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Relocation profile · Federal data

Goldsboro, NC

BEA RPP 88.5 ranks #64 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

88.5
Cost index (US=100)
$1,244
2BR rent / mo
$56,464
Median salary
57.9
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Goldsboro ranks #86 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (57.9/100), with its strongest marks in safety and climate.

#86
of 387 US metros · Above median
11,046,024
metro-area population
365
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
2,703
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: job market (7/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Goldsboro ranks #86 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 88.5 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,244/mo, median salary $56,464; LiveAbility Score 57.9/100, strongest in safety and climate.

Signature: BEA RPP 88.5 ranks #64 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 88.5 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,244/mo.

LiveAbility 57.9/100 puts Goldsboro in the top third (#86 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Goldsboro area is 34,170.

Goldsboro vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

58 Top 22% higher than 78% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Goldsboro housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Goldsboro MSA; housing RPP 57.7 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,244/mo.

Studio
$942
/month
1 Bedroom
$948
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,244
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,496
/month
4 Bedroom
$2,021
/month

Goldsboro wages and employment

Goldsboro posts 34,170 total employment with median salary $56,464 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$56,464
Mean Salary
$59,609
Total Employment
34,170

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Retail Salespersons $29,960
Cashiers $27,170
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $38,300
Cooks, Fast Food $22,510
Stockers and Order Fillers $33,850

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Goldsboro area from NCES.

Schools
2,703
Enrollment
1,544,406
Student:Teacher
15.8:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Goldsboro area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$9,487
per year
Toddler (Center)
$7,856
per year
Preschool (Center)
$6,548
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Goldsboro's composite Life Score is 56.3/100 (C-), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
84/100
Elite
Wages
6/100
Bottom decile
Rent
58/100
Above average
Crime
95/100
Elite
Schools
59/100
Above average
Childcare
59/100
Above average
Environment
35/100
Below average

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Goldsboro ranks #86 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 57.9/100 - a composite of 7 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data (missing dims omitted; remaining weights renormalized). Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Safety (95/100)

Goldsboro - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Goldsboro's strongest dimensions are safety and climate; its weakest among scored dims is job market at 7/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%; this metro uses 7 of 8 dims with renormalized weights.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Goldsboro to

Lynchburg Macon-Bibb County Madison Manchester-Nashua Manhattan Mankato

Metros near Goldsboro on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Goldsboro on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Goldsboro cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Goldsboro wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Goldsboro?

Goldsboro runs a $56,464 median salary at a 88.5 cost index, ranking #86 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Goldsboro's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Goldsboro head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Goldsboro
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.