North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Moore County, NC

Prices around Moore County, NC run 11.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $86,080 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,358 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $54,320 a year.

Moore County, NC at a glance

Median household income

$86,080$7,173 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,358HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.3-11.7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population104,876Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Moore 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$1,358Monthly market rent
Share of gross income18.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$54,320To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,152At 30% of $86,080
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Moore County, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,157$13,884$46,28016.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,239$14,868$49,56017.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,358$16,296$54,32018.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,889$22,668$75,56026.3%
4-Bedroom Home$2,278$27,336$91,12031.8%

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

What a typical income covers in Moore County, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $86,080 a year ($7,173 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,587/moRent ($1,358 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,152/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,435/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $86,080 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.

$86,080
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$86,080
Net 77%
Fed 12%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$66,461After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,538Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,556Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,108 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$2,926 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,585 / yr

Living in Moore County, NC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Moore County, NC is $86,080 per year (approximately $7,173 per month).

What is the average rent in Moore County, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,157 for a studio, $1,239 for one bedroom, $1,358 for two, $1,889 for three and $2,278 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 Moore County, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 88.3, 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 Moore County, NC?

To keep a $1,358 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $54,320 a year, or $4,527 a month. That is 63% of what the typical household in Moore County, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $86,080 ($7,173 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,587 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,152 for everything else and $1,435 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,358 takes 38% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Moore 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.