Graham, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Graham, NC Summary

Cost of living in Graham 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 Graham 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 Graham is 88, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Graham is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Graham ranks as the #19 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Graham ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Graham is $291,431.

  • The median income in Graham is $54,783.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
88
Graham's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Graham, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Graham has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Graham has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Graham ranks as #19 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Graham ranks as the #138 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Graham, check out:

19 out of 157
In North Carolina
912 out of 6,489
In America

Graham Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Graham is 93.

  • The Groceries index in Graham is 97.

  • The Health index in Graham is 106.

  • The Housing index in Graham is 81.

  • The Transportation index in Graham is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Graham is 91.

Living Expense Graham North Carolina National Average
Overall 88 92 100
Services 93 100 100
Groceries 97 99 100
Health 106 106 100
Housing 81 86 100
Transportation 94 93 100
Utilities 91 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Graham Cost of Living Vs. NC

Graham, 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 Graham is $291,431.

  • The Median Rent in Graham is $990.

  • The Median Income in Graham is $54,783.

  • The Home Value To Income in Graham is 5.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Graham is 0.22x.

Statistic Graham North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $291,431 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $990 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $54,783 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.3x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.2x 0.21x
$291,431
Median Home Value
$990
Median Rent
$54,783
Median Income

Graham, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Graham Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Graham North Carolina
Shampoo $1.24 $1.28
Movie $12.0 $12.13
Bowling $18.67 $18
Haircut $28.33 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.66 $45.56

Detailed Graham Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Graham North Carolina
Ground Beef $6.17 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.49 $4.67
Potatoes $5.0 $4.93
Pizza $10.41 $12.09
Beer $10.25 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Graham Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Graham North Carolina
Optometrist $146.78 $125.68
Doctor $174.0 $135.78
Dentist $97.67 $113.29

Detailed Graham Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Graham North Carolina
Gasoline $3.31 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.55 $59.92

Detailed Graham Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Graham North Carolina
All Electricity $161.71 $193.99
Phone $186.82 $192.25

Graham SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
9.5
Safety
5
Amenities
8.5
Education
6
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Graham

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

  • Burlington, NC has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Graham.

  • Carrboro, NC has a cost of living index of 121, 1.4x Graham.

  • Mebane, NC has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Graham.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Graham
Burlington, NC 58,599 89 1.0x
Carrboro, NC 21,170 121 1.4x
Mebane, NC 18,899 100 1.1x
Elon, NC 11,325 113 1.3x
Hillsborough, NC 9,656 111 1.3x
Gibsonville, NC 9,289 94 1.1x

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