North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Jacksonville, NC

Prices around Jacksonville, NC run 7.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $57,697 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,173 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $46,920 a year.

Jacksonville, NC at a glance

Median household income

$57,697$4,808 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,173HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.1-7.9% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population71,279Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Jacksonville, 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$1,173Monthly market rent
Share of gross income24.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$46,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,442At 30% of $57,697
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Jacksonville, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$929$11,148$37,16019.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$935$11,220$37,40019.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,173$14,076$46,92024.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,631$19,572$65,24033.9%
4-Bedroom Home$1,968$23,616$78,72040.9%

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

What a typical income covers in Jacksonville, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $57,697 a year ($4,808 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,404/moRent ($1,173 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,442/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$962/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $57,697 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.

$57,697
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$57,697
Net 81%
Fed 8%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$46,746After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,896Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,798Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,744 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,793 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,414 / yr

Living in Jacksonville, NC: common questions

What is the median household income in Jacksonville, NC?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Jacksonville, NC is $57,697 per year (approximately $4,808 per month).

What is the average rent in Jacksonville, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $929 for a studio, $935 for one bedroom, $1,173 for two, $1,631 for three and $1,968 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 Jacksonville, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 92.1, 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 Jacksonville, NC?

To keep a $1,173 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $46,920 a year, or $3,910 a month. That is 81% of what the typical household in Jacksonville, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $57,697 ($4,808 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,404 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,442 for everything else and $962 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,173 takes 49% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Jacksonville, 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.