North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Henderson County, NC

Prices around Henderson County, NC run 3.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $68,187 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,835 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $73,400 a year.

Henderson County, NC at a glance

Median household income

$68,187$5,682 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,835HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)96.5-3.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population118,484Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Henderson County, 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$1,835Monthly market rent
Share of gross income32.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$73,400To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,705At 30% of $68,187
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Henderson County, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,436$17,232$57,44025.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,674$20,088$66,96029.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,835$22,020$73,40032.3%
3-Bedroom Home$2,231$26,772$89,24039.3%
4-Bedroom Home$3,078$36,936$123,12054.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Henderson County, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $68,187 a year ($5,682 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,841/moRent ($1,835 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,705/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,136/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $68,187 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.

$68,187
$25,000$140,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$68,187
Net 80%
Fed 9%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$54,588After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,549Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,100Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,171 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$2,212 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,216 / yr

Living in Henderson County, NC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Henderson County, NC is $68,187 per year (approximately $5,682 per month).

What is the average rent in Henderson County, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,436 for a studio, $1,674 for one bedroom, $1,835 for two, $2,231 for three and $3,078 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 Henderson County, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 3.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 96.5, 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 Henderson County, NC?

To keep a $1,835 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $73,400 a year, or $6,117 a month. That is 108% of what the typical household in Henderson County, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $68,187 ($5,682 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,841 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,705 for everything else and $1,136 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,835 takes 65% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Henderson 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.