Oak Ridge, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Oak Ridge, NC Summary

Cost of living in Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge is 135, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Oak Ridge is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Oak Ridge ranks as the #154 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Oak Ridge ranks as the #5,216 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Oak Ridge is $577,411.

  • The median income in Oak Ridge is $140,583.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
135
Oak Ridge's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Oak Ridge, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Oak Ridge has an overall cost of living index of 135, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Oak Ridge has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Oak Ridge ranks as #154 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Oak Ridge ranks as the #3 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Oak Ridge, check out:

154 out of 157
In North Carolina
5,216 out of 6,489
In America

Oak Ridge Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Oak Ridge is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Oak Ridge is 98.

  • The Health index in Oak Ridge is 112.

  • The Housing index in Oak Ridge is 215.

  • The Transportation index in Oak Ridge is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Oak Ridge is 91.

Living Expense Oak Ridge North Carolina National Average
Overall 135 92 100
Services 104 100 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 112 106 100
Housing 215 86 100
Transportation 92 93 100
Utilities 91 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Oak Ridge Cost of Living Vs. NC

Oak Ridge, 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 Oak Ridge is $577,411.

  • The Median Rent in Oak Ridge is -.

  • The Median Income in Oak Ridge is $140,583.

  • The Home Value To Income in Oak Ridge is 4.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Oak Ridge is nanx.

Statistic Oak Ridge North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $577,411 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent - $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $140,583 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.1x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income nanx 0.2x 0.21x
$577,411
Median Home Value
-
Median Rent
$140,583
Median Income

Oak Ridge, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Oak Ridge Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Ridge North Carolina
Shampoo $1.25 $1.28
Movie $11.58 $12.13
Bowling $20.0 $18
Haircut $22.17 $24.26
Beauty Salon $52.72 $45.56

Detailed Oak Ridge Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Ridge North Carolina
Ground Beef $5.81 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $5.01 $4.93
Pizza $11.34 $12.09
Beer $10.17 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed Oak Ridge Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Ridge North Carolina
Optometrist $147.25 $125.68
Doctor $157.28 $135.78
Dentist $126.56 $113.29

Detailed Oak Ridge Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Ridge North Carolina
Gasoline $3.31 $3.46
Tire Balancing $48.78 $59.92

Detailed Oak Ridge Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Ridge North Carolina
All Electricity $163.41 $193.99
Phone $186.82 $192.25

Oak Ridge SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
1
Affordability
1
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
6
Education
9.5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Oak Ridge

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

  • Greensboro, NC has a cost of living index of 91, 0.7x Oak Ridge.

  • Winston-Salem, NC has a cost of living index of 93, 0.7x Oak Ridge.

  • High Point, NC has a cost of living index of 91, 0.7x Oak Ridge.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Oak Ridge
Greensboro, NC 298,564 91 0.7x
Winston-Salem, NC 250,887 93 0.7x
High Point, NC 115,263 91 0.7x
Kernersville, NC 27,439 102 0.8x
Jamestown, ND 15,774 90 0.7x
Archdale, NC 11,992 89 0.7x
Summerfield, NC 11,031 121 0.9x
Stokesdale, NC 5,943 104 0.8x

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