States › North Carolina › Hillsborough

Is Hillsborough, NC expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 22 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,95311% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$105,869about $8,822/month · 22% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$460,10038% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 67% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.3 years of household income. It is a highly educated city: 61.4% of adults have a college degree.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $78,120 a year. That is $38 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 135 of 164 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Hillsborough
$1,953
Washington
$901
Morehead City
$1,193
Lake Norman of Catawba
$1,310
Gibsonville
$1,088
St. Stephens
$1,008
Hampstead
$1,279

How much do households earn in Hillsborough?

Under $25k
11.6%
$25k–50k
15.3%
$50k–100k
27.6%
$100k–150k
23.4%
$150k+
18.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 41.7% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Hillsborough

SizeHillsboroughU.S. average
1 bedroom$903$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,321$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,833$1,698

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

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

Taxes and bills in Hillsborough

🏛️ Property tax$4,759a year · 1.03% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$119a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Hillsborough

Commute to work21.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree61.4%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home63.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Hillsborough?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,239 a month less.

Renting
$1,953
Owning
$3,192

Owning assumes a typical $460,100 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $46,010 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Hillsborough, NC?

Renting in Hillsborough costs a median of about $1,953 a month in 2026, including utilities. The North Carolina median is $1,496.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $78,120 a year, or $38 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Hillsborough cheap or expensive?

Hillsborough is rated OK: rent takes 22.1% of the typical household income of $105,869. It ranks 135th cheapest of 164 North Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Hillsborough?

The median homeowner in Hillsborough pays $4,759 a year in property taxes, about 1.03% of the median home value.

Is Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough?

The median home value in Hillsborough is $460,100, about 4.3 times the typical yearly household income.

9,724 people live in Hillsborough. Numbers are typical (middle) values.