Wake Forest, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Wake Forest, NC Summary

Cost of living in Wake Forest research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Wake Forest is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Wake Forest is 110, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Wake Forest is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Wake Forest ranks as the #130 cheapest in North Carolina out of 153.

  • Wake Forest ranks as the #4,128 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Wake Forest is $328,200.

  • The median income in Wake Forest is $104,006.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
110
Wake Forest's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Wake Forest, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wake Forest has an overall cost of living index of 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Wake Forest has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than North Carolina's index of 95.

The standard of living in Wake Forest ranks as #130 most affordable out of the 153 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Wake Forest ranks as the #23 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Wake Forest, check out:

130 out of 153
In North Carolina
4,128 out of 6,412
In America

Wake Forest Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wake Forest. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Wake Forest is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Wake Forest is 93.

  • The Health index in Wake Forest is 106.

  • The Housing index in Wake Forest is 133.

  • The Transportation index in Wake Forest is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Wake Forest is 98.

Living Expense Wake Forest North Carolina National Average
Overall 110 95 100
Services 104 97 100
Groceries 93 98 100
Health 106 108 100
Housing 133 91 100
Transportation 92 92 100
Utilities 98 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Wake Forest Cost of Living Vs. NC

Wake Forest, NC Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Wake Forest is $328,200.

  • The Median Rent in Wake Forest is $1,277.

  • The Median Income in Wake Forest is $104,006.

  • The Home Value To Income in Wake Forest is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Wake Forest is 0.15x.

Statistic Wake Forest North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $328,200 $197,500 $244,900
Median Rent $1,277 $988 $1,163
Median Income $104,006 $60,516 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.3x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Wake Forest, NC
$328,200
Median Home Value
$1,277
Median Rent
$104,006
Median Income

Wake Forest, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Wake Forest Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Wake Forest North Carolina
Shampoo $0.95 $1.06
Movie $10.04 $10.68
Bowling $17.13 $14.67
Haircut $18.07 $18.62
Beauty Salon $48.42 $39.05

Detailed Wake Forest Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Wake Forest North Carolina
Ground Beef $4.93 $4.22
Fried Chicken $0.97 $1.39
Milk $1.61 $2.05
Potatoes $3.88 $3.29
Pizza $11.04 $10.62
Beer $9.99 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.04 $2.34

Detailed Wake Forest Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Wake Forest North Carolina
Optometrist $98.89 $108.57
Doctor $145.22 $116.17
Dentist $99.0 $99.13

Detailed Wake Forest Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Wake Forest North Carolina
Gasoline $2.27 $2.22
Tire Balancing $37.07 $50.07

Detailed Wake Forest Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Wake Forest North Carolina
All Electricity $162.8 $167.67
Phone $179.92 $175.64

Wake Forest SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
8
Diversity
8.5
Safety
8
Amenities
9
Education
9.5
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Wake Forest

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wake Forest. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Raleigh, NC has a cost of living index of 105, 1.0x Wake Forest.

  • Garner, NC has a cost of living index of 99, 0.9x Wake Forest.

  • Knightdale, NC has a cost of living index of 99, 0.9x Wake Forest.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Wake Forest
Raleigh, NC 462,219 105 1.0x
Garner, NC 30,859 99 0.9x
Knightdale, NC 18,614 99 0.9x
Wendell, NC 9,847 94 0.9x
Rolesville, NC 8,995 106 1.0x
Butner, NC 8,295 89 0.8x
Zebulon, NC 6,958 97 0.9x

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