Cost of living in St. Stephens 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. Stephens 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. Stephens is 90, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in St. Stephens is 0.9x lower than the national average.
St. Stephens ranks as the #32 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
St. Stephens ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in St. Stephens is $240,469.
The median income in St. Stephens is $57,882.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, St. Stephens has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, St. Stephens has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in St. Stephens ranks as #32 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies St. Stephens ranks as the #125 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in St. Stephens, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in St. Stephens. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in St. Stephens is 91.
The Groceries index in St. Stephens is 99.
The Health index in St. Stephens is 94.
The Housing index in St. Stephens is 73.
The Transportation index in St. Stephens is 103.
The Utilities index in St. Stephens is 102.
| Living Expense | St. Stephens | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 91 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 73 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 103 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 102 | 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 St. Stephens is $240,469.
The Median Rent in St. Stephens is $864.
The Median Income in St. Stephens is $57,882.
The Home Value To Income in St. Stephens is 4.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in St. Stephens is 0.18x.
| Statistic | St. Stephens | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $240,469 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $864 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $57,882 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.2x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | St. Stephens | North 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 |
| Item | St. Stephens | North 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 |
| Item | St. Stephens | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $131.75 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.27 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $130.26 | $113.29 |
| Item | St. Stephens | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.19 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $57.92 | $59.92 |
| Item | St. Stephens | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $160.96 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.97 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around St. Stephens. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Hickory, NC has a cost of living index of 99, 1.1x St. Stephens.
Lenoir, NC has a cost of living index of 85, 0.9x St. Stephens.
Newton, NC has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x St. Stephens.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. St. Stephens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory, NC | 43,747 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Lenoir, NC | 18,282 | 85 | 0.9x |
| Newton, NC | 13,223 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Lake Norman of Catawba, NC | 9,308 | 121 | 1.3x |
| Conover, NC | 8,491 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Sawmills, NC | 5,027 | 90 | 1.0x |