States › North Carolina › Carolina Beach

Is Carolina Beach, NC expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 19 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,5929% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$101,808about $8,484/month · 17% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$566,20070% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 53% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 5.6 years of household income. Most homes (84.4%) are owned, so rentals can be hard to find.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $63,680 a year. That is $31 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other North Carolina cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of North Carolina. It is number 95 of 164 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Carolina Beach
$1,592
Selma
$1,499
Swannanoa
$2,262
Silver Lake
$1,490
Unionville
$1,029
Trinity
$1,005
Boiling Spring Lakes
$2,318

How much do households earn in Carolina Beach?

Under $25k
11.6%
$25k–50k
20.9%
$50k–100k
25.6%
$100k–150k
15.6%
$150k+
24.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 39.8% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Carolina Beach

SizeCarolina BeachU.S. average
2 bedrooms$1,263$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,278$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Carolina Beach overall?

Everyday prices in North Carolina overall are 6% below the U.S. average (index 94.3, U.S. = 100).

Housing
81
Goods (food, clothes…)
97
Utilities
89
Other services
98
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Carolina Beach, so the North Carolina figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Carolina Beach

🏛️ Property tax$2,822a year · 0.50% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$169a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Carolina Beach

Commute to work22.1 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree50.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home84.4%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line6%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment7.8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carolina Beach?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $2,337 a month less.

Renting
$1,592
Owning
$3,929

Owning assumes a typical $566,200 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $56,620 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Carolina Beach, NC?

Renting in Carolina Beach costs a median of about $1,592 a month in 2026, including utilities. The North Carolina median is $1,496.

How much do I need to make to live in Carolina Beach?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $63,680 a year, or $31 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Carolina Beach cheap or expensive?

Carolina Beach is rated Cheap: rent takes 18.8% of the typical household income of $101,808. It ranks 95th cheapest of 164 North Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Carolina Beach?

The median homeowner in Carolina Beach pays $2,822 a year in property taxes, about 0.50% of the median home value.

Is Carolina Beach more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in North Carolina are 6% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Carolina Beach?

The median home value in Carolina Beach is $566,200, about 5.6 times the typical yearly household income.

6,745 people live in Carolina Beach. Numbers are typical (middle) values.