States › North Carolina › Smithfield

Is Smithfield, NC expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 18 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$69261% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$46,667about $3,889/month · 46% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$242,50027% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 5.2 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $27,680 a year. That is $13 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 3 of 164 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Smithfield
$692
Archdale
$1,659
Kings Mountain
$1,184
Lincolnton
$1,317
Lake Norman of Iredell
$1,716
Myrtle Grove
$1,539
Spring Lake
$1,673

How much do households earn in Smithfield?

Under $25k
24.8%
$25k–50k
22.8%
$50k–100k
19.6%
$100k–150k
12.4%
$150k+
7.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 19.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Smithfield

SizeSmithfieldU.S. average
1 bedroom$540$1,324
2 bedrooms$950$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,089$1,698

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

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

Taxes and bills in Smithfield

🏛️ Property tax$2,069a year · 0.85% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$188a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Smithfield

Commute to work24.1 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree26.7%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home58.7%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line27.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment7.2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Smithfield?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $991 a month less.

Renting
$692
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 Smithfield, NC?

Renting in Smithfield costs a median of about $692 a month in 2026, including utilities. The North Carolina median is $1,496.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $27,680 a year, or $13 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Smithfield cheap or expensive?

Smithfield is rated Cheap: rent takes 17.8% of the typical household income of $46,667. It ranks 3rd cheapest of 164 North Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Smithfield?

The median homeowner in Smithfield pays $2,069 a year in property taxes, about 0.85% of the median home value.

Is Smithfield 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 Smithfield?

The median home value in Smithfield is $242,500, about 5.2 times the typical yearly household income.

12,116 people live in Smithfield. Numbers are typical (middle) values.