Moving to North Carolina from Pennsylvania
What to Expect
Considering a move from Pennsylvania to North Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, you would find that North Carolina is 1.7% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly $75,634 in North Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $75,634
To maintain the same standard of living in North Carolina
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.4% less
Groceries
pay 1.2% more
Transportation
pay 0.1% less
Housing
pay 2.8% more
Childcare
pay 8.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.0% 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.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in North Carolina compared to Pennsylvania.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Pennsylvania performs better than North Carolina across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Pennsylvania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Carolina leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Pennsylvania performs better than North Carolina across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Pennsylvania generally does better on infrastructure, though North Carolina leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
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
Pennsylvania generally does better on employment & economy, though North Carolina leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Pennsylvania 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)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harrisburg | Asheville |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 52°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) | 58°/38°F (15°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harrisburg | Asheville |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) | 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) | 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) | 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) | 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) |
| May | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) | 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) | 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C) |
| Aug | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) | 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C) |
| Oct | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) | 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C) |
| Nov | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) | 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in North Carolina than Pennsylvania?
North Carolina and Pennsylvania are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to North Carolina?
Budget about $18,908 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?
Pennsylvania performs better than North Carolina across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in North Carolina compared to Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Carolina leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in North Carolina compared to Pennsylvania?
The average high temperature in Asheville is 67°F, compared to 61°F in Harrisburg. Asheville receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Harrisburg gets 43.6 in.
