North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Chowan County, NC

Prices around Chowan County, NC run 5.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, North Carolina). The typical household there earns $53,864 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,220 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $48,800 a year.

Chowan County, NC at a glance

Median household income

$53,864$4,489 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,220HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)94.3-5.7% · BEA, North Carolina
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population13,836Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Chowan 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$1,220Monthly market rent
Share of gross income27.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$48,800To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,347At 30% of $53,864
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Chowan County, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$924$11,088$36,96020.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$930$11,160$37,20020.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,220$14,640$48,80027.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,463$17,556$58,52032.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,615$19,380$64,60036%

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

What a typical income covers in Chowan County, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $53,864 a year ($4,489 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,244/moRent ($1,220 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,347/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$898/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $53,864 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.

$53,864
$20,000$110,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$53,864
Net 81%
Fed 8%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$43,819After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,652Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,685Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,284 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,640 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,121 / yr

Living in Chowan County, NC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Chowan County, NC is $53,864 per year (approximately $4,489 per month).

What is the average rent in Chowan County, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $924 for a studio, $930 for one bedroom, $1,220 for two, $1,463 for three and $1,615 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 Chowan 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 Chowan County, NC?

To keep a $1,220 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $48,800 a year, or $4,067 a month. That is 91% of what the typical household in Chowan County, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $53,864 ($4,489 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,244 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,347 for everything else and $898 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,220 takes 54% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Chowan 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.