These Are The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina For 2018

A wise sage once said:

‘She works hard for the money…’

And these places in North Carolina definitely treat her right.

You see, these are the places in North Carolina where the cost of living is the lowest; where your salary goes the furthest. And when if you have the luxury of choosing where to live in the Tar Heel State, then the cost of living should play a role in the decision.

So we did the hard for you and crunched the numbers to find the cities that have lower food, energy, and housing costs. After the dust settled on our analysis of the 133 largest places in North Carolina, we were left with this set of the best value for your money.

Here are the 10 cheapest places to live in North Carolina for 2018:

1. Eden (Photos | Homes For Sale)
2. Siler City (Photos | Homes For Sale)
3. Graham (Homes For Sale)
4. Burlington (Photos | Homes For Sale)
5. Greensboro (Photos | Homes For Sale)
6. Gibsonville (Photos | Homes For Sale)
7. Selma (Photos | Homes For Sale)
8. Mebane (Homes For Sale)
9. Tarboro (Homes For Sale)
10. Henderson (Photos | Homes For Sale)

So listen up Carolina Beach (the most expensive place in North Carolina) as we explain how we created this ranking. You could learn some things from the rest of the state.

And if you already knew these places were cheap, check out the best places to live in North Carolina or the most expensive.

How We Determined The Cheapest Places To Live In The Tar Heel State For 2018

There are basic necessities that you have to buy no matter where in the country you live. Those things include:

• Housing
• Food
• Gas
• Health Insurance
• Utilities
• Transportation

You can then compare the cost of these things in each of the places in North Carolina to figure out which is the least expensive.

What you are left with is a ‘Cost of Living Index’ that normalizes to 100 for an average place in the United States.

So we used that cost of living index in order to rank all of the 133 places in North Carolina that have more than 5,000 people.

And just so you can better understand how the cost of living index works, 100 is the average cost of a place in the United States. A score of 90 means that the place cost 10% less than average. A score of 90 means it’s 10% less expensive.

San Francisco has a score of 243 meaning it’s almost 2.5 times as expensive as the average place in the country.

1. Eden

Population: 15,488
Services: 96
Groceries: 96
Health Care: 88
Housing: 52
Transportation: 90
Utilities: 80
More on Eden: Homes For Sale | Data
Eden is a city in Rockingham County, North Carolina in the Piedmont area of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 15,527 at the 2010 census. From the late nineteenth century through much of the 20th, the city was a center of textile mills and manufacturing. The city was incorporated in 1967 through the consolidation of three separate towns: Leaksville, Spray, and Draper. The phone Area code is area code 336.

2. Siler City

Population: 7,967
Services: 94
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 61
Transportation: 100
Utilities: 95
More on Siler City: Homes For Sale | Data
Siler City is a town in Chatham County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town’s population was 7,887. The population was estimated to be 8,169 in 2013.

3. Graham

Population: 14,152
Services: 94
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 70
Transportation: 100
Utilities: 95
More on Graham: Homes For Sale | Data
Graham is a city in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census the population was 14,153. It is the county seat of Alamance County.

4. Burlington

Population: 50,355
Services: 94
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 74
Transportation: 100
Utilities: 95
More on Burlington: Homes For Sale | Data
Burlington is a city in Alamance County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Alamance County, in which most of the city is located, and is a part of the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point CSA. The population was 50,042 at the 2010 census, which makes Burlington the 17th largest city in North Carolina. The Metropolitan Statistical Area population was over 150,000 in 2010.

5. Greensboro

Population: 270,619
Services: 94
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 81
Transportation: 100
Utilities: 95
More on Greensboro: Homes For Sale | Data
Greensboro (/rinzbro/ ( listen); formerly Greensborough) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the 3rd-most populous city in North Carolina, the 68th-most populous city in the United States, and the county seat and largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 269,666, and in 2015 the estimated population was 285,342. Three major interstate highways (Interstate 85, Interstate 40 and Interstate 73) in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina were built to intersect at this city.

6. Gibsonville

Population: 6,377
Services: 94
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 84
Transportation: 100
Utilities: 95
More on Gibsonville: Homes For Sale | Data
Gibsonville (“City of Roses”) is a city in both Alamance County and Guilford County, U.S. state of North Carolina. Most of Gibsonville is situated in the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point Combined Statistical Area while the eastern portion is in the Greensboro-High Point, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area, encompassing all of Alamance County. According to 2010 Census, population of Gibsonville was 6,410.

7. Selma

Population: 6,125
Services: 100
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 56
Transportation: 99
Utilities: 98
More on Selma: Homes For Sale | Data
Selma is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. In 2010, the population was 6,073. Selma is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary Combined Statistical Area, and the Raleigh-Cary Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area has a population over 1.7 million residents, though the town of Selma is able to maintain its rural character. The Everitt P. Stevens House, located in Selma, was the site of the last Grand Review of the Confederate Army held on April 6, 1865, after its defeat at the Battle of Bentonville.

8. Mebane

Population: 11,502
Services: 94
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 89
Transportation: 100
Utilities: 95
More on Mebane: Homes For Sale | Data
Mebane /mbn/ is a city located mostly in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States, and partly in Orange County, North Carolina. The town was named for Alexander Mebane, an American Revolutionary War general and member of the U.S. Congress. It was incorporated as ‘Mebanesville’ in 1881, and in 1883 the name was changed to ‘Mebane’. It was incorporated as a city in 1987. The population as of the 2010 census was 11,393. Mebane is one of the fastest growing municipalities in North Carolina.

9. Tarboro

Population: 11,401
Services: 100
Groceries: 100
Health Care: 99
Housing: 59
Transportation: 99
Utilities: 98
More on Tarboro: Homes For Sale | Data
Tarboro (pronunciation: /tr.br/) is a town located in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 11,415. It is the county seat of Edgecombe County. Tarboro is located near the western edge of North Carolina’s coastal plain. It has many historical churches, some dating from the early 19th century.

10. Henderson

Population: 15,389
Services: 97
Groceries: 96
Health Care: 101
Housing: 66
Transportation: 111
Utilities: 88
More on Henderson: Homes For Sale | Data
Henderson, a city with a population of 15,368 at the 2010 census, is the county seat of Vance County, North Carolina, United States.

There You Have It Mr. Or Mrs. Cheapskate

If you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in North Carolina, this is an accurate list of the cheapest places to call home.

Detailed List Of The Cheapest Places In North Carolina

City	Rank	Population	Services	Groceries	Health Care
Eden	1	15,488	96	96	88
Siler City	2	7,967	94	100	99
Graham	3	14,152	94	100	99
Burlington	4	50,355	94	100	99
Greensboro	5	270,619	94	100	99
Gibsonville	6	6,377	94	100	99
Selma	7	6,125	100	100	99
Mebane	8	11,502	94	100	99
Tarboro	9	11,401	100	100	99
Henderson	10	15,389	97	96	101
Kinston	11	21,746	100	100	99
Thomasville	12	26,760	91	102	111
Lexington	13	19,038	91	102	111
Dunn	14	9,310	100	100	99
Clinton	15	8,640	100	100	99
Roanoke Rapids	16	15,783	100	100	99
Rocky Mount	17	57,523	100	100	99
Asheboro	18	25,109	91	102	111
Goldsboro	19	36,738	100	100	99
Butner	20	7,566	97	96	101
Spring Lake	21	12,465	100	100	99
Trinity	22	6,639	91	102	111
Oxford	23	8,518	97	96	101
Salisbury	24	33,548	91	102	111
Smithfield	25	11,118	100	100	99
Elon	26	9,354	94	100	99
Hope Mills	27	15,139	100	100	99
Nashville	28	5,319	100	100	99
Sanford	29	28,081	100	100	99
Archdale	30	11,205	91	102	111
Fayetteville	31	200,439	100	100	99
Wilson	32	49,086	100	100	99
Wendell	33	5,892	100	100	99
Greenville	34	84,445	100	100	99
High Point	35	104,394	91	102	111
Ahoskie	36	5,074	104	91	109
Hamlet	37	6,554	97	100	101
Roxboro	38	8,400	112	102	93
Durham	39	229,963	97	96	101
Aberdeen	40	6,311	100	100	99
Clayton	41	16,078	100	100	99
Rockingham	42	9,524	97	100	101
Hillsborough	43	6,114	97	96	101
Sawmills	44	5,200	97	100	101
Wadesboro	45	5,795	97	100	101
Garner	46	25,784	100	100	99
Winterville	47	9,117	100	100	99
Knightdale	48	11,567	100	100	99
Reidsville	49	14,463	112	102	93
Bessemer City	50	5,372	97	100	101
Fuquay-Varina	51	18,143	100	100	99
Kings Mountain	52	10,835	97	100	101
Shelby	53	20,331	97	100	101
Newton	54	12,991	97	100	101
Raleigh	55	405,007	100	100	99
Cherryville	56	5,765	97	100	101
Albemarle	57	15,913	97	100	101
Laurinburg	58	15,965	98	104	97
Southern Pines	59	12,439	100	100	99
Lumberton	60	21,595	98	104	97
Wake Forest	61	29,889	100	100	99
Holly Springs	62	24,663	100	100	99
Lincolnton	63	10,536	97	100	101
Marion	64	7,997	99	102	100
Carrboro	65	19,702	97	96	101
Chapel Hill	66	57,088	97	96	101
Apex	67	37,589	100	100	99
Conover	68	8,118	97	100	101
Forest City	69	7,480	99	102	100
Morrisville	70	18,566	100	100	99
Cary	71	136,627	100	100	99
Pinehurst	72	14,000	91	102	111
Lenoir	73	18,171	99	102	100
Kannapolis	74	42,845	97	100	101
Statesville	75	24,803	97	100	101
Gastonia	76	71,865	97	100	101
Hickory	77	40,075	97	100	101
Mount Holly	78	13,506	97	100	101
Monroe	79	33,101	97	100	101
Pineville	80	7,562	97	100	101
Belmont	81	10,156	97	100	101
Morganton	82	16,932	99	102	100
Concord	83	79,171	97	100	101
Charlotte	84	740,931	97	100	101
Mooresville	85	32,462	97	100	101
Indian Trail	86	33,246	97	100	101
Woodfin	87	6,044	99	102	100
Unionville	88	6,020	97	100	101
Mint Hill	89	22,890	97	100	101
Mount Airy	90	10,449	114	98	105
Stallings	91	13,638	97	100	101
Harrisburg	92	11,360	97	100	101
Matthews	93	27,516	97	100	101
Waynesville	94	9,864	99	102	100
Hendersonville	95	13,122	99	102	100
Waxhaw	96	9,743	97	100	101
Huntersville	97	46,656	97	100	101
Cornelius	98	24,818	97	100	101
Brevard	99	7,566	99	102	100
Mocksville	100	5,034	114	98	105
Black Mountain	101	7,885	99	102	100
Fletcher	102	7,089	99	102	100
Wesley Chapel	103	7,462	97	100	101
King	104	6,659	114	98	105
King	105	6,659	114	98	105
Weddington	106	9,577	97	100	101
Davidson	107	10,903	97	100	101
Marvin	108	5,484	97	100	101
Winston-Salem	109	230,030	114	98	105
Asheville	110	83,796	99	102	100
Mills River	111	6,806	99	102	100
Kernersville	112	23,062	114	98	105
Boone	113	17,261	99	102	100
Lewisville	114	12,785	114	98	105
Stokesdale	115	5,002	114	98	105
Clemmons	116	18,680	114	98	105
Williamston	117	5,484	117	104	107
Oak Ridge	118	6,202	114	98	105
Summerfield	119	10,160	114	98	105
Whiteville	120	5,347	98	101	111
Edenton	121	5,037	117	104	107
Washington	122	9,731	117	104	107
Elizabeth City	123	18,645	117	104	107
New Bern	124	29,420	98	101	111
Havelock	125	20,670	98	101	111
Jacksonville	126	69,393	98	101	111
Morehead City	127	8,720	98	101	111
Boiling Spring Lakes	128	5,329	98	101	111
Leland	129	13,732	98	101	111
Wilmington	130	107,116	98	101	111
Oak Island	131	6,899	98	101	111
Kill Devil Hills	132	6,714	117	104	107
Carolina Beach	133	5,755	98	101	111