What it costs to live here, and how good a place it is to live, in plain numbers.
Best place to live rank
#10
10th out of 50 states overall.
Better than most states for overall quality of life.
How we rank states ›Cost to live here
#24
24th cheapest state, about 5% below average.
To live the way $75,000 affords in an average state, you would need about $71,000 here.
How we measure cost ›North Carolina ranks 10th of 50 states for overall quality of life and 24th for affordability. It does best on climate, economy, and dog friendly, and struggles most with walkability, education, and healthcare. A typical household earns about $64,400 a year, and the cost of living runs about 5% below average.
Our Best Life Rank scores every state on the things that shape daily life, from cost and climate to schools and safety. Here is how North Carolina scores on each, best to worst.
Each factor is ranked 1 (best) to 50 (worst) across all states. Green is strong, yellow is middling, red is weak.
Typical household income
$64,400
37th highest
Typical home price
$332,000
26th highest
Overall cost of living
5% below average
24th cheapest
Total taxes on a typical household
About 8%
31st highest income tax
Typical commute
About 25 min
one way
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