North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Cabarrus County, NC

Prices around Cabarrus County, NC run 2.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $89,005 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,686 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $67,440 a year.

Cabarrus County, NC at a glance

Median household income

$89,005$7,417 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,686HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)97.3-2.7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population236,133Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Cabarrus 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$1,686Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$67,440To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,225At 30% of $89,005
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Cabarrus County, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,469$17,628$58,76019.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,538$18,456$61,52020.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,686$20,232$67,44022.7%
3-Bedroom Home$2,076$24,912$83,04028%
4-Bedroom Home$2,637$31,644$105,48035.6%

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

What a typical income covers in Cabarrus County, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $89,005 a year ($7,417 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,709/moRent ($1,686 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,225/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,483/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $89,005 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.

$89,005
$35,000$180,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$89,005
Net 77%
Fed 12%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$68,402After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,700Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,631Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,751 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$3,043 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,809 / yr

Living in Cabarrus County, NC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Cabarrus County, NC is $89,005 per year (approximately $7,417 per month).

What is the average rent in Cabarrus County, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,469 for a studio, $1,538 for one bedroom, $1,686 for two, $2,076 for three and $2,637 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 Cabarrus County, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 2.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 97.3, 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 Cabarrus County, NC?

To keep a $1,686 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $67,440 a year, or $5,620 a month. That is 76% of what the typical household in Cabarrus County, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $89,005 ($7,417 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,709 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,225 for everything else and $1,483 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,686 takes 45% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Cabarrus 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.