North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Goldsboro, NC

Prices around Goldsboro, NC run 11.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $48,540 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,244 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $49,760 a year.

Goldsboro, NC at a glance

Median household income

$48,540$4,045 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,244HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.5-11.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population34,383Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Goldsboro, NC?

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

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,244Monthly market rent
Share of gross income30.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$49,760To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,214At 30% of $48,540
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Goldsboro, NC? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Goldsboro, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$942$11,304$37,68023.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$948$11,376$37,92023.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,244$14,928$49,76030.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,496$17,952$59,84037%
4-Bedroom Home$2,021$24,252$80,84050%

Rent in Goldsboro, NC, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Goldsboro, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $48,540 a year ($4,045 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,023/moRent ($1,244 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,214/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$809/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $48,540 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.

$48,540
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,540
Net 82%
Fed 8%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,754After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,313Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,529Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,645 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,428 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,713 / yr

Living in Goldsboro, NC: common questions

What is the median household income in Goldsboro, NC?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Goldsboro, NC is $48,540 per year (approximately $4,045 per month).

What is the average rent in Goldsboro, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $942 for a studio, $948 for one bedroom, $1,244 for two, $1,496 for three and $2,021 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 Goldsboro, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 88.5, 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 Goldsboro, NC?

To keep a $1,244 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $49,760 a year, or $4,147 a month. That is 103% of what the typical household in Goldsboro, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $48,540 ($4,045 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,023 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,214 for everything else and $809 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,244 takes 62% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Goldsboro, 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.