Ultimate Guide to Living in North Carolina

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So, you’re curious about living in North Carolina? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

The expert movers, travelers, and worldwide locals that make up the team at Relocalate.com are here to help. 

We’ve compiled the ultimate guides to answer the most common questions people just like you have about living in the great state of North Carolina.

Dive deep into the topics you’re interested in to make sure your new home in North Carolina matches what you’re looking for. 

We’ll explore whether North Carolina is a good place for YOU to live, and we’ll highlight some of the best cities for you to visit, explore, and ultimately call home. 

Pros and Cons of Living in North Carolina

You’ve heard it before, and it’s true: no place is perfect. What matters is how good of a fit it is for you.

Relocalate.com is here to help you decide whether North Carolina is the best place for YOU to live. 

Here are some reasons to love living in North Carolina:

  • Low cost of living
  • Excellent schools and universities
  • Numerous golf courses
  • Accessible healthcare facilities. North Carolina has the fourth highest number of hospitals in America. The average wait time for emergency treatment is about five minutes, according to US News & World Report.

And, on the flip side, here are some of the downsides of living in North Carolina:

  • Winters are generally cold.
  • There is a higher than average level of crime in North Carolina, but places like Charlotte and Raleigh have been working hard to combat this issue with programs such as Cops on Dope Slopes.
  • It can be difficult to find jobs if you don’t live near one of the major cities or college towns. One option for job seekers that feels too far from home may be western NC’s Research Triangle Park – RTP for short – which is just under an hour away from Asheville and has more than 200 companies employing over 50,000 people within its borders. These include IBM, PepsiCo, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (GSK), Cisco Systems Inc., Lenovo, and more.



Read More: Is North Carolina a Good Place to Live?

Best Place to Live in North Carolina

So, you’ve got your heart set on living in North Carolina? Well, the decision making doesn’t end there. You’ve still got to decide where to live in North Carolina!

In some other articles, we’ll dive deeper into some of the best places to live in North Carolina. 

Our experts have considered a whole bunch of different criteria to select the top locations, including:

  • The best places to live for families, retirees, singles, young adults, outdoor lovers, foodies, and more. 
  • The safest places to live. 
  • The cheapest places to live. 
  • The best schools. 
  • The best job markets. 
  • The best housing markets. 
  • And so much more. 

Just want a quick list? No worries, here are some of the best cities to live in North Carolina:

  • Charlotte
  • Durham
  • Fayetteville
  • Morrisville
  • Raleigh
  • Wilmington


Read More: Best Places to Live in North Carolina

Checklist for Moving to North Carolina

So now you’re preparing for your big move to North Carolina. Maybe you’ve even started packing!

As you probably already know, there are a lot of things to take care of when you’re moving. Both in your current state and once you get to North Carolina.

Here are some of the major things you’ll want to take care of when you move to North Carolina:

  1. Updating your address with USPS. 
  2. Getting your North Carolina driver’s license. 
  3. Transferring your vehicle titles and registrations to North Carolina
  4. Getting North Carolina car insurance.
  5. Signing up for health insurance in North Carolina and finding new doctors, dentists, and local hospitals. 
  6. Updating/changing other insurance policies you may need (homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, pet insurance, motorcycle insurance, etc.)
  7. Registering to vote in your district in North Carolina.
  8. Updating your address with your banks, credit cards, subscription services, loans, investments, phone plans, and bill pay. 
  9. Enrolling your kids in their new school district. 
  10. Licensing your pets and finding a new vet. 
  11. Setting up your utilities for your new home. 
  12. Preparing to file state taxes for North Carolina and your previous home state. 

Visit your North Carolina Moving Checklist for a detailed guide on all of the above.  

Read More: Moving to North Carolina Checklist


While we’re at it, let’s cover some high-level questions and fun facts about North Carolina.

Things to Know About Living in North Carolina

As you’re preparing for your move or getting settled into your new home in North Carolina, here are some things to know about living there. 

Cost of Living in North Carolina

One thing to consider when moving to a new state is the relative cost of living. 

North Carolina ranks 23rd on the Cost of Living Index with an overall rating of 96.9, meaning it’s a relatively less expensive place to live. 

Here is how North Carolina scores for the cost of living in each specific category:

  • Groceries: 97.4
  • Housing: 91.8
  • Utilities: 97.2
  • Transportation: 95.1
  • Health: 111.4
  • Miscellaneous: 99.2

The average cost of living in this index is scored at 100. The numbers above represent the percentage of the average. A number higher than 100 represents an above average cost of living, while a number lower than 100 represents a lower cost of living. A lower rank indicates a lower cost of living. 

This data comes from the Cost of Living Index prepared by the Council for Economic Research (C2ER), which compiles data from cities across the country to rank and compare the differences in costs of living. 

Sales Tax Rates in North Carolina

Sales tax is a way that state and local governments collect tax revenue from its residents and visitors. 

These taxes are applied when you purchase something. It’ll show up on your receipt or bill. If you’ve recently moved to North Carolina from somewhere else, the new sales tax rates may surprise you. 

On top of the state sales tax rates, local rates for certain counties and cities may apply and vary as well.

North Carolina’s state sales tax rate is lower than the national average at 4.75%, with an average local rate of 2.23% (the highest local sales tax rate is 2.75%). Across the state, the average sales tax rate is about 6.98%. 

Check with the North Carolina tax office for the most current tax rates.

Real-Estate Property Tax Rates in North Carolina

If you own or plan to own real estate in North Carolina, you’ll want to think about the property tax rates when you move there. 

North Carolina ranks 20th (from low to high) for its state property tax rate of 0.84%.

There may be additional property taxes on top of the rate stated here depending on your county, city, and school districts. 

Check with the North Carolina tax office for the most current tax rates.

North Carolina’s Job Market & Economy

Another thing to think about when moving to North Carolina is the job market and economic indicators. 

Overall, North Carolina ranks 11th for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the United States. 

The GDP measures the overall monetary value of all goods and services produced within a certain place over a period of time. 

Its top 10 industries (ranked from largest to smallest by economic contribution to the state) are:

  • Manufacturing
  • Professional and business services
  • Real estate and rental and leasing
  • Finance and insurance
  • Educational services, health care, and social assistance
  • Wholesale trade
  • Retail trade
  • Construction
  • Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services
  • Information

The top employer in North Carolina is the University of North Carolina system.

Notable Destinations and Landmarks in North Carolina

Our North Carolina moving guide wouldn’t be complete without a brief mention of some of the most iconic destinations in the state. 

When you get settled in, a road trip may just be in order. 

One of the most iconic landmarks in North Carolina is the Biltmore Estate.

National Parks that you can visit in North Carolina include:

  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park

These destinations are all great places to visit when you get a chance. 

Facts about North Carolina

North Carolina is the 12th state of the United States that lies in the southern region. To its north is Virginia, to its south is South Carolina, to its east is the Atlantic Ocean, and to its west is Tennessee.

What is the capital of North Carolina?

The capital of North Carolina is Raleigh.

Raleigh is located in Wake County with a population of 478,956.

What is the population of North Carolina?

The population of North Carolina based on 2020 US Census data is 10,439,388.

What is the largest city in North Carolina?

The largest city in North Carolina is Charlotte. 

Charlotte has a population of 882,367, and it is located in Mecklenburg County.

What is the size of North Carolina?

North Carolina is 53,819 square miles, making it the 28th largest state in the U.S.

What is the state motto of North Carolina?

The state motto of North Carolina is: Esse quam videri

What is the state bird of North Carolina?

The state bird of North Carolina is the Northern cardinal.

What is the state flower of North Carolina?

The state flower of North Carolina is the Flowering dogwood.

What is the state tree of North Carolina?

The state tree of North Carolina is the Pine.

What is the minimum wage in the state of North Carolina?

The minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 per hour.

What is the median income in North Carolina?

The median annual household salary in North Carolina is $53,855