Cost of living in Carrboro 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 Carrboro 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 Carrboro is 121, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Carrboro is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Carrboro ranks as the #139 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Carrboro ranks as the #4,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Carrboro is $439,156.
The median income in Carrboro is $85,927.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carrboro has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Carrboro has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Carrboro ranks as #139 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Carrboro ranks as the #18 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Carrboro, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Carrboro. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Carrboro is 94.
The Groceries index in Carrboro is 101.
The Health index in Carrboro is 104.
The Housing index in Carrboro is 184.
The Transportation index in Carrboro is 91.
The Utilities index in Carrboro is 92.
| Living Expense | Carrboro | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 121 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 104 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 184 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 92 | 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 Carrboro is $439,156.
The Median Rent in Carrboro is $1,337.
The Median Income in Carrboro is $85,927.
The Home Value To Income in Carrboro is 5.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Carrboro is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Carrboro | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $439,156 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,337 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $85,927 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.1x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Carrboro | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.33 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.19 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.2 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $50.33 | $45.56 |
| Item | Carrboro | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.28 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.36 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.64 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.99 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.73 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.46 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.85 | $3.7 |
| Item | Carrboro | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $126.46 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $146.71 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $136.77 | $113.29 |
| Item | Carrboro | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.32 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $42.85 | $59.92 |
| Item | Carrboro | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $161.71 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.82 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carrboro. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Durham, NC has a cost of living index of 107, 0.9x Carrboro.
Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.0x Carrboro.
Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.0x Carrboro.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Carrboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham, NC | 288,465 | 107 | 0.9x |
| Cary, NC | 176,686 | 125 | 1.0x |
| Apex, NC | 67,765 | 122 | 1.0x |
| Chapel Hill, NC | 59,889 | 129 | 1.1x |
| Morrisville, NC | 30,471 | 120 | 1.0x |
| Mebane, NC | 18,899 | 100 | 0.8x |
| Graham, NC | 17,537 | 88 | 0.7x |
| Hillsborough, NC | 9,656 | 111 | 0.9x |