Mills River, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Mills River, NC Summary

Cost of living in Mills River 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 Mills River 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 Mills River is 110, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Mills River is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Mills River ranks as the #114 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Mills River ranks as the #3,657 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Mills River is $543,826.

  • The median income in Mills River is $88,359.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
110
Mills River's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Mills River, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Mills River has an overall cost of living index of 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Mills River has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Mills River ranks as #114 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Mills River ranks as the #43 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Mills River, check out:

114 out of 157
In North Carolina
3,657 out of 6,489
In America

Mills River Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Mills River is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Mills River is 97.

  • The Health index in Mills River is 111.

  • The Housing index in Mills River is 141.

  • The Transportation index in Mills River is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Mills River is 107.

Living Expense Mills River North Carolina National Average
Overall 110 92 100
Services 100 100 100
Groceries 97 99 100
Health 111 106 100
Housing 141 86 100
Transportation 93 93 100
Utilities 107 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Mills River Cost of Living Vs. NC

Mills River, 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 Mills River is $543,826.

  • The Median Rent in Mills River is $1,611.

  • The Median Income in Mills River is $88,359.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mills River is 6.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mills River is 0.22x.

Statistic Mills River North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $543,826 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,611 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $88,359 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.2x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.2x 0.21x
$543,826
Median Home Value
$1,611
Median Rent
$88,359
Median Income

Mills River, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Mills River Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Mills River North Carolina
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $13.07 $12.13
Bowling $15.89 $18
Haircut $28.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $48.22 $45.56

Detailed Mills River Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Mills River North Carolina
Ground Beef $6.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.61 $4.67
Potatoes $5.27 $4.93
Pizza $10.44 $12.09
Beer $10.44 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Mills River Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Mills River North Carolina
Optometrist $155.11 $125.68
Doctor $166.73 $135.78
Dentist $113.89 $113.29

Detailed Mills River Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Mills River North Carolina
Gasoline $3.29 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.99 $59.92

Detailed Mills River Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Mills River North Carolina
All Electricity $221.84 $193.99
Phone $186.82 $192.25

Mills River SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Mills River

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

  • Asheville, NC has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Mills River.

  • Hendersonville, NC has a cost of living index of 100, 0.9x Mills River.

  • Fletcher, NC has a cost of living index of 108, 1.0x Mills River.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Mills River
Asheville, NC 94,369 115 1.0x
Hendersonville, NC 15,253 100 0.9x
Fletcher, NC 8,022 108 1.0x
Woodfin, NC 7,957 110 1.0x
Brevard, NC 7,795 101 0.9x
Etowah, NC 7,765 103 0.9x

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