Tarboro, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Tarboro, NC Summary

Cost of living in Tarboro 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 Tarboro 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 Tarboro is 88, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Tarboro ranks as the #19 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Tarboro ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Tarboro is $157,720.

  • The median income in Tarboro is $49,386.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
88
Tarboro's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Tarboro, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Tarboro has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Tarboro ranks as #19 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Tarboro ranks as the #138 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Tarboro, check out:

19 out of 157
In North Carolina
912 out of 6,489
In America

Tarboro Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Tarboro is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Tarboro is 99.

  • The Health index in Tarboro is 110.

  • The Housing index in Tarboro is 73.

  • The Transportation index in Tarboro is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Tarboro is 98.

Living Expense Tarboro North Carolina National Average
Overall 88 92 100
Services 97 100 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 110 106 100
Housing 73 86 100
Transportation 95 93 100
Utilities 98 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Tarboro Cost of Living Vs. NC

Tarboro, 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 Tarboro is $157,720.

  • The Median Rent in Tarboro is $698.

  • The Median Income in Tarboro is $49,386.

  • The Home Value To Income in Tarboro is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Tarboro is 0.17x.

Statistic Tarboro North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $157,720 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $698 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $49,386 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.2x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.2x 0.21x
$157,720
Median Home Value
$698
Median Rent
$49,386
Median Income

Tarboro, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Tarboro Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Tarboro 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 Tarboro Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Tarboro 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 Tarboro Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Tarboro North Carolina
Optometrist $141.56 $125.68
Doctor $136.38 $135.78
Dentist $100.17 $113.29

Detailed Tarboro Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Tarboro North Carolina
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.55 $59.92

Detailed Tarboro Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Tarboro North Carolina
All Electricity $201.14 $193.99
Phone $187.32 $192.25

Tarboro SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
5
Affordability
7
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Tarboro

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

  • Greenville, NC has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Tarboro.

  • Rocky Mount, NC has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Tarboro.

  • Wilson, NC has a cost of living index of 95, 1.1x Tarboro.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Tarboro
Greenville, NC 88,540 96 1.1x
Rocky Mount, NC 54,175 87 1.0x
Wilson, NC 47,740 95 1.1x
Roanoke Rapids, NC 15,024 86 1.0x
Wendell, NC 11,585 102 1.2x
Winterville, NC 10,624 92 1.0x
Washington, NC 9,754 90 1.0x
Selma, NC 6,611 86 1.0x
Nashville, NC 5,672 94 1.1x
Williamston, NC 5,157 84 1.0x

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