Cost of living in Rocky Mount 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 Rocky Mount 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 Rocky Mount is 87, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Rocky Mount is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Rocky Mount ranks as the #17 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Rocky Mount ranks as the #777 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Rocky Mount is $187,268.
The median income in Rocky Mount is $52,927.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rocky Mount has an overall cost of living index of 87, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Rocky Mount has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Rocky Mount ranks as #17 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Rocky Mount ranks as the #140 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Rocky Mount, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Rocky Mount. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Rocky Mount is 101.
The Groceries index in Rocky Mount is 96.
The Health index in Rocky Mount is 113.
The Housing index in Rocky Mount is 67.
The Transportation index in Rocky Mount is 92.
The Utilities index in Rocky Mount is 97.
| Living Expense | Rocky Mount | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 87 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 113 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 67 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 92 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 97 | 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 Rocky Mount is $187,268.
The Median Rent in Rocky Mount is $919.
The Median Income in Rocky Mount is $52,927.
The Home Value To Income in Rocky Mount is 3.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Rocky Mount is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Rocky Mount | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $187,268 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $919 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $52,927 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.5x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Rocky Mount | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.09 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.27 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $11.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $19.0 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $29.58 | $45.56 |
| Item | Rocky Mount | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.93 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.59 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.57 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.18 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.47 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.29 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.65 | $3.7 |
| Item | Rocky Mount | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $141.56 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $136.38 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.17 | $113.29 |
| Item | Rocky Mount | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.45 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.55 | $59.92 |
| Item | Rocky Mount | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $201.14 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.32 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Rocky Mount. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Raleigh, NC has a cost of living index of 112, 1.3x Rocky Mount.
Greenville, NC has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Rocky Mount.
Wake Forest, NC has a cost of living index of 117, 1.3x Rocky Mount.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Rocky Mount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, NC | 470,763 | 112 | 1.3x |
| Greenville, NC | 88,540 | 96 | 1.1x |
| Wake Forest, NC | 51,199 | 117 | 1.3x |
| Garner, NC | 32,543 | 106 | 1.2x |
| Clayton, NC | 28,043 | 103 | 1.2x |
| Knightdale, NC | 19,532 | 105 | 1.2x |
| Roanoke Rapids, NC | 15,024 | 86 | 1.0x |
| Wendell, NC | 11,585 | 102 | 1.2x |
| Tarboro, NC | 10,705 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Winterville, NC | 10,624 | 92 | 1.1x |