Boone, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Boone, NC Summary

Cost of living in Boone research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Boone is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Boone is 111, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Boone is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Boone ranks as the #118 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Boone ranks as the #3,765 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Boone is $482,913.

  • The median income in Boone is $28,633.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
111
Boone's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Boone, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Boone has an overall cost of living index of 111, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Boone has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Boone ranks as #118 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Boone ranks as the #39 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Boone, check out:

118 out of 157
In North Carolina
3,765 out of 6,489
In America

Boone Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Boone. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Boone is 99.

  • The Groceries index in Boone is 100.

  • The Health index in Boone is 109.

  • The Housing index in Boone is 135.

  • The Transportation index in Boone is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Boone is 109.

Living Expense Boone North Carolina National Average
Overall 111 92 100
Services 99 100 100
Groceries 100 99 100
Health 109 106 100
Housing 135 86 100
Transportation 93 93 100
Utilities 109 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Boone Cost of Living Vs. NC

Boone, NC Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Boone is $482,913.

  • The Median Rent in Boone is $1,080.

  • The Median Income in Boone is $28,633.

  • The Home Value To Income in Boone is 16.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Boone is 0.45x.

Statistic Boone North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $482,913 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,080 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $28,633 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 16.9x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.45x 0.2x 0.21x
$482,913
Median Home Value
$1,080
Median Rent
$28,633
Median Income

Boone, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Boone Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Boone North Carolina
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $13.07 $12.13
Bowling $15.89 $18
Haircut $28.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $48.22 $45.56

Detailed Boone Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Boone North Carolina
Ground Beef $6.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.61 $4.67
Potatoes $5.27 $4.93
Pizza $10.44 $12.09
Beer $10.44 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Boone Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Boone North Carolina
Optometrist $155.11 $125.68
Doctor $166.73 $135.78
Dentist $113.89 $113.29

Detailed Boone Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Boone North Carolina
Gasoline $3.29 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.99 $59.92

Detailed Boone Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Boone North Carolina
All Electricity $221.84 $193.99
Phone $186.82 $192.25

Boone SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
2/10
Housing
8
Affordability
1
Diversity
6
Safety
8
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Boone

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Boone. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Hickory, NC has a cost of living index of 99, 0.9x Boone.

  • Bristol, TN has a cost of living index of 88, 0.8x Boone.

  • Morganton, NC has a cost of living index of 95, 0.9x Boone.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Boone
Hickory, NC 43,747 99 0.9x
Bristol, TN 27,490 88 0.8x
Morganton, NC 17,541 95 0.9x
Bristol, VA 17,024 88 0.8x
Elizabethton, TN 14,364 91 0.8x
St. Stephens, NC 9,409 90 0.8x
Conover, NC 8,491 92 0.8x
Jonesborough, TN 6,056 94 0.8x
Erwin, TN 6,001 88 0.8x
Sawmills, NC 5,027 90 0.8x

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