St. Stephens, NC vs Wilkesboro, NC

St. Stephens, NC and Wilkesboro, NC have a very similar cost of living, with only a 3% difference in their overall index. St. Stephens scores 73 while Wilkesboro scores 71 on the cost of living index, where 100 represents the national average. The day-to-day expenses for residents in both cities are comparable, though differences emerge when looking at specific categories.

On the housing front, median rent in St. Stephens is $864/month compared to $713/month in Wilkesboro — a 21% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Wilkesboro has cheaper rent, St. Stephens actually has lower median home values ($187,500 vs $197,600).

Median household income in St. Stephens is $57,882 compared to $41,175 in Wilkesboro (+40.6%). While St. Stephens is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of St. Stephens spend roughly 17.9% of their income on rent, less than the 20.8% in Wilkesboro.