North Carolina events › Living › Relocating
Relocating to North Carolina: the state has about 10,730,404 people, median household income $72,388 and median gross rent $1,228 (Census ACS 2020-2024). The 12 larger metros differ widely, so compare them in one table, then follow the checklist.
- State Population10,730,404ACS 2020-2024
- Metros Compared12larger NC metros
- State Price Level94.3U.S. = 100
- State Rent Share29.5%of income, median
Metros Side by Side
| Metro | Population | Median Household Income | Median Gross Rent | Median Home Value | Price Level (U.S. = 100) | Unemployment, Preliminary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 2,768,407 | $83,304 ±782 | $1,473 ±12 | $356,400 ±2,179 | 97.3 | 3.7% |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 1,787,235 | $82,330 ±711 | $1,478 ±13 | $340,900 ±2,129 | 97.9 | – |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 1,487,302 | $100,103 ±1,230 | $1,573 ±16 | $418,400 ±3,660 | 98.2 | 3.1% |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 786,419 | $65,565 ±1,248 | $1,093 ±13 | $231,000 ±2,939 | 92.9 | 4.0% |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 689,766 | $65,975 ±1,052 | $1,016 ±18 | $233,300 ±2,675 | 92.0 | 3.7% |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 601,724 | $83,500 ±1,552 | $1,466 ±20 | $396,100 ±5,100 | 97.6 | 3.3% |
| Wilmington, NC | 453,347 | $76,471 ±1,635 | $1,389 ±28 | $362,400 ±4,221 | 96.4 | 3.5% |
| Asheville, NC | 414,711 | $71,838 ±1,824 | $1,296 ±34 | $370,900 ±5,777 | 96.5 | 3.1% |
| Fayetteville, NC | 392,380 | $61,763 ±932 | $1,212 ±15 | $202,700 ±3,270 | 92.0 | 4.6% |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 368,316 | $62,787 ±1,624 | $869 ±18 | $215,600 ±3,256 | 88.5 | – |
| Jacksonville, NC | 207,906 | $68,148 ±2,456 | $1,265 ±40 | $236,400 ±5,122 | 92.1 | – |
| Greenville, NC | 177,193 | $58,188 ±2,075 | $993 ±21 | $208,900 ±7,837 | 88.4 | – |
Each ACS figure is an estimate with a 90 percent margin of error, shown as ± beside it. Price level is BEA 2024. Unemployment is the BLS rate for the month shown on the jobs page; metros BLS does not list there show a dash. Metros are Census/OMB areas, not city limits.
Next Steps
- Cost of Living by MetroBEA price parities with Census rent, income and home valuesPrices
- Rent and Home Prices by CityCensus rent, home value and income for the larger citiesCities
- Jobs and UnemploymentBLS unemployment rates for the state and eight metrosJobs
- New Resident ChecklistDriver license, registration, voting, taxes, schoolsChecklist
Visiting first? The visitor guide and the state park pages show the regions, and the event finder shows what is on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which North Carolina metro is cheapest?
On BEA’s 2024 all-items index the lowest metro on the cost page is the one with the smallest number; open the cost of living page for the ranked bars. Price level is not the same as what your household pays.
What do I do first after moving?
The new resident checklist lists the state agency steps with each agency’s own wording.
What We Could Not Confirm
- We do not rate schools, neighborhoods or safety, and we hold no data on any individual’s situation.
- Moving costs, utility bills and property tax rates by county are not in this section.
Sources
- Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-year, B01003 total population
- Census Bureau ACS, B19013 median household income
- Census Bureau ACS, B25064 median gross rent
- Census Bureau ACS, B25077 median home value
- BEA regional price parities by metro, MARPP (2024)
- BLS metro area unemployment table
Read on October 27, 2026. Each ACS figure is an estimate with a 90 percent margin of error, shown as ± beside it. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “Relocating to North Carolina”, itsnorthcarolina.com/living/relocation/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.