Moving to North Carolina from Idaho

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Idaho to North Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Idaho to North Carolina, you would find that North Carolina is 8.0% more expensive than Idaho. A $75,000 salary in Idaho would need to be roughly $80,027 in North Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Idaho and North Carolina.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $80,027

To maintain the same standard of living in North Carolina

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.2% less

Groceries

pay 23.1% more

Transportation

pay 11.4% more

Housing

pay 10.6% more

Childcare

pay 19.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in North Carolina compared to Idaho.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

ID
226
NC
379
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

ID
784
NC
1998

Idaho performs better than North Carolina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

ID
8.5%
NC
9.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

ID
33.5%
NC
33.6%

Idaho performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

ID
$376,000
NC
$259,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

ID
$1,150
NC
$1,162

Idaho generally does better on what about housing?, though North Carolina leads in median home value.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

ID
91.3%
NC
88.7%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

ID
22 min
NC
25 min

Idaho performs better than North Carolina across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ID
3.5%
NC
3.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

ID
$49,054
NC
$59,308

Idaho generally does better on employment & economy, though North Carolina leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

ID
78.4 yrs
NC
76.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

ID
19%
NC
22%

Idaho generally does better on family life, though North Carolina leads in bachelor's degree or higher.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Boise Rain: 11.7 in/yr (298 mm)
64° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Asheville Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
67° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Boise Asheville
Jan–Mar 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) 52°/32°F (11°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) 75°/53°F (24°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/57°F (30°/14°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/32°F (10°/0°C) 58°/38°F (15°/3°C)
View all months
Month Boise Asheville
Jan 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C) 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C)
Feb 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C) 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C)
Mar 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C) 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C)
Apr 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C) 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C)
May 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C) 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C)
Jun 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)
Jul 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C) 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C)
Aug 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C)
Sep 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C)
Oct 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C) 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C)
Nov 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C) 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C)
Dec 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in North Carolina than Idaho?

On average North Carolina is around 7% pricier than Idaho, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to North Carolina?

Budget about $20,007 for 3 months in North Carolina (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is North Carolina safe?

Idaho performs better than North Carolina across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in North Carolina compared to Idaho?

Idaho performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in North Carolina compared to Idaho?

The average high temperature in Asheville is 67°F, compared to 64°F in Boise. Asheville receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Boise gets 11.7 in.

Share this