States › North Carolina › Kernersville

Is Kernersville, NC expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,52613% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$77,564about $6,464/month · 11% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$290,70013% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 56% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.7 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $61,040 a year. That is $29 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 86 of 164 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Kernersville
$1,526
Asheboro
$1,082
Mint Hill
$1,464
Thomasville
$1,085
Clayton
$1,879
Leland
$1,968
Statesville
$1,291

How much do households earn in Kernersville?

Under $25k
15.7%
$25k–50k
18.8%
$50k–100k
36.4%
$100k–150k
16.8%
$150k+
8.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 25.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Kernersville

SizeKernersvilleU.S. average
Studio$830$1,338
1 bedroom$1,031$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,195$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,425$1,698

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

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

Taxes and bills in Kernersville

🏛️ Property tax$2,732a year · 0.94% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$126a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Kernersville

Commute to work22.6 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree37%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home60.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line12.6%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment2.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Kernersville?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $491 a month less.

Renting
$1,526
Owning
$2,017

Owning assumes a typical $290,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $29,070 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Kernersville, NC?

Renting in Kernersville costs a median of about $1,526 a month in 2026, including utilities. The North Carolina median is $1,496.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $61,040 a year, or $29 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Kernersville cheap or expensive?

Kernersville is rated OK: rent takes 23.6% of the typical household income of $77,564. It ranks 86th cheapest of 164 North Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Kernersville?

The median homeowner in Kernersville pays $2,732 a year in property taxes, about 0.94% of the median home value.

Is Kernersville 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 Kernersville?

The median home value in Kernersville is $290,700, about 3.7 times the typical yearly household income.

27,830 people live in Kernersville. Numbers are typical (middle) values.