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.
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:
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 | |
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Item | Boone | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $155.11 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $166.73 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $113.89 | $113.29 |
| Item | Boone | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.29 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $49.99 | $59.92 |
| Item | Boone | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $221.84 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.82 | $192.25 |
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 |