North Carolina
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 53% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 33% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 27% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 34% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 61% of US states
- bottom 16% for school quality
North Carolina is a U.S. state with about 10,470,000 residents. It grades B for lifestyle & connectivity and C for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include annual snowfall, amenities nearby, and income tax. It rates lower on summer humidity and school quality.
Official websitenc.gov (opens in new tab)
- The median home value in North Carolina is $248k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in North Carolina is $68k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in North Carolina is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- North Carolina has a violent crime rate of 1379/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in North Carolina is 25 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$68k25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 42% of US states
Home Value$248k45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 51% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$93kbetter than 47% of US states
Property Tax Rate0.77%better than 65% of US states
Income Tax4.50%better than 70% of US states
Sales Tax7.00%better than 51% of US states
Estimated total tax burden9.51%better than 62% of US states
Unemployment5.1%better than 51% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.1 in75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.9 inbetter than 75% of US states
Sunny Days211 daysbetter than 35% of US states
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 18% of US states
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 48% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk83.6better than 41% of US states
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 52% of US states
School Quality43.1better than 16% of US states
Violent Crime1379/100kbetter than 32% of US states
Property Crime2021/100kbetter than 32% of US states
Community
Population10,470,21484th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.561st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4963rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9622nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)61.7%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)20.6%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.0%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.1%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.6%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 53% of US states
Walkability7.4/20better than 24% of US states
Airport Distance50 mibetter than 61% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.0%better than 35% of US states
Amenities Nearby5.50better than 73% of US states
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 67% of US states
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is North Carolina an affordable place to live?
- North Carolina is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 42% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is North Carolina safe?
- North Carolina is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1379/100k (better than 32%). Property crime is 2021/100k.
- What is the weather like in North Carolina?
- North Carolina averages 79°F in July and 42°F in January, with 49.1 in of annual precipitation and about 211 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in North Carolina?
- Public-school quality in North Carolina is below average, scoring better than 16% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in North Carolina?
- The average one-way commute in North Carolina is 25 min.