Salisbury, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Salisbury, NC Summary

Cost of living in Salisbury 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 Salisbury 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 Salisbury is 90, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Salisbury ranks as the #32 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Salisbury ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Salisbury is $276,086.

  • The median income in Salisbury is $51,058.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
90
Salisbury's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Salisbury, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Salisbury has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Salisbury ranks as #32 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Salisbury ranks as the #125 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Salisbury, check out:

32 out of 157
In North Carolina
1,206 out of 6,489
In America

Salisbury Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Salisbury is 92.

  • The Groceries index in Salisbury is 98.

  • The Health index in Salisbury is 96.

  • The Housing index in Salisbury is 80.

  • The Transportation index in Salisbury is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Salisbury is 102.

Living ExpenseSalisburyNorth CarolinaNational Average
Overall9092100
Services92100100
Groceries9899100
Health96106100
Housing8086100
Transportation10293100
Utilities10295100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Salisbury Cost of Living Vs. NC

Salisbury, 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 Salisbury is $276,086.

  • The Median Rent in Salisbury is $1,030.

  • The Median Income in Salisbury is $51,058.

  • The Home Value To Income in Salisbury is 5.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Salisbury is 0.24x.

StatisticSalisburyNorth CarolinaUnited States
Median Home Value$276,086$332,681$303,400
Median Rent$1,030$1,162$1,348
Median Income$51,058$69,904$78,538
Home Value To Income5.4x4.8x3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income0.24x0.2x0.21x
$276,086
Median Home Value
$1,030
Median Rent
$51,058
Median Income

Salisbury, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Salisbury Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

ItemSalisburyNorth 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

Detailed Salisbury Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

ItemSalisburyNorth 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

Detailed Salisbury Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

ItemSalisburyNorth Carolina
Optometrist$131.75$125.68
Doctor$157.27$135.78
Dentist$130.26$113.29

Detailed Salisbury Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

ItemSalisburyNorth Carolina
Gasoline$3.19$3.46
Tire Balancing$57.92$59.92

Detailed Salisbury Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

ItemSalisburyNorth Carolina
All Electricity$160.96$193.99
Phone$187.97$192.25

Salisbury SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
9.5
Safety
3
Amenities
8.5
Education
7
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Salisbury

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

  • Indian Trail, NC has a cost of living index of 113, 1.3x Salisbury.

  • Cornelius, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.4x Salisbury.

  • Matthews, NC has a cost of living index of 113, 1.3x Salisbury.

CityPopulationCost Of LivingVs. Salisbury
Indian Trail, NC41,1461131.3x
Cornelius, NC32,0091221.4x
Matthews, NC29,9591131.3x
Clemmons, NC21,5741041.2x
Harrisburg, NC19,2031221.4x
Stallings, NC16,4951151.3x
Davidson, NC14,8521331.5x
Weddington, NC13,4681481.6x
Wesley Chapel, NC8,9231271.4x
Marvin, NC6,5421802.0x

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