Moving to a state
Moving to North Carolina in 2026: Costs, Cities, Rules
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Published November 1, 2026.
Why people are moving to North Carolina
North Carolina has been a net winner from domestic migration every year in our Census series. Net domestic migration was 70,976 in 2015-16, peaked at 103,627 in 2020-21, and was 84,064 in 2024-25, which ranks first among states in our datasource. The state's budget office confirms North Carolina had the largest net gain of state-to-state movers of any state in 2024-25, ahead of Texas and South Carolina, and that the population reached about 11.2 millionsource.
| Year (July to July) | Net domestic migration |
|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 70,976 |
| 2016-17 | 64,769 |
| 2017-18 | 72,887 |
| 2018-19 | 69,731 |
| 2019-20 | 70,229 |
| 2020-21 | 103,627 |
| 2021-22 | 98,454 |
| 2022-23 | 98,929 |
| 2023-24 | 83,059 |
| 2024-25 | 84,064 |
Census Bureau population estimates via Maryland Department of Planning. 2015-16 to 2019-20 are Vintage 2020; later years are Vintage 2025.
The 2020-21 estimate passed 100,000, and the number has settled since, but every year after 2020 stayed above every year before it. That steady demand keeps buyers competing for homes in the metros people pick most.
What it costs to live in North Carolina
Statewide, North Carolina's price level is 94.3 and its housing index 81.4, where the US is 100 (BEA, 2024). The median listed home was $400,000 in September 2026, 5% below the US median, and the median 2-bedroom rent was $1,346 (Census ACS, 2025). Median household income was $80,250 in 2025 (Census via FRED).
The statewide figures hide a wide spread. The North Carolina metros we cover range from $327,000 in Greensboro to $575,000 in Asheville:
| Metro | Median listed home | Monthly payment | 2-bedroom rent | Price level | Housing index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro, NC | $327,000 | $1,797 | $1,218 | 92.9 | 74.5 |
| Charlotte, NC | $424,950 | $2,335 | $1,589 | 97.3 | 97.6 |
| Raleigh, NC | $445,000 | $2,445 | $1,673 | 98.2 | 103.5 |
| Durham, NC | $460,135 | $2,529 | $1,630 | 97.6 | 98.9 |
| Wilmington, NC | $471,489 | $2,591 | $1,658 | 96.4 | 93.2 |
| Asheville, NC | $575,000 | $3,160 | $1,492 | 96.5 | 93.4 |
| New York metro | $742,000 | $4,078 | $1,997 | 112.6 | 148.6 |
Median listed home: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Monthly payment: principal and interest with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac, week of October 22, 2026), before taxes and insurance. Rent: median gross rent for a 2-bedroom, utilities includedsource. Price level and housing index: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
Browse every city on our North Carolina cost of living page, the cheapest places to live in North Carolina and our ranking of the best places to live in North Carolina.
North Carolina taxes
- Income tax: a flat 3.99% on wages in 2026. source
- Sales tax: 4.75% state rate. NCDOR lists rates as the 4.75% state rate plus applicable local and transit rates. In the county rate table effective 7-1-2026, total rates run from 6.75% (for example Alamance, Guilford) to 8.25% (Mecklenburg, which levied an additional 1% local rate effective July 1, 2026). Rates marked in the table include a 0.50% transit tax.source
- Property tax: an average effective rate of 0.66%, about $2,640 a year on a $400,000 home (our arithmetic; your county and city rates decide the real bill).source
- Social Security: not taxed by the state.
The income tax is scheduled to keep falling. S.B. 257, signed July 7, 2026, lowers the flat rate to 3.49% for 2027 through 2029, 3.24% for 2030 through 2032 and 2.99% for 2033 and 2034, with up to two more cuts tied to revenue triggers from 2035source. Sales tax depends on the county: Mecklenburg (Charlotte) is at the top of the range after a transit tax took effect July 1, 2026.
Moving from New York to North Carolina
For New Yorkers the comparison is stark on almost every line:
| Measure | North Carolina | New York State |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US = 100, 2024) | 94.3 | 107.9 |
| Housing index (US = 100, 2024) | 81.4 | 122.2 |
| Median listed home (Sept 2026) | $400,000 | $605,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent (2024) | $1,346 | $1,729 |
| Median household income (2025) | $80,250 | $86,900 |
| Top state income tax rate (2026) | 3.99% flat | 10.9% |
| Property tax, effective rate | 0.66% | 1.55% |
BEA, Realtor.com and Census via FRED; Census ACS 2025; NCDOR and Tax Foundation for income tax (New York's figure excludes New York City income tax); WalletHub 2026 via CPA Practice Advisor for property tax.
Incomes are lower in North Carolina, but not by as much as housing costs. Measured by monthly principal and interest, the median North Carolina listing costs about $1,879 a month less than the median New York metro home ($4,078), at 20% down and 7.32%.
Where people move within North Carolina
The big metros draw the most people in absolute terms. Census estimates for July 2024 to July 2025 show net domestic gains of 24,404 in the Charlotte metro, 19,974 in the Raleigh metro, and 12,719 in the Wilmington metrosource. Together the Charlotte and Raleigh metros gained 44,378, against 84,064 for the whole state (the Charlotte metro also includes counties in South Carolina, so the two figures do not nest exactly).
By growth rate, smaller counties lead. From April 2020 to July 2024, Brunswick County grew 24%, Franklin 17%, Pender and Currituck 16% each, and Johnston 15%, against a 3% average for North Carolina countiessource.
Jobs are concentrated in the same metros:
| Metro | Nonfarm jobs | 12-month change | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 1,407,000 | 1.8% | 3.3% |
| Raleigh | 783,200 | 2.3% | 2.7% |
| Wilmington | 200,800 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
BLS Economy at a Glance, September 2026, not seasonally adjusted, preliminary.
Statewide, the largest employers in 2025 were the State of North Carolina (180,000 to 184,999 workers), the federal government, Walmart, Duke University and Atrium Health, followed by Food Lion, Wells Fargo, Amazon, the Wake County Public School System and Bank of Americasource. Our city verdict on whether Charlotte is a good place to live covers the state's biggest job market in detail.
Weather: coast, Piedmont and mountains
North Carolina has three climates, and where you land changes your winters, your summers and your storm risk.
| City | Region | January low | July high | Snow | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | Coast | 36.3°F | 90°F | 0.9 in | 60.15 in |
| Raleigh | Piedmont | 31.8°F | 90.8°F | 5.2 in | 46.07 in |
| Durham | Piedmont | 31.8°F | 90.8°F | 5.2 in | 46.07 in |
| Charlotte | Piedmont | 31.8°F | 90.3°F | 3.5 in | 43.6 in |
| Greensboro | Piedmont | 30.1°F | 88.5°F | 7.1 in | 43.95 in |
| Asheville | Mountains | 28.6°F | 85.3°F | 10.3 in | 49.59 in |
NOAA 1991-2020 normals at each city's airport station, from our city climate records.
- Coast. The mildest winters and the most rain. Hurricanes are the defining risk: Florence came ashore at Wrightsville Beach in September 2018, dropped 23.02 inches of rain at Wilmington's airport and cut the city off by road for several dayssource.
- Piedmont. Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and Greensboro share a pattern: July highs near 90°F and a few inches of snow a year.
- Mountains. Asheville has the coolest summers and the most snow of the North Carolina cities we track. It is not immune to tropical storms: during Helene on September 27, 2024, the French Broad River at Asheville crested at 24.82 feet, breaking a record set in 1916source.
New-resident rules: license and registration
- Driver's license: within 60 days of becoming a residentsource.
- Vehicle registration: the deadline depends on your situation; check the North Carolina DMV page.
Registration has a catch. NCDMV's new-residents page says you must register your vehicle when you accept a job in North Carolina or when your home state's reciprocity period ends, which the page says is usually 30 days, whichever comes first. You need a North Carolina license before you can title the car, so get the license earlysource. Our moving out of state checklist covers the rest of the paperwork.
Moving to North Carolina: pros and cons
Pros
- Prices below the US average. A statewide price level of 94.3 and housing index of 81.4 (BEA, 2024).
- A low, falling income tax. 3.99% flat in 2026, 3.49% in 2027 (NCDOR; EY Tax News).
- Moderate property tax. An average effective rate of 0.66% (WalletHub, 2026).
- Real job markets. 1,407,000 jobs in the Charlotte metro alone (BLS, September 2026).
- Beach, Piedmont or mountains. Three distinct climates in one state, and every North Carolina city we cover has nonstop flights to New York (airport route pages, October 2026).
Cons
- Hot summers. July highs near or above 90°F everywhere but the mountains (NOAA normals).
- Storm exposure. Hurricanes on the coast and record flooding in the mountains in 2024 (National Weather Service).
- Popular metros are not cheap to buy in. Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Wilmington, Asheville all list above the US median of $419,250 (Realtor.com, September 2026).
- Competition for homes. Net domestic migration of 84,064 in one year means a steady stream of buyers.
The bottom line
North Carolina is a strong choice for families leaving an expensive metro, especially if you can pick your city based on work: Charlotte for finance and the biggest job market, Raleigh and Durham for research, tech and universities, Wilmington for the coast if your income is remote, Asheville for the mountains if you can pay mountain-town prices, and Greensboro if the lowest house price matters most. Compare the two biggest metros in Charlotte vs Raleigh, or see our best states to move to guide for the wider field.
Data notes: monthly payments assume 20% down at the Freddie Mac 30-year average of 7.32% and exclude property tax, insurance and HOA dues.