North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Montgomery County, NC

Prices around Montgomery County, NC run 5.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, North Carolina). The typical household there earns $57,766 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $925 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $37,000 a year.

Montgomery County, NC at a glance

Median household income

$57,766$4,814 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$925HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)94.3-5.7% · BEA, North Carolina
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population26,007Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Montgomery 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$925Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$37,000To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,444At 30% of $57,766
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Montgomery County, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$789$9,468$31,56016.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$794$9,528$31,76016.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$925$11,100$37,00019.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,252$15,024$50,08026%
4-Bedroom Home$1,552$18,624$62,08032.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Montgomery County, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $57,766 a year ($4,814 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,407/moRent ($925 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,444/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$963/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $57,766 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.

$57,766
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$57,766
Net 81%
Fed 8%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$46,799After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,900Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,800Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,752 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,796 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,419 / yr

Living in Montgomery County, NC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Montgomery County, NC is $57,766 per year (approximately $4,814 per month).

What is the average rent in Montgomery County, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $789 for a studio, $794 for one bedroom, $925 for two, $1,252 for three and $1,552 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, NC?

To keep a $925 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $37,000 a year, or $3,083 a month. That is 64% of what the typical household in Montgomery County, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $57,766 ($4,814 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,407 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,444 for everything else and $963 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $925 takes 38% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Montgomery 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.