North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Ashe County, NC

Prices around Ashe County, NC run 5.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, North Carolina). The typical household there earns $56,866 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $925 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $37,000 a year.

Ashe County, NC at a glance

Median household income

$56,866$4,739 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$925HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)94.3-5.7% · BEA, North Carolina
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population26,950Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Ashe County, NC?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$925Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$37,000To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,422At 30% of $56,866
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Ashe County, NC? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Ashe County, NC, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Ashe County, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$700$8,400$28,00014.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$705$8,460$28,20014.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$925$11,100$37,00019.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,220$14,640$48,80025.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,225$14,700$49,00025.9%

Rent in Ashe County, NC, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Ashe County, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $56,866 a year ($4,739 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,369/moRent ($925 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,422/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$948/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $56,866 leaves after North Carolina taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and North Carolina tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$56,866
$20,000$115,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$56,866
Net 81%
Fed 8%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$46,112After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,843Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,774Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,644 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,760 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,350 / yr

Living in Ashe County, NC: common questions

What is the median household income in Ashe County, NC?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Ashe County, NC is $56,866 per year (approximately $4,739 per month).

What is the average rent in Ashe County, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $700 for a studio, $705 for one bedroom, $925 for two, $1,220 for three and $1,225 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Ashe County, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 5.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for North Carolina is 94.3, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Ashe County, NC?

To keep a $925 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $37,000 a year, or $3,083 a month. That is 65% of what the typical household in Ashe County, NC earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Ashe County, NC?

On the local median income of $56,866 ($4,739 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,369 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,422 for everything else and $948 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $925 takes 39% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Ashe County, NC?

Homes in North Carolina paid 14.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $133. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.