A+
13%
Overall NAT. AVG.
1%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
41%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Kinston North Carolina National
Cost of living8794100
Goods & Services9998100
Groceries9898100
Health care112108100
Housing5985100
Transportation9392100
Utilities9894100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Kinston, NC

Knowing the cost of living in Kinston allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Kinston stands at 87, marking it 13% lower than the national average.

Kinston housing costs are 40.7% less than the national average, making this area an affordable place to live. Your net income can be heavily impacted by housing expenses, at times exceeding 30%. Fortunately, this area demonstrates that both homeownership and renting costs are significantly more budget-friendly than in the rest of the country. With such favorable housing affordability, Kinston residents can earmark a more manageable portion of their income to housing.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Kinston?

The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 11 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Kinston. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 36% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 64% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.

Is Kinston Affordable?

Wondering if Kinston is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Kinston, for example, the median home price is 46.8% lower than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 26.3% lower than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Kinston boasting a median household income of $32,094, which is 42% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Kinston?

Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in Kinston comes in at 1.8% lower than the national average.

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Kinston, the housing index is 40.7% lower than the national average.

Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Kinston, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 4.75%, and income tax rates start at 4.99%.

Where is the Data From?

The Kinston cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Kinston is 7% lower than the North Carolina average
  • The cost of living in Kinston is 13% lower than the national average
  • Kinston housing is 41% lower than the national average
  • North Carolina general sales tax is 7% lower than the national average
  • North Carolina state income tax is 83% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Kinston

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Compare Kinston, NC Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$43,382$3,615$1,012$1,302
      Renters$25,159$2,097$587$755
      The affordability of the housing market in Kinston, NC as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Kinston homeowners, the median income is $43,382. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $1,012 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $25,159. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $587 for their rent related monthly costs.

      North Carolina Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      North Carolina 4.75% 7.5%

      North Carolina Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      North Carolina 4.75% 4.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Kinston National avg. Difference
      Haircut $19.00$24.2621.7%
      Beauty Salon $29.58$45.5635.1%
      Toothpaste $3.65$3.701.4%
      Shampoo $1.09$1.2815.1%
      Movie $10.27$12.1315.3%
      Bowling $11.00$18.0038.9%

      Groceries

      Item Kinston National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.93$5.841.5%
      Fried Chicken $1.59$1.570.9%
      Milk $4.57$4.672.1%
      Potatoes $5.18$4.934.9%
      Pizza $10.47$12.0913.4%
      Beer $10.29$10.411.1%

      Health Care

      Item Kinston National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $141.56$125.6812.6%
      Doctor $136.38$135.780.4%
      Dentist $100.17$113.2911.6%
      Ibuprofen $10.24$10.653.9%
      Lipitor $429.52$468.608.3%

      Housing

      Item Kinston National avg. Difference
      Home Price $98,200.00$184,700.0046.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,813.02$2,346.6922.7%
      Apartment Rent $699.00$949.0026.3%

      Transportation

      Item Kinston National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.45$3.460.5%
      Tire Balancing $63.55$59.926.1%

      Utilities

      Item Kinston National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $201.14$193.993.7%
      Phone $187.32$192.252.6%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Jackson Heights, NC714991.4%
      Hookerton, NC6458317.2%
      Grifton, NC2,8738316.9%
      Snow Hill, NC2,2578614.3%
      Maury, NC1,3628613.7%
      Kinston, NC20,1738713.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      La Crescenta-Montrose, CA20,17119695.8%
      Mountain Brook, AL20,17816059.6%
      Payson, UT20,1811098.9%
      Nogales, AZ20,182946.3%
      East Hemet, CA20,16111919.5%
      Kinston, NC20,1738713.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.