Forest City, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Forest City, NC Summary

Cost of living in Forest City 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 Forest City 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 Forest City is 85, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Forest City is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Forest City ranks as the #8 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Forest City ranks as the #511 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Forest City is $182,573.

  • The median income in Forest City is $35,897.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
85
Forest City's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Forest City, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Forest City has an overall cost of living index of 85, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Forest City has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Forest City ranks as #8 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Forest City ranks as the #149 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Forest City, check out:

8 out of 157
In North Carolina
511 out of 6,489
In America

Forest City Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Forest City is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Forest City is 97.

  • The Health index in Forest City is 98.

  • The Housing index in Forest City is 60.

  • The Transportation index in Forest City is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Forest City is 93.

Living Expense Forest City North Carolina National Average
Overall 85 92 100
Services 96 100 100
Groceries 97 99 100
Health 98 106 100
Housing 60 86 100
Transportation 98 93 100
Utilities 93 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Forest City Cost of Living Vs. NC

Forest City, 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 Forest City is $182,573.

  • The Median Rent in Forest City is $815.

  • The Median Income in Forest City is $35,897.

  • The Home Value To Income in Forest City is 5.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Forest City is 0.27x.

Statistic Forest City North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $182,573 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $815 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $35,897 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.1x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.2x 0.21x
$182,573
Median Home Value
$815
Median Rent
$35,897
Median Income

Forest City, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Forest City Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Forest City North Carolina
Shampoo $1.38 $1.28
Movie $12.15 $12.13
Bowling $16.41 $18
Haircut $25.1 $24.26
Beauty Salon $45.93 $45.56

Detailed Forest City Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Forest City North Carolina
Ground Beef $5.46 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $5.5 $4.93
Pizza $10.64 $12.09
Beer $10.46 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Forest City Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Forest City North Carolina
Optometrist $108.14 $125.68
Doctor $131.8 $135.78
Dentist $103.51 $113.29

Detailed Forest City Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Forest City North Carolina
Gasoline $3.16 $3.46
Tire Balancing $67.1 $59.92

Detailed Forest City Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Forest City North Carolina
All Electricity $171.72 $193.99
Phone $191.25 $192.25

Forest City SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
4
Affordability
5
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
7
Education
5
Commute
8

Articles About North Carolina

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