Cost of living in Smithfield 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 Smithfield 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 Smithfield is 92, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Smithfield is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Smithfield ranks as the #47 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Smithfield ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Smithfield is $289,440.
The median income in Smithfield is $37,827.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Smithfield has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Smithfield has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Smithfield ranks as #47 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Smithfield ranks as the #110 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Smithfield, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Smithfield. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Smithfield is 98.
The Groceries index in Smithfield is 100.
The Health index in Smithfield is 112.
The Housing index in Smithfield is 75.
The Transportation index in Smithfield is 94.
The Utilities index in Smithfield is 99.
| Living Expense | Smithfield | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 98 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 75 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 99 | 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 Smithfield is $289,440.
The Median Rent in Smithfield is $601.
The Median Income in Smithfield is $37,827.
The Home Value To Income in Smithfield is 7.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Smithfield is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Smithfield | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $289,440 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $601 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $37,827 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.7x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Smithfield | 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 | Smithfield | 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 | Smithfield | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $141.56 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $136.38 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.17 | $113.29 |
| Item | Smithfield | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.45 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.55 | $59.92 |
| Item | Smithfield | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $201.14 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.32 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Smithfield. 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, 1.2x Smithfield.
Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.4x Smithfield.
Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.3x Smithfield.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, NC | 470,763 | 112 | 1.2x |
| Cary, NC | 176,686 | 125 | 1.4x |
| Apex, NC | 67,765 | 122 | 1.3x |
| Chapel Hill, NC | 59,889 | 129 | 1.4x |
| Wake Forest, NC | 51,199 | 117 | 1.3x |
| Holly Springs, NC | 43,429 | 125 | 1.4x |
| Garner, NC | 32,543 | 106 | 1.2x |
| Morrisville, NC | 30,471 | 120 | 1.3x |
| Clayton, NC | 28,043 | 103 | 1.1x |
| Carrboro, NC | 21,170 | 121 | 1.3x |