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 89, which is 0.9x 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 95.
The standard of living in Forest City ranks as #17 most affordable out of the 159 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Forest City ranks as the #142 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Forest City, check out:
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 fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Forest City is 95.
The Groceries index in Forest City is 100.
The Health index in Forest City is 64.
The Housing index in Forest City is 96.
The Transportation index in Forest City is 103.
The Utilities index in Forest City is 96.
| Living Expense | Forest City | North Carolina | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 95 | 100 |
| Services | 95 | 98 | 100 |
| Groceries | 100 | 98 | 100 |
| Health | 64 | 89 | 100 |
| Housing | 96 | 100 | 100 |
| Transportation | 103 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 96 | 101 | 100 |
Forest City Cost Of Living Compared To North Carolina Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In North Carolina
- Most Affordable Cities In North Carolina
- Average Rent In North Carolina
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Forest City is $193,559.
The Median Rent in Forest City is $813.
The Median Income in Forest City is $35,524.
The Home Value To Income in Forest City is 5.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Forest City is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Forest City | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $193,559 | $336,407 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $813 | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $35,524 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.4x | 4.6x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
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 |
