North Carolina vs Ohio: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in North Carolina or Ohio?
- Overall, Ohio is 1.6% less expensive than North Carolina (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in North Carolina works out to about $73,800 in Ohio, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 10.3% less in Ohio. Goods are 3.1% lower and other services 0.8% higher.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $56,232 in Ohio and $56,310 in North Carolina (about the same; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 87.4 in Youngstown, OH to 95.5 in Columbus, OH (Ohio) and from 88.0 in Rocky Mount, NC to 98.2 in Raleigh, NC (North Carolina), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (1.5%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Housing drives the gap: 10.3% lower in Ohio than in North Carolina
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- North Carolina
- Ohio
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| North Carolina | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 94.3 | 92.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 81.4 | 73.0 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 95.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Category | North Carolina | Ohio | Ohio vs North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 94.3 | 92.8 | −1.6% |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.7 | −3.1% |
| Housing (rents) | 81.4 | 73.0 | −10.3% |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 95.8 | +8.1% |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 | +0.8% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $56,310 | $56,232 | −0.1% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $3.86 | $4.05 | +4.9% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in North Carolina | $75,000 | $73,800 | −1.6% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Lower Atlantic region average (EIA has no separate North Carolina figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
North Carolina
- Rocky Mount, NC 88.0
- Pinehurst, NC 88.3
- Greenville, NC 88.4
- Goldsboro, NC 88.5
- Hickory, NC 88.5
- Fayetteville, NC 92.0
- Winston-Salem, NC 92.0
- Jacksonville, NC 92.1
- Greensboro, NC 92.9
- Burlington, NC 93.2
- Wilmington, NC 96.4
- Asheville, NC 96.5
- Charlotte, NC 97.3
- Durham, NC 97.6
- Virginia Beach, VA 97.9
- Raleigh, NC 98.2
Ohio
- Youngstown, OH 87.4
- Wheeling, WV 88.3
- Huntington, WV 88.4
- Mansfield, OH 88.9
- Weirton, WV 89.0
- Sandusky, OH 89.3
- Canton, OH 89.4
- Lima, OH 89.7
- Springfield, OH 90.5
- Toledo, OH 91.5
- Dayton, OH 92.7
- Akron, OH 93.4
- Cleveland, OH 93.9
- Cincinnati, OH 95.4
- Columbus, OH 95.5
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between North Carolina and Ohio has been fairly stable since 2008
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- North Carolina
- Ohio
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| North Carolina | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 92.4 | 92.5 |
| 2009 | 91.3 | 93.5 |
| 2010 | 92.9 | 93.1 |
| 2011 | 93.6 | 92.2 |
| 2012 | 93.5 | 93.0 |
| 2013 | 93.7 | 93.3 |
| 2014 | 93.8 | 93.0 |
| 2015 | 93.6 | 92.2 |
| 2016 | 93.8 | 92.3 |
| 2017 | 93.0 | 91.9 |
| 2018 | 92.9 | 93.0 |
| 2019 | 91.9 | 93.3 |
| 2020 | 91.3 | 91.9 |
| 2021 | 93.7 | 92.2 |
| 2022 | 94.0 | 91.5 |
| 2023 | 94.4 | 91.9 |
| 2024 | 94.3 | 92.8 |
Goods
- North Carolina
- Ohio
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| North Carolina | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 96.6 | 92.3 |
| 2009 | 94.3 | 94.0 |
| 2010 | 96.9 | 94.4 |
| 2011 | 96.4 | 94.7 |
| 2012 | 95.6 | 96.2 |
| 2013 | 96.0 | 97.0 |
| 2014 | 95.7 | 97.2 |
| 2015 | 95.0 | 96.7 |
| 2016 | 95.9 | 96.1 |
| 2017 | 95.7 | 95.3 |
| 2018 | 95.7 | 97.3 |
| 2019 | 95.7 | 95.8 |
| 2020 | 95.4 | 93.9 |
| 2021 | 96.2 | 94.5 |
| 2022 | 95.6 | 92.4 |
| 2023 | 96.8 | 94.2 |
| 2024 | 96.6 | 93.7 |
Housing (rents)
- North Carolina
- Ohio
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| North Carolina | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 74.3 | 77.1 |
| 2009 | 75.3 | 76.1 |
| 2010 | 75.4 | 76.3 |
| 2011 | 76.3 | 75.6 |
| 2012 | 75.8 | 76.3 |
| 2013 | 76.0 | 77.6 |
| 2014 | 76.3 | 75.5 |
| 2015 | 75.8 | 75.6 |
| 2016 | 74.7 | 75.1 |
| 2017 | 75.5 | 75.0 |
| 2018 | 75.3 | 74.2 |
| 2019 | 75.4 | 73.5 |
| 2020 | 75.0 | 73.3 |
| 2021 | 76.0 | 72.8 |
| 2022 | 78.8 | 72.8 |
| 2023 | 80.8 | 72.1 |
| 2024 | 81.4 | 73.0 |
Utilities
- North Carolina
- Ohio
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| North Carolina | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 85.4 | 98.8 |
| 2009 | 85.5 | 99.7 |
| 2010 | 87.6 | 94.2 |
| 2011 | 87.3 | 93.1 |
| 2012 | 90.5 | 93.4 |
| 2013 | 89.8 | 95.0 |
| 2014 | 90.4 | 91.9 |
| 2015 | 91.0 | 91.3 |
| 2016 | 88.4 | 88.5 |
| 2017 | 85.4 | 89.0 |
| 2018 | 86.8 | 94.5 |
| 2019 | 89.2 | 90.7 |
| 2020 | 87.7 | 91.3 |
| 2021 | 84.6 | 91.9 |
| 2022 | 82.5 | 87.6 |
| 2023 | 83.6 | 89.2 |
| 2024 | 88.6 | 95.8 |
Other services
- North Carolina
- Ohio
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| North Carolina | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.7 | 97.8 |
| 2009 | 96.6 | 99.1 |
| 2010 | 98.1 | 98.1 |
| 2011 | 99.5 | 96.1 |
| 2012 | 99.9 | 96.4 |
| 2013 | 100.0 | 96.0 |
| 2014 | 100.2 | 96.1 |
| 2015 | 100.3 | 94.8 |
| 2016 | 100.7 | 95.8 |
| 2017 | 98.8 | 95.4 |
| 2018 | 98.3 | 96.3 |
| 2019 | 95.8 | 98.5 |
| 2020 | 95.5 | 97.5 |
| 2021 | 99.6 | 97.5 |
| 2022 | 99.7 | 97.7 |
| 2023 | 98.7 | 97.5 |
| 2024 | 98.2 | 98.9 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $56,232 in Ohio, $56,310 in North Carolina
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| North Carolina | Ohio | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $45,858 | $44,461 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $44,321 | $42,867 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $42,691 | $43,467 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $42,462 | $45,562 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $44,038 | $45,869 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $42,463 | $45,680 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $43,820 | $46,857 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $45,796 | $48,895 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $46,302 | $49,223 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $47,646 | $50,280 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $48,676 | $50,500 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $50,966 | $51,249 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $54,346 | $55,074 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $56,146 | $57,339 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $54,204 | $54,882 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $54,748 | $55,789 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $56,310 | $56,232 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in North Carolina
- Cost of living in Ohio
- Reverse: moving from Ohio to North Carolina
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.