Waynesville, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-23

Cost Of Living In Waynesville, NC Summary

Cost of living in Waynesville 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 Waynesville 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 Waynesville is 96, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Waynesville is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Waynesville ranks as the #71 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Waynesville ranks as the #2,104 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Waynesville is $365,590.

  • The median income in Waynesville is $50,554.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
96
Waynesville's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Waynesville, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Waynesville has an overall cost of living index of 96, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Waynesville has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Carolina's index of 96.

The standard of living in Waynesville ranks as #71 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Waynesville ranks as the #86 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Waynesville, check out:

71 out of 157
In North Carolina
2,104 out of 6,489
In America

Waynesville Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Waynesville is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Waynesville is 99.

  • The Health index in Waynesville is 110.

  • The Housing index in Waynesville is 87.

  • The Transportation index in Waynesville is 91.

  • The Utilities index in Waynesville is 107.

Living Expense Waynesville North Carolina National Average
Overall 96 96 100
Services 102 99 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 110 106 100
Housing 87 86 100
Transportation 91 91 100
Utilities 107 92 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Waynesville Cost of Living Vs. NC

Waynesville, 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 Waynesville is $365,590.

  • The Median Rent in Waynesville is $1,105.

  • The Median Income in Waynesville is $50,554.

  • The Home Value To Income in Waynesville is 7.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Waynesville is 0.26x.

Statistic Waynesville North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $365,590 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,105 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $50,554 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.2x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.2x 0.21x
$365,590
Median Home Value
$1,105
Median Rent
$50,554
Median Income

Waynesville, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Waynesville Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Waynesville North Carolina
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $13.07 $12.13
Bowling $15.89 $18.0
Haircut $28.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $48.22 $45.56

Detailed Waynesville Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Waynesville North Carolina
Ground Beef $6.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.61 $4.67
Potatoes $5.27 $4.93
Pizza $10.44 $12.09
Beer $10.44 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Waynesville Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Waynesville North Carolina
Optometrist $155.11 $125.68
Doctor $166.73 $135.78
Dentist $113.89 $113.29

Detailed Waynesville Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Waynesville North Carolina
Gasoline $3.29 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.99 $59.92

Detailed Waynesville Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Waynesville North Carolina
All Electricity $221.84 $193.99
Phone $186.82 $192.25

Waynesville SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
7
Affordability
5
Diversity
6
Safety
3
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Waynesville

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

  • Asheville, NC has a cost of living index of 115, 1.2x Waynesville.

  • Sevierville, TN has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Waynesville.

  • Hendersonville, NC has a cost of living index of 100, 1.0x Waynesville.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Waynesville
Asheville, NC 94,369 115 1.2x
Sevierville, TN 18,105 96 1.0x
Hendersonville, NC 15,253 100 1.0x
Black Mountain, NC 8,462 109 1.1x
Fletcher, NC 8,022 108 1.1x
Woodfin, NC 7,957 110 1.1x
Brevard, NC 7,795 101 1.1x
Etowah, NC 7,765 103 1.1x
Cullowhee, NC 7,300 109 1.1x
Mills River, NC 7,214 110 1.1x

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