Cornelius, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Cornelius, NC Summary

Cost of living in Cornelius 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 Cornelius 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 Cornelius is 122, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Cornelius is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Cornelius ranks as the #143 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Cornelius ranks as the #4,541 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Cornelius is $518,911.

  • The median income in Cornelius is $114,688.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
122
Cornelius's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Cornelius, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cornelius has an overall cost of living index of 122, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Cornelius has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Cornelius ranks as #143 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Cornelius ranks as the #14 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Cornelius, check out:

143 out of 157
In North Carolina
4,541 out of 6,489
In America

Cornelius Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Cornelius is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Cornelius is 100.

  • The Health index in Cornelius is 111.

  • The Housing index in Cornelius is 172.

  • The Transportation index in Cornelius is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Cornelius is 87.

Living Expense Cornelius North Carolina National Average
Overall 122 92 100
Services 101 100 100
Groceries 100 99 100
Health 111 106 100
Housing 172 86 100
Transportation 95 93 100
Utilities 87 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Cornelius Cost of Living Vs. NC

Cornelius, 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 Cornelius is $518,911.

  • The Median Rent in Cornelius is $1,571.

  • The Median Income in Cornelius is $114,688.

  • The Home Value To Income in Cornelius is 4.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Cornelius is 0.16x.

Statistic Cornelius North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $518,911 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,571 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $114,688 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.5x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.2x 0.21x
$518,911
Median Home Value
$1,571
Median Rent
$114,688
Median Income

Cornelius, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Cornelius Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cornelius North Carolina
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $13.55 $12.13
Bowling $21.67 $18
Haircut $18.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $59.75 $45.56

Detailed Cornelius Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cornelius North Carolina
Ground Beef $6.27 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.61 $4.67
Potatoes $4.98 $4.93
Pizza $10.96 $12.09
Beer $10.47 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.81 $3.7

Detailed Cornelius Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cornelius North Carolina
Optometrist $143.74 $125.68
Doctor $148.29 $135.78
Dentist $115.52 $113.29

Detailed Cornelius Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cornelius North Carolina
Gasoline $3.29 $3.46
Tire Balancing $53.32 $59.92

Detailed Cornelius Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cornelius North Carolina
All Electricity $167.89 $193.99
Phone $189.9 $192.25

Cornelius SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9
Education
9
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cornelius

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

  • Charlotte, NC has a cost of living index of 110, 0.9x Cornelius.

  • Concord, NC has a cost of living index of 103, 0.8x Cornelius.

  • Huntersville, NC has a cost of living index of 119, 1.0x Cornelius.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Cornelius
Charlotte, NC 886,283 110 0.9x
Concord, NC 106,518 103 0.8x
Huntersville, NC 62,458 119 1.0x
Kannapolis, NC 56,470 91 0.7x
Mooresville, NC 51,447 107 0.9x
Harrisburg, NC 19,203 122 1.0x
Mount Holly, NC 17,928 99 0.8x
Belmont, NC 15,140 107 0.9x
Davidson, NC 14,852 133 1.1x
Lake Norman of Catawba, NC 9,308 121 1.0x

Articles About North Carolina

Enjoy The Snack?