Forest City, NC vs St. Pauls, NC

St. Pauls is moderately more affordable than Forest City, with a 6.1% lower cost of living index. Forest City scores 69 compared to 65 for St. Pauls, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Forest City can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Forest City is $815/month compared to $774/month in St. Pauls — a 5% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: St. Pauls is more affordable at $118,300 median vs $142,100.

Median household income in Forest City is $35,897 compared to $33,667 in St. Pauls (+6.6%). While Forest City is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Forest City spend roughly 27.2% of their income on rent, less than the 27.6% in St. Pauls.