A+
13%
Overall NAT. AVG.
5%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
33%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Thomasville North Carolina National
Cost of living8796100
Goods & Services96101100
Groceries98100100
Health care110110100
Housing6788100
Transportation9094100
Utilities9494100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Thomasville, NC

The cost of living in Thomasville affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Thomasville is 87, which is 13% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Thomasville?

The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 5 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Thomasville. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 40% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 60% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.

Is Thomasville Affordable?

Wondering if Thomasville is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Thomasville, for example, the median home price is 35.3% lower than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 26.7% lower than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Thomasville boasting a median household income of $62,983, which is 22.6% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Thomasville?

Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.

Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.

Transportation: In situations where public transportation is limited or nonexistent, local residents may be required to own and maintain their own vehicles, contributing to an elevated cost of living. Monthly expenditures may encompass fuel costs, insurance premiums, routine vehicle upkeep and possibly lease or financing payments. In Thomasville, the transportation index is 10.3% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Thomasville cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Thomasville is 9% lower than the North Carolina average
  • The cost of living in Thomasville is 13% lower than the national average
  • Thomasville housing is 33% lower than the national average
  • North Carolina general sales tax is 7% lower than the national average
  • North Carolina state income tax is 83% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Thomasville

See all the best places to live around Thomasville

Compare Thomasville, NC Cost of Living

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      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$87,838$7,320$2,049$2,635
      Renters$43,753$3,646$1,021$1,313
      The affordability of the housing market in Thomasville, NC as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Thomasville homeowners, the median income is $87,838. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $2,049 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $43,753. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,021 for their rent related monthly costs.

      North Carolina Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      North Carolina 4.75% 7.5%

      North Carolina Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      North Carolina 4.75% 4.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Thomasville National avg. Difference
      Haircut $26.75$27.623.1%
      Beauty Salon $50.00$51.112.2%
      Toothpaste $4.03$4.091.5%
      Shampoo $1.56$1.541.2%
      Movie $11.10$12.8813.8%
      Yoga $23.34$19.6618.7%

      Groceries

      Item Thomasville National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $7.66$7.700.6%
      Fried Chicken $1.59$1.664.3%
      Milk $4.78$4.731.0%
      Potatoes $5.74$5.269.2%
      Pizza $11.79$12.767.6%
      Beer $10.36$10.551.8%

      Health Care

      Item Thomasville National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $161.67$140.0615.4%
      Doctor $181.67$153.8218.1%
      Dentist $106.00$123.1513.9%
      Ibuprofen $11.99$11.732.2%
      Lipitor $31.79$23.6134.6%

      Housing

      Item Thomasville National avg. Difference
      Home Price $211,441.00$326,622.0035.3%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,799.18$2,480.2527.5%
      Apartment Rent $1,059.00$1,444.0026.7%

      Transportation

      Item Thomasville National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $2.87$3.066.2%
      Tire Balancing $52.00$65.2120.3%

      Utilities

      Item Thomasville National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $202.58$220.128.0%
      Phone $190.84$195.712.5%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Lexington, NC19,3868812.3%
      Asheboro, NC26,4308910.7%
      Welcome, NC3,1258911.2%
      Archdale, NC12,179928.4%
      Trinity, NC6,824936.5%
      Thomasville, NC27,8058712.8%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Allen Park, MI27,807954.6%
      Maywood, CA27,79814343.2%
      Boisbriand, QC27,813n/a 
      Mason City, IA27,8158910.7%
      Shoreview, MN27,77111313.4%
      Thomasville, NC27,8058712.8%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.