States › North Carolina › Garner

Is Garner, NC expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,6745% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$84,938about $7,078/month · 2% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$355,0007% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 51% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.2 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $66,960 a year. That is $32 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 104 of 164 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Garner
$1,674
Goldsboro
$1,383
Salisbury
$1,316
Cornelius
$1,911
New Bern
$1,326
Monroe
$1,281
Sanford
$1,669

How much do households earn in Garner?

Under $25k
9.2%
$25k–50k
20.1%
$50k–100k
37.3%
$100k–150k
18.6%
$150k+
11.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 30.0% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Garner

SizeGarnerU.S. average
Studio$1,415$1,338
1 bedroom$1,407$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,689$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,701$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,603$2,098

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

How expensive is Garner 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 Garner, so the North Carolina figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Garner

🏛️ Property tax$2,673a year · 0.75% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$146a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Garner

Commute to work26.2 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree46.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home63.2%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line8.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment6.2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Garner?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $789 a month less.

Renting
$1,674
Owning
$2,463

Owning assumes a typical $355,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $35,500 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Garner, NC?

Renting in Garner costs a median of about $1,674 a month in 2026, including utilities. The North Carolina median is $1,496.

How much do I need to make to live in Garner?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $66,960 a year, or $32 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Garner cheap or expensive?

Garner is rated OK: rent takes 23.7% of the typical household income of $84,938. It ranks 104th cheapest of 164 North Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Garner?

The median homeowner in Garner pays $2,673 a year in property taxes, about 0.75% of the median home value.

Is Garner 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 Garner?

The median home value in Garner is $355,000, about 4.2 times the typical yearly household income.

34,473 people live in Garner. Numbers are typical (middle) values.