Lake Waccamaw, NC vs St. Helena, NC

Lake Waccamaw is moderately more affordable than St. Helena, with a 11.3% lower cost of living index. Lake Waccamaw scores 90 compared to 101 for St. Helena, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of St. Helena can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Lake Waccamaw is $1,069/month compared to $1,661/month in St. Helena — a 36% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Lake Waccamaw has cheaper rent, St. Helena actually has lower median home values ($209,200 vs $294,800).

Median household income in Lake Waccamaw is $79,844 compared to $77,000 in St. Helena (+3.7%). Lake Waccamaw offers a double advantage: higher earnings combined with a lower cost of living, giving residents significantly more purchasing power. Looking at affordability, residents of Lake Waccamaw spend roughly 16.1% of their income on rent, less than the 25.9% in St. Helena.