St. James, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In St. James, NC Summary

Cost of living in St. James 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 St. James 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 St. James is 140, with 100 being the average.

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

  • St. James ranks as the #155 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • St. James ranks as the #5,404 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in St. James is $698,330.

  • The median income in St. James is $113,670.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
140
St. James's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in St. James, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, St. James has an overall cost of living index of 140, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in St. James ranks as #155 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies St. James ranks as the #2 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in St. James, check out:

155 out of 157
In North Carolina
5,404 out of 6,489
In America

St. James Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in St. James is 101.

  • The Groceries index in St. James is 99.

  • The Health index in St. James is 113.

  • The Housing index in St. James is 234.

  • The Transportation index in St. James is 94.

  • The Utilities index in St. James is 96.

Living Expense St. James North Carolina National Average
Overall 140 92 100
Services 101 100 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 113 106 100
Housing 234 86 100
Transportation 94 93 100
Utilities 96 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
St. James Cost of Living Vs. NC

St. James, 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 St. James is $698,330.

  • The Median Rent in St. James is $2,258.

  • The Median Income in St. James is $113,670.

  • The Home Value To Income in St. James is 6.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in St. James is 0.24x.

Statistic St. James North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $698,330 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $2,258 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $113,670 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.1x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.2x 0.21x
$698,330
Median Home Value
$2,258
Median Rent
$113,670
Median Income

St. James, NC Costs By Category

Detailed St. James Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item St. James 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

Detailed St. James Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item St. James 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

Detailed St. James Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item St. James North Carolina
Optometrist $141.56 $125.68
Doctor $136.38 $135.78
Dentist $100.17 $113.29

Detailed St. James Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item St. James North Carolina
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.55 $59.92

Detailed St. James Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item St. James North Carolina
All Electricity $201.14 $193.99
Phone $187.32 $192.25

St. James SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
4
Safety
N/A
Amenities
6
Education
10
Commute
2

Cost Of Living In Cities Around St. James

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

  • Leland, NC has a cost of living index of 111, 0.8x St. James.

  • Myrtle Grove, NC has a cost of living index of 115, 0.8x St. James.

  • Oak Island, NC has a cost of living index of 109, 0.8x St. James.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. St. James
Leland, NC 26,307 111 0.8x
Myrtle Grove, NC 12,404 115 0.8x
Oak Island, NC 8,888 109 0.8x
Carolina Beach, NC 6,665 122 0.9x
Silver Lake, NC 6,242 99 0.7x
Boiling Spring Lakes, NC 6,206 101 0.7x

Articles About North Carolina

Enjoy The Snack?