
| 2010 | 313 | 324 |
| 2011 | 302 | 313 |
| 2012 | 299 | 315 |
| 2013 | 299 | 328 |
| 2014 | 309 | 345 |
| 2015 | 323 | 362 |
| 2016 | 340 | 382 |
| 2017 | 358 | 403 |
| 2018 | 380 | 422 |
| 2019 | 403 | 444 |
| 2020 | 430 | 471 |
| 2021 | 521 | 556 |
| 2022 | 606 | 617 |
| 2023 | 643 | 649 |
| 2024 | 679 | 685 |
| 2025 | 701 | 708 |
| 2026 | 703 | 713 |
Unemployment rate
State unemployment peaked at 10.8% in 2009 and stands at 3.7% today — a long recovery from that high.
Data table
| Year | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| 2006 | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| 2007 | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | 5.8% |
| 2009 | 10.8% | 9.3% |
| 2010 | 10.8% | 9.6% |
| 2011 | 10.4% | 8.9% |
| 2012 | 9.6% | 8.1% |
| 2013 | 7.8% | 7.4% |
| 2014 | 6.1% | 6.2% |
| 2015 | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | 4.9% |
| 2017 | 4.6% | 4.4% |
| 2018 | 4% | 3.9% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | 3.7% |
| 2020 | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2021 | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| 2023 | 3.5% | 3.6% |
| 2024 | 3.6% | 4% |
| 2025 | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| 2026 | 3.7% | 4.3% |
FRED (FHFA House Price Index & state unemployment) · FRED · through 2026 · rel. continuously updated · Official API
What you'd pay in tax
| Individual income tax | 3.99% top rate (flat) |
|---|---|
| Sales tax (state) | 4.75% |
| Sales tax (combined avg) | 7.00% |
Tax Foundation — 2026 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets · Income · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 · Sales · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
How it compares to where you are now
See how far your income would go here versus your current state — adjusted for what things actually cost.
Compare your income in North Carolina →Where North Carolina ranks
Sources for every figure on this page
BEA Regional Price Parities ·
SARPP· 2024 · rel. February 2026 · Official APIBLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics ·
LAUS· May 2026 · rel. May 2026 · Official APIUS Census ACS 5-Year Estimates ·
ACS5· 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official APITax Foundation — 2026 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets ·
Income· 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 ·
Sales· 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Occupation wages and a full tax profile for North Carolina are being added. See the methodology →