North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Pender County, NC

Prices around Pender County, NC run 3.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $80,396 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,166 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $46,640 a year.

Pender County, NC at a glance

Median household income

$80,396$6,700 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,166HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)96.4-3.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population65,550Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Pender 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$1,166Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$46,640To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,010At 30% of $80,396
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Pender County, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,016$12,192$40,64015.2%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,064$12,768$42,56015.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,166$13,992$46,64017.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,622$19,464$64,88024.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,956$23,472$78,24029.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Pender County, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $80,396 a year ($6,700 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,350/moRent ($1,166 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,010/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,340/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $80,396 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.

$80,396
$30,000$165,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$80,396
Net 78%
Fed 11%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$62,690After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,224Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,411Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,857 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$2,699 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,150 / yr

Living in Pender County, NC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Pender County, NC is $80,396 per year (approximately $6,700 per month).

What is the average rent in Pender County, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,016 for a studio, $1,064 for one bedroom, $1,166 for two, $1,622 for three and $1,956 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 Pender County, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 3.6% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 96.4, 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 Pender County, NC?

To keep a $1,166 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $46,640 a year, or $3,887 a month. That is 58% of what the typical household in Pender County, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $80,396 ($6,700 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,350 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,010 for everything else and $1,340 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,166 takes 35% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Pender 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.