States › North Carolina › Waynesville

Is Waynesville, NC expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 36 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,8003% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$59,234about $4,936/month · 32% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$281,70015% lower than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 58% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.8 years of household income. Commutes are short, about 19.7 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $72,000 a year. That is $35 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 113 of 164 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Waynesville
$1,800
Mount Airy
$848
Winterville
$1,863
Rolesville
$1,142
Tarboro
$976
Elon
$2,163
Pineville
$1,836

How much do households earn in Waynesville?

Under $25k
28.2%
$25k–50k
22.0%
$50k–100k
30.9%
$100k–150k
11.1%
$150k+
5.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 16.3% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Waynesville

SizeWaynesvilleU.S. average
Studio$710$1,338
1 bedroom$1,114$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,043$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,352$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,837$2,098

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

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

Taxes and bills in Waynesville

🏛️ Property tax$1,706a year · 0.61% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$165a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Waynesville

Commute to work19.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree32.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home57.3%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line15.9%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment1.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Waynesville?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $155 a month less.

Renting
$1,800
Owning
$1,955

Owning assumes a typical $281,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $28,170 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Waynesville, NC?

Renting in Waynesville costs a median of about $1,800 a month in 2026, including utilities. The North Carolina median is $1,496.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $72,000 a year, or $35 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Waynesville cheap or expensive?

Waynesville is rated Expensive: rent takes 36.5% of the typical household income of $59,234. It ranks 113th cheapest of 164 North Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Waynesville?

The median homeowner in Waynesville pays $1,706 a year in property taxes, about 0.61% of the median home value.

Is Waynesville 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 Waynesville?

The median home value in Waynesville is $281,700, about 4.8 times the typical yearly household income.

10,502 people live in Waynesville. Numbers are typical (middle) values.