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North Carolina

R+3  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 94

B+

4.5%

Income Tax

398

Violent Crime / 100K

75.7

Life Expectancy

$335K

Median Home

$1,050

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

59/100
255075100TAXES69SAFETY57HEALTH55SCHOOLS43AFFORDABLE82LONGEVITY48

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Taxes

Income Tax

Flat rate, reducing toward 3.99% by 2026

4.5% flat

Property Tax

~$2,345/yr on median home

0.7% / yr

Sales Tax

7% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

94

Median Home Price

$335,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,450/mo

Home Insurance

Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)

$1,900/yr

Flood Insurance

$1,000/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

$35,000

Asset Protection

Weak

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

398 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

2,226 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

12.7 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

#23 of 50

Life Expectancy

75.7 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

11.8%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

#29 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,050/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$135/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$460/mo

Road Quality Rank

#14 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

175+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Top-25 US airport by passengers

Yes

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mix of urban and rural

66% urban

Restaurant Density

430/100K

Religious Congregations

225/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

3 teams

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

7 venues

Craft Breweries

3.5/100K residents — Solid scene

370 breweries

Craft Distilleries

Strong spirits scene

90 distilleries

Live Music

Asheville craft beer mecca; Charlotte/Raleigh growing; Wicked Weed and Burial nationally known

Strong

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,390

Traffic Fatality Rate

12.7 / 100K

Broadband Access

84% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

12-week ban with exceptions

Limited

LGBTQ+ Protections

Limited

Marijuana

Illegal

Minimum Wage

$7.25/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

Tribal casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

Harrah's Cherokee casinos (Tribal). Sports betting launched 2024.

Yes

Age of Consent

16

Sex Education

Sex ed required by state

Abstinence-plus

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Whispering Pines (Raleigh area) · Paradise Lake Resort · Heliotrope Club

Active scene

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

36

Natural Disaster Risk

High

Primary Hazards

hurricanetornadoflood

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+3

Gun Laws

Gun ControlC+
2A LibertyC+

Carry Permit

Shall-issue

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+2.5% job growth · 3.5% unemployment

Strong

Top Industries

TechnologyHealthcareFinance

Tech Jobs

Strong tech presence

#15 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#17 of 50

Remote Work

22% of workers

Median Household Income

$69,674

Business Climate

Corporate Income Tax

2.5%

LLC Formation Fee

$125 one-time

LLC Annual Fee

$202/yr

Business Climate Rank

#17 of 50

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Well below avg (-0.26 vs national avg)

$3.04/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Consumer fireworks legal; some county restrictions

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 51°F

Mild

Summer Heat

Moderate summers

89°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

50" / yr

Tornado Risk

Low

Hurricane Risk

Moderate

Wildfire Risk

Low

Flood Risk

Moderate

Natural Hazards

54HIGH danger
Hurricane HIGHCopperhead density significantBrown recluse zoneEEE risk

Venomous Snakes

High

Spider Hazard

Brown Recluse Zone

Hurricane Risk

High

Tornado Risk

Moderate

Wildfire Risk

Moderate

Earthquake Risk

Low

Armadillo Leprosy Risk

Moderate

Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

8.5% of state population are veterans

84/100

Property Tax Exemption

100% disabled: full property tax exempt

Partial

Military Retirement Pay

Tax Exempt

Active Duty Pay

Tax Exempt

VA Facilities Access

Excellent

Notable Benefits

Military retirement fully exempt since 2021

Explore North Carolina counties

Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county

Explore Counties

See your full cost of living in North Carolina

Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.

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Compare Similar States

NC vs SC

North Carolina vs South Carolina

COL 94 vs 93 · 4.5% vs 6.2% income tax

Full comparison →

NC vs SD

North Carolina vs South Dakota

COL 94 vs 95 · 4.5% vs No income tax

Full comparison →

NC vs WI

North Carolina vs Wisconsin

COL 94 vs 93 · 4.5% vs 7.65% income tax

Full comparison →

NC vs ID

North Carolina vs Idaho

COL 94 vs 96 · 4.5% vs 5.8% income tax

Full comparison →

Trending in North Carolina

As end of session looms, NC Republican leaders push back expected budget date - NC Newsline

NC Newsline · Jun 9

Property tax freeze earns tentative approval from NC House - WRAL

WRAL · Jun 9

More Play, Lower State Taxes: The Jock Tax Math Behind the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup Run - Poole College of Management

Poole College of Management · Jun 8

Gov. Stein urges NC lawmakers to finalize state budget as deadline nears - WLOS

WLOS · May 27

North Carolina teacher unions among weakest in the country, report finds - Daily Tar Heel

Daily Tar Heel · Jun 10

What Residents Say

Considering a Move to North Carolina - Seeking Insights ...

What's the average cost of living in different areas of North Carolina? Can you share typical salary ranges for different professions or industries?...

reddit.com ↗

"Hidden" costs of living in NC? : r/NorthCarolina

The inspection cost isn't that bad. It's $30 a year. What costs money is the annual property tax you pay on your car for the registration....

reddit.com ↗

$130k in Charlotte vs $110k in Florida ? : r/NorthCarolina

Folks I ve been living in Tampa since four years and have secured job offer from company located in Charlotte North Carolina paying around 130 K as a ......

reddit.com ↗

Should I move to South Carolina or North ...

North Carolina has higher taxes - depends ... I would probably prefer NC if they had SC prices, taxes, and just less regulation in general....

reddit.com ↗

Moving to NC question : r/NorthCarolina

Unless you are shifting entirely to living rurally, moving to NC to avoid tax increases is just a few-year move before you do it again....

reddit.com ↗

Just moved here,came from California thinking things ...

Income tax in California at 15$/hr at current tax brackets vs 2022 NC income tax,saves you a literally a whopping 41.90$ a year on taxes. To ......

reddit.com ↗

Anyone living in Connecticut in a similar situation?

Taxes: North Carolina's flat state income tax rate (4.5%) is lower ... Asheville has highest cost of living of North Carolina cities, report says....

reddit.com ↗

Considering a move to NC : r/NorthCarolina

Trying to gather information on a few things . What are some unexpected costs I can expect coming from NY? What is this vehicle property tax?...

reddit.com ↗

Cost of living : r/raleigh

50-55k after taxes is perfectly doable, yes, even without a roommate....

reddit.com ↗

So… Where Are We Supposed to Live in North Carolina?

I mapped North Carolina counties by comparing median home values to median household income. The result is a rough affordability ratio. Not a ......

reddit.com ↗

Stay Current

Get notified when North Carolina tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

North Carolina Guides

relocation

Moving to North Carolina: The Research Triangle Effect

North Carolina's flat income tax dropped to 3.99% in 2026, and the Research Triangle is pulling in w

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

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Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable