From the Outer Banks beaches to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Tar Heel State offers a unique blend of natural beauty and Southern charm.
But the real beauty is in the affordability of its cities.
We took a deep dive into the data to determine the most affordable places to live in North Carolina. Using a combination of Saturday Night Science and Census data, we analyzed home prices, incomes, and the cost of living for every place above 5,000 people.
Whether you’re a NASCAR fan, a lover of shrimp and grits, or someone looking for a change of scenery, these places have something for everyone.
$39,969 median income · $848 median rent · #11 home prices in North Carolina
Located in
Vance County, North Carolina
Henderson, a city with a population of 15,368 at the 2010 census, is the county seat of Vance County, North Carolina, United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$38,738 median income · $684 median rent · #3 home prices in North Carolina
Located in
Martin County, North Carolina
The furthest East North Carolina city that made our top ten list is Williamston. This little city in Martin County rounds out our list as the second most affordable city in the Tar Heel State for 2026.
Williamston crushed our job snackability scale. This city has great job opportunities with manufacturing positions, healthcare work, and agricultural positions up for grabs right now. Heck, something has to keep that household median income up around $38,738/year. So if you’re looking for ‘Easy Hometown Living with Hometown Values,’ with an affordable price tag, look no further than Williamston.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$47,197 median income · $906 median rent · #31 home prices in North Carolina
Located in
Randolph County, North Carolina
Asheboro, situated in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, ranks third for affordability, with its cost of living considerably under the state average. Housing costs, highlighted by $240,877 home values and $906 rents, make it a budget-friendly option.
You can take your kids to the North Carolina Zoo and still have enough left to shop at the Asheboro Mall.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$42,170 median income · $774 median rent · #5 home prices in North Carolina
Located in
Scotland County, North Carolina
Laurinburg is a city in and the county seat of Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. Located in southern North Carolina near the South Carolina border, Laurinburg is southwest of Fayetteville and is home to St. Andrews University. The Laurinburg Institute, a historically African-American school, is also located in Laurinburg. The population at the 2010 Census was 15,962 people.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$46,566 median income · $1,000 median rent · #37 home prices in North Carolina
Siler City is a town in Chatham County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town’s population was 7,887. The population was estimated to be 8,169 in 2013.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$41,590 median income · $640 median rent · #2 home prices in North Carolina
Located in
Richmond County, North Carolina
Where North Carolina State HWY 74 meets North Carolina State Hwy 177, is our sixth most affordable city in the Old North State: Hamlet. This little North Carolina gem is third when it comes to home price to income ratio. We are not surprised considering they have such a strong economy led by a railroad hub with an emphasis in manufacturing and warehousing.
Now if a job in manufacturing is not your thing, it seems there will always be a need for train conductors. And with a median household income close to $41,590, we’re sure you’ll find Hamlet super inviting and super affordable.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$46,739 median income · $794 median rent · #12 home prices in North Carolina
Data | Movers
$55,534 median income · $957 median rent · #13 home prices in North Carolina
Located in
Nash County, North Carolina
Rocky Mount is a city in Edgecombe and Nash counties in the Atlantic coastal plain region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Although it was not formally incorporated until February 28, 1907, the North Carolina community that became the city of Rocky Mount dates from the beginning of the 19th century. The first post office in the area opened in 1816. The city’s population was 57,685 at the 2010 census, with an estimated population of 56,325 in 2014. Rocky Mount has received the All-America City Award from the National Civic League two times, in 1969 and 1999.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$60,935 median income · $879 median rent · #29 home prices in North Carolina
Located in
Randolph County, North Carolina
Thomasville, found in the heart of Davidson County, is one of the cheapest cities in North Carolina. With a $237,157 median home value that’s the 29th lowest and a median rent of $879 ranked 26th lowest in the state, it’s a budget-friendly beacon for home-seekers.
Its economy shines with a low 4.63% unemployment rate, standing at 75th lowest statewide.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$53,690 median income · $858 median rent · #1 home prices in North Carolina
Located in
Halifax County, North Carolina
Roanoke Rapids offers a high quality of life at an affordable price point. With a median home value of $121,329 and a median rent of $858, the cost of living in Roanoke Rapids is significantly lower than other cities in North Carolina.
With a population of just 14,856, residents enjoy a tight-knit community where neighbors look out for one another. And easy access to nearby Lake Gaston and the Roanoke River means outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy activities like boating, fishing, and hiking year-round.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is North Carolina’s statewide median.
North Carolina statewide median: $336,408
North Carolina statewide median: $72,388
On the map
Where your money goes furthest in North Carolina
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Tar Heel State for 2026
Determining affordability for places in North Carolina boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 for North Carolina using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in North Carolina to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 140 places in North Carolina that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in North Carolina with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Henderson.
We updated this article for 2026. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the cheapest places to live in North Carolina.
The full plate
Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henderson | 14,885 | 86 | $39,969 | $179,610 | $848 |
| 2 | Williamston | 5,112 | 86 | $38,738 | $131,111 | $684 |
| 3 | Asheboro | 27,580 | 87 | $47,197 | $240,877 | $906 |
| 4 | Laurinburg | 15,087 | 87 | $42,170 | $143,608 | $774 |
| 5 | Siler City | 7,995 | 87 | $46,566 | $251,598 | $1,000 |
| 6 | Hamlet | 5,961 | 87 | $41,590 | $129,886 | $640 |
| 7 | Long View | 5,011 | 87 | $46,739 | $183,167 | $794 |
| 8 | Rocky Mount | 54,297 | 88 | $55,534 | $185,887 | $957 |
| 9 | Thomasville | 27,321 | 88 | $60,935 | $237,157 | $879 |
| 10 | Roanoke Rapids | 14,856 | 88 | $53,690 | $121,329 | $858 |
| 11 | Reidsville | 14,585 | 88 | $42,921 | $210,647 | $822 |
| 12 | Rockingham | 8,967 | 88 | $37,224 | $134,002 | $659 |
| 13 | Kinston | 19,505 | 89 | $36,878 | $148,090 | $867 |
| 14 | Albemarle | 16,762 | 89 | $46,881 | $261,947 | $880 |
| 15 | Eden | 15,356 | 89 | $47,260 | $149,286 | $799 |
| 16 | Roxboro | 8,182 | 89 | $36,553 | $220,111 | $860 |
| 17 | Marion | 7,579 | 89 | $51,314 | $244,493 | $762 |
| 18 | Forest City | 7,363 | 89 | $35,524 | $193,559 | $813 |
| 19 | Bessemer City | 5,580 | 89 | $60,300 | $235,411 | $1,053 |
| 20 | Ayden | 5,150 | 89 | $42,413 | $226,359 | $778 |
| 21 | Sawmills | 5,042 | 89 | $71,067 | $230,414 | $730 |
| 22 | Lumberton | 18,859 | 90 | $42,877 | $149,733 | $866 |
| 23 | Lenoir | 18,299 | 90 | $49,910 | $215,174 | $664 |
| 24 | Spring Lake | 11,573 | 90 | $51,958 | $261,167 | $1,351 |
| 25 | Tarboro | 10,770 | 90 | $49,796 | $152,776 | $843 |
| 26 | Mount Airy | 10,633 | 90 | $40,275 | $210,209 | $725 |
| 27 | Selma | 6,817 | 90 | $41,368 | $275,820 | $820 |
| 28 | Goldsboro | 34,383 | 91 | $48,540 | $194,177 | $971 |
| 29 | Newton | 13,333 | 91 | $62,015 | $256,468 | $1,091 |
| 30 | Clinton | 8,304 | 91 | $44,953 | $154,113 | $759 |
| 31 | Shelby | 22,100 | 92 | $48,376 | $209,227 | $945 |
| 32 | Morganton | 17,646 | 92 | $51,355 | $261,445 | $944 |
| 33 | Dunn | 8,559 | 92 | $46,830 | $227,476 | $788 |
| 34 | Trinity | 7,111 | 92 | $82,664 | $287,548 | $955 |
| 35 | Dallas | 6,104 | 92 | $58,403 | $273,282 | $872 |
| 36 | Mocksville | 6,068 | 92 | $55,367 | $280,268 | $892 |
| 37 | Winston-Salem | 252,037 | 93 | $59,268 | $264,333 | $1,087 |
| 38 | Graham | 18,048 | 93 | $56,239 | $292,521 | $1,071 |
| 39 | Archdale | 12,087 | 93 | $64,757 | $248,494 | $1,034 |
| 40 | Kings Mountain | 12,039 | 93 | $49,564 | $238,720 | $959 |
| 41 | Cherryville | 6,226 | 93 | $70,625 | $249,357 | $1,059 |
| 42 | Burlington | 59,610 | 94 | $56,880 | $256,022 | $1,051 |
| 43 | Sanford | 31,478 | 94 | $57,586 | $291,206 | $1,052 |
| 44 | Smithfield | 12,116 | 94 | $43,270 | $293,391 | $658 |
| 45 | Washington | 9,726 | 94 | $40,186 | $242,528 | $856 |
| 46 | Oxford | 8,914 | 94 | $43,054 | $255,873 | $995 |
| 47 | Zebulon | 8,711 | 94 | $79,112 | $341,721 | $1,109 |
| 48 | Greenville | 92,857 | 95 | $49,748 | $235,821 | $1,007 |
| 49 | Wilson | 48,370 | 95 | $52,485 | $218,942 | $971 |
| 50 | Salisbury | 35,825 | 95 | $53,716 | $280,646 | $1,071 |
| 51 | New Bern | 32,734 | 95 | $61,031 | $281,328 | $1,081 |
| 52 | Statesville | 29,894 | 95 | $52,880 | $297,070 | $1,000 |
| 53 | Conover | 8,580 | 95 | $65,972 | $277,412 | $898 |
| 54 | Nashville | 5,729 | 95 | $61,000 | $257,559 | $1,073 |
| 55 | High Point | 116,245 | 96 | $64,561 | $249,821 | $1,116 |
| 56 | Kannapolis | 57,890 | 96 | $73,836 | $279,708 | $1,319 |
| 57 | Hope Mills | 17,939 | 96 | $65,774 | $263,454 | $1,141 |
| 58 | Havelock | 17,691 | 96 | $58,408 | $233,896 | $1,280 |
| 59 | Lincolnton | 11,783 | 96 | $46,320 | $296,022 | $965 |
| 60 | Winterville | 10,725 | 96 | $83,193 | $278,291 | $1,534 |
| 61 | Angier | 6,241 | 96 | $52,214 | $333,903 | $894 |
| 62 | Locust | 5,840 | 96 | $76,504 | $384,686 | $895 |
| 63 | Mount Holly | 18,208 | 97 | $79,385 | $360,773 | $1,256 |
| 64 | Fayetteville | 210,815 | 98 | $58,407 | $225,534 | $1,250 |
| 65 | Gastonia | 82,884 | 98 | $64,059 | $277,331 | $1,204 |
| 66 | Waynesville | 10,502 | 98 | $54,923 | $355,352 | $1,070 |
| 67 | Gibsonville | 9,467 | 98 | $95,861 | $307,075 | $1,034 |
| 68 | Aberdeen | 9,228 | 98 | $75,078 | $352,796 | $1,244 |
| 69 | King | 7,408 | 98 | $57,817 | $276,086 | $895 |
| 70 | Greensboro | 301,198 | 99 | $61,515 | $264,428 | $1,172 |
| 71 | Jacksonville | 71,279 | 99 | $57,697 | $261,056 | $1,321 |
| 72 | Elizabeth City | 18,871 | 99 | $52,141 | $264,970 | $1,117 |
| 73 | Butner | 8,065 | 99 | $74,739 | $273,631 | $1,307 |
| 74 | Boiling Spring Lakes | 6,347 | 99 | $62,676 | $315,223 | $1,385 |
| 75 | Pleasant Garden | 5,060 | 99 | $88,204 | $315,482 | $1,416 |
| 76 | Hickory | 44,258 | 100 | $64,576 | $293,999 | $1,063 |
| 77 | Monroe | 36,759 | 100 | $72,540 | $356,520 | $1,246 |
| 78 | Clayton | 29,320 | 102 | $78,822 | $364,742 | $1,661 |
| 79 | Kernersville | 27,830 | 102 | $71,918 | $322,447 | $1,082 |
| 80 | Hendersonville | 15,408 | 102 | $53,449 | $405,676 | $1,332 |
| 81 | Wendell | 13,064 | 102 | $95,787 | $369,603 | $1,457 |
| 82 | Brevard | 7,897 | 102 | $54,103 | $464,518 | $979 |
| 83 | Mebane | 19,538 | 103 | $83,174 | $353,221 | $1,283 |
| 84 | Cramerton | 5,450 | 103 | $82,160 | $305,443 | $1,364 |
| 85 | Concord | 108,719 | 104 | $86,921 | $382,592 | $1,451 |
| 86 | Garner | 34,473 | 104 | $78,756 | $384,100 | $1,549 |
| 87 | Lewisville | 13,828 | 104 | $100,917 | $404,564 | $1,095 |
| 88 | Unionville | 6,954 | 104 | $96,028 | $419,701 | $978 |
| 89 | Archer Lodge | 5,186 | 104 | $91,188 | $377,862 | $1,458 |
| 90 | Morehead City | 9,806 | 105 | $56,233 | $410,236 | $1,134 |
| 91 | Knightdale | 20,214 | 107 | $103,220 | $370,204 | $1,674 |
| 92 | Boone | 20,032 | 107 | $30,065 | $483,789 | $1,111 |
| 93 | Belmont | 15,546 | 107 | $94,883 | $432,565 | $1,365 |
| 94 | Charlotte | 903,844 | 108 | $82,068 | $397,125 | $1,612 |
| 95 | Wilmington | 120,805 | 108 | $66,738 | $416,159 | $1,395 |
| 96 | Clemmons | 21,871 | 108 | $87,655 | $387,814 | $1,269 |
| 97 | Black Mountain | 8,513 | 108 | $77,042 | $463,739 | $1,652 |
| 98 | Stokesdale | 6,004 | 108 | $121,071 | $386,451 | $1,450 |
| 99 | Mooresville | 52,381 | 109 | $89,647 | $482,315 | $1,626 |
| 100 | Carolina Shores | 5,017 | 109 | $76,087 | $319,366 | $1,973 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, cost-of-living data. 140 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
North Carolina Affordability Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in North Carolina for 2026, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in North Carolina.
The cheapest cities in North Carolina are Henderson, Williamston, Asheboro, Laurinburg, Siler City, Hamlet, Long View, Rocky Mount, Thomasville, and Roanoke Rapids.
