State relocation profile · Federal data
North Carolina
Cost of living, fair-market rent, wages, safety, schools and childcare for North Carolina from federal sources.
- 94.3
- Cost index (US=100)
- $1,160
- 2BR rent / mo
- $67,684
- Median salary
- 57.9
- Life Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, North Carolina ranks #9 of 51 scored US states on the composite Life Score (57.9/100, C-), with its strongest marks in safety and schools.
- #9 of 51
- Life Score among scored states
- 57.9
- Life Score · C-
- 94.3
- Cost of living (US=100)
- $67,684
- Median annual salary (BLS)
Weakest dimension: wages (34/100). State-level figures are a benchmark, individual metros can diverge sharply, so weigh each dimension against your own priorities.
According to PlainRelocate's state Life Score composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, and EPA inputs), North Carolina ranks #9 of 51 scored US states by Life Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 94.3 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,160/mo, median salary $67,684; Life Score 57.9/100 (C-), strongest in safety and schools.
Signature: Life Score 57.9/100 places North Carolina #9 of 51 (top third of scored states).
Purchasing power sits mid-band: BEA RPP 94.3 between corpus terciles 93.3 and 100.7. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent averages $1,160/mo statewide, against a BLS median salary of $67,684.
Composite Life Score 57.9/100 (C-) puts North Carolina in the top third (#9 of 51).
Metro book is dense (15 MSAs); drill a named metro before treating the state average as a destination.
Life Score plate
Sheet NC · North Carolina 57.9/100 · C- · #9 of 51
LIFE-CM · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · RPP-CHEAP · LEAD-SAFETY · BOOK-FULL
- LIFE-CM Life Score C-
- RANK-TOP #9/51
- PHOTO-FINISH ±0.0 pts
- RPP-CHEAP RPP 94.3
- LEAD-SAFETY Lead · safety
- BOOK-FULL 7/7 dims
Nearest Life Score peer: South Dakota (+ 0.0 pts)
Instrument codes from this state’s Life Score grade, corpus rank, peer gap, BEA RPP posture, lead dimension, and dimension book, not a moving recommendation.
Life Score neighbourhood around North Carolina
Lowest/highest poles plus states nearest North Carolina on composite Life Score. Full ladder: /rankings/.
North Carolina childcare costs
DOL state-average center rates for North Carolina (infant $9,487/yr leads the book).
North Carolina Life Score breakdown
North Carolina composites to 57.9/100 (C-) across 7 of 7 dimensions; corpus place #9 of 51.
North Carolina - Life Score dimensions
Percentile vs all US states (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Safety
Safety
94 /100
- Schools
Schools
70 /100
- Childcare
Childcare
66 /100
- Cost of living
Cost of living
60 /100
- Rent
Rent
52 /100
- Environment 36
Environment
36 /100
- Wages 34
Wages
34 /100
What this shows North Carolina's strongest dimensions are safety and schools; its weakest among scored dims is wages at 34/100. Each dimension is a federal-data percentile; the composite folds 7 of 7 into one comparable figure.
States near North Carolina on cost or Life Score
Nearest neighbors to North Carolina on BEA RPP or composite Life Score, a different lens than the in-state metro list below.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Metros in North Carolina
Explore detailed relocation data for 15 metropolitan areas in North Carolina. North Carolina contains 15 metropolitan statistical areas in our dataset - Asheville, Burlington, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia and more - each with its own rent, wage and crime profile that can diverge sharply from the statewide average.
Asheville metro · Compare metros · Cost vs quality · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
North Carolina cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; North Carolina wages and safety follow BLS OEWS and FBI UCR. Research use only, verify at the agency source before you move.