States › North Carolina › Wilson

Is Wilson, NC expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 25 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,17033% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$56,605about $4,717/month · 35% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$210,70037% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 78% 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 $46,800 a year. That is $23 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 47 of 164 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Wilson
$1,170
Holly Springs
$2,148
Mooresville
$1,926
Wake Forest
$2,001
Hickory
$1,297
Rocky Mount
$1,065
Indian Trail
$2,445

How much do households earn in Wilson?

Under $25k
20.4%
$25k–50k
26.6%
$50k–100k
30.4%
$100k–150k
8.7%
$150k+
5.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 14.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Wilson

SizeWilsonU.S. average
Studio$1,165$1,338
1 bedroom$778$1,324
2 bedrooms$987$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,152$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,395$2,098

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

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

Taxes and bills in Wilson

🏛️ Property tax$1,860a year · 0.88% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$241a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Wilson

Commute to work21.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree24.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home49.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line23%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment6.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Wilson?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $292 a month less.

Renting
$1,170
Owning
$1,462

Owning assumes a typical $210,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $21,070 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Wilson, NC?

Renting in Wilson costs a median of about $1,170 a month in 2026, including utilities. The North Carolina median is $1,496.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $46,800 a year, or $23 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Wilson cheap or expensive?

Wilson is rated OK: rent takes 24.8% of the typical household income of $56,605. It ranks 47th cheapest of 164 North Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Wilson?

The median homeowner in Wilson pays $1,860 a year in property taxes, about 0.88% of the median home value.

Is Wilson 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 Wilson?

The median home value in Wilson is $210,700, about 3.7 times the typical yearly household income.

48,370 people live in Wilson. Numbers are typical (middle) values.