North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Greenville, NC

Prices around Greenville, NC run 11.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $49,748 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,095 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $43,800 a year.

Greenville, NC at a glance

Median household income

$49,748$4,146 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,095HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.4-11.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population92,857Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Greenville, 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$1,095Monthly market rent
Share of gross income26.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$43,800To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,244At 30% of $49,748
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Greenville, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$891$10,692$35,64021.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$896$10,752$35,84021.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,095$13,140$43,80026.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,465$17,580$58,60035.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,837$22,044$73,48044.3%

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

What a typical income covers in Greenville, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $49,748 a year ($4,146 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,073/moRent ($1,095 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,244/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$829/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $49,748 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.

$49,748
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$49,748
Net 82%
Fed 8%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$40,676After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,390Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,564Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,790 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,476 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,806 / yr

Living in Greenville, NC: common questions

What is the median household income in Greenville, NC?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Greenville, NC is $49,748 per year (approximately $4,146 per month).

What is the average rent in Greenville, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $891 for a studio, $896 for one bedroom, $1,095 for two, $1,465 for three and $1,837 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 Greenville, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.6% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 88.4, 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 Greenville, NC?

To keep a $1,095 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $43,800 a year, or $3,650 a month. That is 88% of what the typical household in Greenville, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $49,748 ($4,146 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,073 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,244 for everything else and $829 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,095 takes 53% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Greenville, 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.