countyscore

Cost of Living · North Carolina

Most Affordable Counties in North Carolina 2026

Ranked by housing affordability including median rent and home values.

Top 10 — Cost of Living in North Carolina

Score reflects cost of living only — not overall county quality.

1Graham County, NC
93.6
2Swain County, NC
89
3Tyrrell County, NC
88.3
4Wilkes County, NC
86.2
5Montgomery County, NC
80.6
6Alexander County, NC
80.3
7Robeson County, NC
78.2
8Caswell County, NC
77.8
9Richmond County, NC
77.4
10Yadkin County, NC
77.4

All North Carolina Counties — Cost of Living Rankings

100 counties ranked by cost of living score. Overall Score shown for context.

#CountyCost of Living ScoreOverall Score
1Graham County, NC
93.6
54
2Swain County, NC
89
51.6
3Tyrrell County, NC
88.3
55.9
4Wilkes County, NC
86.2
49.1
5Montgomery County, NC
80.6
48
6Alexander County, NC
80.3
56.7
7Robeson County, NC
78.2
32
8Caswell County, NC
77.8
58.9
9Richmond County, NC
77.4
34.1
10Yadkin County, NC
77.4
50.6
11Caldwell County, NC
76.9
45.8
12Alleghany County, NC
76.8
61.3
13Cherokee County, NC
76.6
47.4
14Mitchell County, NC
76.3
69.4
15Surry County, NC
75.2
50.2
16McDowell County, NC
74.9
46.3
17Bladen County, NC
74.3
39.3
18Anson County, NC
73.8
38
19Rutherford County, NC
73.4
44.7
20Jones County, NC
72.9
59.8
21Avery County, NC
72.1
60.7
22Madison County, NC
72.1
65.8
23Washington County, NC
71.9
36.2
24Scotland County, NC
71.4
37.4
25Jackson County, NC
69.6
55.6
26Stokes County, NC
69.5
63.2
27Northampton County, NC
69
45.6
28Macon County, NC
67.9
56.4
29Columbus County, NC
66.3
40.7
30Pamlico County, NC
65.3
55.8
31Rockingham County, NC
65.3
39.2
32Sampson County, NC
64.8
36.3
33Warren County, NC
64.8
38.4
34Yancey County, NC
64.4
67
35Martin County, NC
64.3
33.6
36Duplin County, NC
64.2
36.5
37Halifax County, NC
63.1
31
38Clay County, NC
61.4
56.3
39Greene County, NC
61.4
43.4
40Bertie County, NC
61
41.1
41Ashe County, NC
60.6
51.2
42Lenoir County, NC
59.8
38.2
43Vance County, NC
59.3
34.6
44Burke County, NC
57.8
40.2
45Chowan County, NC
56.9
47.9
46Cleveland County, NC
54.7
41.9
47Hertford County, NC
53.7
37.8
48Stanly County, NC
51.9
45.3
49Beaufort County, NC
51.5
50.4
50Edgecombe County, NC
51.3
27.1
51Randolph County, NC
49.3
40.2
52Davidson County, NC
48.3
38.6
53Transylvania County, NC
44.5
55.8
54Davie County, NC
43.3
44.4
55Person County, NC
42.6
43
56Catawba County, NC
40.5
48.9
57Nash County, NC
40
47.8
58Haywood County, NC
39.3
44
59Wayne County, NC
38.4
32.4
60Gates County, NC
37.9
55.7
61Hyde County, NC
37.9
59.8
62Wilson County, NC
35.4
29.5
63Polk County, NC
33.5
53.8
64Rowan County, NC
33.1
38.5
65Perquimans County, NC
30.4
47.8
66Lee County, NC
30.1
36.1
67Lincoln County, NC
29.9
45.5
68Alamance County, NC
29.2
35.6
69Watauga County, NC
29.2
54
70Pitt County, NC
29
33.4
71Granville County, NC
28.5
40.4
72Craven County, NC
27.2
38
73Henderson County, NC
26.8
48
74Forsyth County, NC
25.1
34
75Franklin County, NC
23.8
38.5
76Carteret County, NC
23.7
44.1
77Hoke County, NC
23.5
35.5
78Gaston County, NC
23.3
31.9
79Pasquotank County, NC
21.7
45.6
80Guilford County, NC
21.5
34.8
81Harnett County, NC
20.6
35.2
82Pender County, NC
20.5
45.8
83Moore County, NC
19.9
49.3
84Cumberland County, NC
19.4
26.4
85Chatham County, NC
19.3
40.4
86Iredell County, NC
18.4
42.6
87Brunswick County, NC
17.1
46
88Johnston County, NC
17
43.3
89Onslow County, NC
15.9
39.3
90Buncombe County, NC
15.7
41.7
91Currituck County, NC
13.8
56
92Camden County, NC
12.6
40.9
93Dare County, NC
11.3
51.3
94New Hanover County, NC
10.3
40
95Cabarrus County, NC
10.1
42
96Durham County, NC
9.1
34.3
97Union County, NC
8.8
46.5
98Orange County, NC
8.7
49.8
99Mecklenburg County, NC
7
33.4
100Wake County, NC
5.7
53.4

Explore More

Best overall counties in North CarolinaFull Cost of Living data on CostByCounty