North Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Rockingham County, NC

Prices around Rockingham County, NC run 7.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $57,053 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,040 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $41,600 a year.

Rockingham County, NC at a glance

Median household income

$57,053$4,754 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,040HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.9-7.1% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential NC
Population92,131Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Rockingham 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$1,040Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$41,600To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,426At 30% of $57,053
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Rockingham County, NC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$717$8,604$28,68015.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$793$9,516$31,72016.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,040$12,480$41,60021.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,286$15,432$51,44027%
4-Bedroom Home$1,463$17,556$58,52030.8%

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

What a typical income covers in Rockingham County, NC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $57,053 a year ($4,754 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,377/moRent ($1,040 2-BR), utilities (~$133/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,426/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$951/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $57,053 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.

$57,053
$20,000$115,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$57,053
Net 81%
Fed 8%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$46,254After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,855Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,779Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,666 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,768 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,365 / yr

Living in Rockingham County, NC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Rockingham County, NC is $57,053 per year (approximately $4,754 per month).

What is the average rent in Rockingham County, NC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $717 for a studio, $793 for one bedroom, $1,040 for two, $1,286 for three and $1,463 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 Rockingham County, NC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.1% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 92.9, 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 Rockingham County, NC?

To keep a $1,040 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $41,600 a year, or $3,467 a month. That is 73% of what the typical household in Rockingham County, NC earns.

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

On the local median income of $57,053 ($4,754 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,377 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,426 for everything else and $951 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,040 takes 44% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Rockingham 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.