Moving to North Carolina from Massachusetts
What to Expect
Considering a move from Massachusetts to North Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Massachusetts to North Carolina, you would find that North Carolina is 13.0% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly $63,504 in North Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle. A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Massachusetts and North Carolina. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $63,504 To maintain the same standard of living in North Carolina How key spending categories compare Restaurants pay 15.2% less Groceries pay 1.4% more Housing pay 19.4% less Childcare pay 21.8% less Entertainment and Sports pay 20.2% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%). On average, cities in North Carolina cost about 19% less than cities in Massachusetts. Compare cities head-to-head The numbers behind daily life in North Carolina compared to Massachusetts. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Massachusetts performs better than North Carolina across all safety metrics. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke Massachusetts performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied North Carolina performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Massachusetts generally does better on infrastructure, though North Carolina leads in average commute. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person typical annual income of a household share of people below the poverty line Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though North Carolina leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree Massachusetts performs better than North Carolina across all family life metrics. 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) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: On average North Carolina is about 15% less expensive than Massachusetts, with major cities narrowing the gap. Budget about $15,876 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. Massachusetts performs better than North Carolina across all safety metrics. Massachusetts performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Asheville is 67°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Asheville receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Key Indicator Comparison
Is it safe?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Boston Asheville Jan–Mar 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) 52°/32°F (11°/0°C) Apr–Jun 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) Jul–Sep 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) Oct–Dec 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) 58°/38°F (15°/3°C) View all months
Month Boston Asheville Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C) Feb 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C) Mar 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C) Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) May 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C) Jun 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) Jul 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C) Aug 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C) Sep 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C) Oct 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C) Nov 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C) Dec 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in North Carolina than Massachusetts?
How much money do I need to move to North Carolina?
Is North Carolina safe?
How is healthcare in North Carolina compared to Massachusetts?
What's the weather like in North Carolina compared to Massachusetts?
