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
97.8
2Swain County, NC
90.3
3Tyrrell County, NC
85.7
4Wilkes County, NC
85.6
5Mitchell County, NC
80.2
6McDowell County, NC
79.8
7Alexander County, NC
79.2
8Robeson County, NC
78
9Rutherford County, NC
77.8
10Caldwell County, NC
77.1

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
97.8
55.9
2Swain County, NC
90.3
52.6
3Tyrrell County, NC
85.7
55
4Wilkes County, NC
85.6
48.9
5Mitchell County, NC
80.2
70.9
6McDowell County, NC
79.8
47.8
7Alexander County, NC
79.2
56.6
8Robeson County, NC
78
31.9
9Rutherford County, NC
77.8
45.9
10Caldwell County, NC
77.1
45.5
11Caswell County, NC
76.5
59.6
12Cherokee County, NC
76.3
46.9
13Montgomery County, NC
76.3
46.5
14Yadkin County, NC
75.5
50.3
15Surry County, NC
74.4
50.3
16Jones County, NC
73.4
59.8
17Avery County, NC
72.2
60.1
18Richmond County, NC
71.3
32.8
19Ashe County, NC
70.8
52.7
20Bladen County, NC
70.8
39.2
21Columbus County, NC
70.8
40.7
22Yancey County, NC
70.8
68.3
23Jackson County, NC
70
55.5
24Northampton County, NC
69.8
45
25Madison County, NC
69.3
65.6
26Scotland County, NC
69
37.4
27Macon County, NC
67.7
56
28Alleghany County, NC
67.3
59
29Stokes County, NC
67
62.4
30Warren County, NC
66.7
36.9
31Anson County, NC
66.3
34.8
32Martin County, NC
66.2
34.3
33Sampson County, NC
66
36.3
34Rockingham County, NC
65.3
39
35Burke County, NC
63.8
41.4
36Halifax County, NC
63.8
31.6
37Duplin County, NC
63.2
35.7
38Clay County, NC
62.3
56.1
39Washington County, NC
62
33.3
40Cleveland County, NC
60
42.5
41Lenoir County, NC
59.6
38.1
42Greene County, NC
59.2
43.5
43Bertie County, NC
57.9
40.7
44Hertford County, NC
57.5
39.1
45Vance County, NC
56
33.8
46Edgecombe County, NC
54.1
27.3
47Stanly County, NC
51.8
45.1
48Chowan County, NC
51
48.1
49Beaufort County, NC
50
50.3
50Randolph County, NC
49.7
39.8
51Davidson County, NC
49.5
38.7
52Person County, NC
49.3
44.5
53Pamlico County, NC
48.1
52.6
54Transylvania County, NC
47
56.4
55Catawba County, NC
43.9
49.3
56Gates County, NC
41.7
56.2
57Nash County, NC
40.3
47.4
58Davie County, NC
38.6
43.2
59Wayne County, NC
38.5
32.1
60Haywood County, NC
38.1
43.6
61Wilson County, NC
37.5
29.4
62Rowan County, NC
35.5
39.2
63Polk County, NC
33.7
52.6
64Hyde County, NC
32.2
61.1
65Lee County, NC
30.9
35.9
66Lincoln County, NC
29.9
45.6
67Alamance County, NC
29.6
35.6
68Watauga County, NC
28.8
53.9
69Pitt County, NC
27.5
33.6
70Franklin County, NC
27.1
38.2
71Perquimans County, NC
26.9
46.1
72Craven County, NC
26.8
37.8
73Henderson County, NC
26.4
48.1
74Forsyth County, NC
25.8
33.8
75Granville County, NC
25.4
39.6
76Hoke County, NC
25
35.4
77Carteret County, NC
23.9
44.1
78Gaston County, NC
23.9
31.8
79Chatham County, NC
21.9
40.7
80Guilford County, NC
21.9
34.6
81Johnston County, NC
21.3
43.5
82Harnett County, NC
20.7
34.7
83Pender County, NC
20.1
44.9
84Pasquotank County, NC
20
45.2
85Cumberland County, NC
19.5
25.9
86Moore County, NC
18.4
48.6
87Iredell County, NC
18.2
42.4
88Brunswick County, NC
17.8
45.9
89Onslow County, NC
16.8
39.3
90Buncombe County, NC
16.6
41.4
91Currituck County, NC
13.6
56.4
92Cabarrus County, NC
11.6
42.2
93Camden County, NC
11.6
40.4
94Dare County, NC
11.6
51.3
95New Hanover County, NC
10.7
39.6
96Durham County, NC
9.3
34.1
97Union County, NC
9
46.2
98Orange County, NC
8.6
49.6
99Mecklenburg County, NC
7.4
33.3
100Wake County, NC
6
53.8

Explore More

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