Cost of living in Lenoir 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 Lenoir 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 Lenoir is 85, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Lenoir is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Lenoir ranks as the #8 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Lenoir ranks as the #511 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Lenoir is $209,041.
The median income in Lenoir is $48,889.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lenoir has an overall cost of living index of 85, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Lenoir has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Lenoir ranks as #8 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Lenoir ranks as the #149 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Lenoir, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Lenoir. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Lenoir is 93.
The Groceries index in Lenoir is 98.
The Health index in Lenoir is 94.
The Housing index in Lenoir is 59.
The Transportation index in Lenoir is 103.
The Utilities index in Lenoir is 101.
| Living Expense | Lenoir | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 85 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 93 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 59 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 103 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 101 | 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 Lenoir is $209,041.
The Median Rent in Lenoir is $671.
The Median Income in Lenoir is $48,889.
The Home Value To Income in Lenoir is 4.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Lenoir is 0.16x.
| Statistic | Lenoir | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $209,041 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $671 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $48,889 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.3x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.16x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Lenoir | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.34 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.67 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $18.63 | $18 |
| Haircut | $30.02 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $39.6 | $45.56 |
| Item | Lenoir | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.12 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.55 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.66 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.3 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.64 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.31 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.75 | $3.7 |
| Item | Lenoir | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $131.75 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.27 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $130.26 | $113.29 |
| Item | Lenoir | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.19 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $57.92 | $59.92 |
| Item | Lenoir | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $160.96 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.97 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Lenoir. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Mooresville, NC has a cost of living index of 107, 1.3x Lenoir.
Hickory, NC has a cost of living index of 99, 1.2x Lenoir.
Cornelius, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.4x Lenoir.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Lenoir |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mooresville, NC | 51,447 | 107 | 1.3x |
| Hickory, NC | 43,747 | 99 | 1.2x |
| Cornelius, NC | 32,009 | 122 | 1.4x |
| Boone, NC | 19,534 | 111 | 1.3x |
| Davidson, NC | 14,852 | 133 | 1.6x |
| Lincolnton, NC | 11,503 | 94 | 1.1x |
| St. Stephens, NC | 9,409 | 90 | 1.1x |
| Lake Norman of Catawba, NC | 9,308 | 121 | 1.4x |
| Conover, NC | 8,491 | 92 | 1.1x |
| Black Mountain, NC | 8,462 | 109 | 1.3x |