States › North Carolina › Salisbury

Is Salisbury, NC expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 27 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,31625% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$57,933about $4,828/month · 33% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$242,50027% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 68% 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 $52,640 a year. That is $25 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other North Carolina cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of North Carolina. It is number 64 of 164 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Salisbury
$1,316
Monroe
$1,281
Garner
$1,674
Goldsboro
$1,383
Cornelius
$1,911
New Bern
$1,326
Fuquay-Varina
$2,293

How much do households earn in Salisbury?

Under $25k
21.2%
$25k–50k
24.7%
$50k–100k
28.8%
$100k–150k
8.8%
$150k+
7.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 16.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Salisbury

SizeSalisburyU.S. average
Studio$1,822$1,338
1 bedroom$969$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,106$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,209$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,406$2,098

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

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

Taxes and bills in Salisbury

🏛️ Property tax$2,082a year · 0.86% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$143a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Salisbury

Commute to work21.8 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree29.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home51.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line26.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Salisbury?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $367 a month less.

Renting
$1,316
Owning
$1,683

Owning assumes a typical $242,500 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $24,250 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Salisbury, NC?

Renting in Salisbury costs a median of about $1,316 a month in 2026, including utilities. The North Carolina median is $1,496.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $52,640 a year, or $25 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Salisbury cheap or expensive?

Salisbury is rated OK: rent takes 27.3% of the typical household income of $57,933. It ranks 64th cheapest of 164 North Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Salisbury?

The median homeowner in Salisbury pays $2,082 a year in property taxes, about 0.86% of the median home value.

Is Salisbury 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 Salisbury?

The median home value in Salisbury is $242,500, about 4.2 times the typical yearly household income.

35,825 people live in Salisbury. Numbers are typical (middle) values.