Cost of living in the Charlotte Metro Area
11 counties across NC and SC. Population: 2,712,818.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Charlotte Metro Area
Average rent across the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Charlotte Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 11 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Charlotte Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Charlotte Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 11 counties in the Charlotte Metro Area
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area includes 11 counties across NC and SC. Sorted by population.
- Charlotte NC$3,767/moPop1,130,906 Rent$1,647/mo Income$83,765/yrCharlotte NC 1,130,906 $1,647/mo $83,765/yr $3,767/mo
- York County SC$3,821/moPop288,559 Rent$1,647/mo Income$83,060/yrYork County SC 288,559 $1,647/mo $83,060/yr $3,821/mo
- Union County NC$3,799/moPop244,975 Rent$1,647/mo Income$99,243/yrUnion County NC 244,975 $1,647/mo $99,243/yr $3,799/mo
- Gaston County NC$3,697/moPop231,485 Rent$1,647/mo Income$65,472/yrGaston County NC 231,485 $1,647/mo $65,472/yr $3,697/mo
- Cabarrus County NC$3,779/moPop231,262 Rent$1,647/mo Income$86,084/yrCabarrus County NC 231,262 $1,647/mo $86,084/yr $3,779/mo
- Iredell County NC$3,314/moPop191,800 Rent$1,253/mo Income$78,678/yrIredell County NC 191,800 $1,253/mo $78,678/yr $3,314/mo
- Rowan County NC$3,048/moPop148,487 Rent$1,050/mo Income$63,196/yrRowan County NC 148,487 $1,050/mo $63,196/yr $3,048/mo
- Lancaster County SC$3,128/moPop100,905 Rent$987/mo Income$74,751/yrLancaster County SC 100,905 $987/mo $74,751/yr $3,128/mo
- Lincoln County NC$3,151/moPop90,359 Rent$1,058/mo Income$78,490/yrLincoln County NC 90,359 $1,058/mo $78,490/yr $3,151/mo
- Chester County SC$2,759/moPop32,177 Rent$840/mo Income$51,216/yrChester County SC 32,177 $840/mo $51,216/yr $2,759/mo
- Anson County NC$2,680/moPop21,903 Rent$927/mo Income$44,245/yrAnson County NC 21,903 $927/mo $44,245/yr $2,680/mo
Compare counties in the Charlotte Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Charlotte Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Charlotte Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area is approximately $3,634 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 11 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Charlotte Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area is $1,527 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Charlotte Metro Area?
Anson County, NC is the most affordable county in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area at approximately $2,680 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Charlotte Metro Area?
York County, SC is the most expensive county in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area at approximately $3,821 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Charlotte Metro Area?
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area covers 11 counties across NC and SC. The five largest by population are Charlotte, York County, Union County, Gaston County, Cabarrus County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.