Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Wake County, NC would need to be about $40,405 in Brunswick County, NC, or $9,595 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Wake County, NC vs Brunswick County, NC: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Brunswick County, NC is cheaper than Wake County, NC.
Moving to Brunswick County, NC is estimated to save $12,333 per year.
Cheaper County
Brunswick County, NCSave about $12,333 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Wake County, NC is about $40,405 in Brunswick County, NC.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $813 per year. Housing saves $6,683 per year.
Housing: $6,683 lower in Brunswick County, NC
Taxes: $3,967 lower in Brunswick County, NC
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $813 higher in Brunswick County, NC
Food: $196 lower in Brunswick County, NC
Transport: $163 lower in Brunswick County, NC
Wake County, NC→Brunswick County, NC
Equivalent salary in Brunswick County, NC
$40,405
-19.19% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Wake County, NC: $128,556
Median Income in Brunswick County, NC: $87,470
Living Index in Wake County, NC 49.99%
Living Index in Brunswick County, NC 59.38%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Wake County, NC to Brunswick County, NC.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Wake County, NC to Brunswick County, NC is estimated to save $12,333 per year. A $50,000 salary in Wake County, NC would have similar purchasing power to about $40,405 in Brunswick County, NC. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -19.19% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $6,683 per year lower (-34.51%); Taxes is $3,967 per year lower (-27.57%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Wake County, NC and Brunswick County, NC, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 50.0% of median family income in Wake County, NC and 59.4% in Brunswick County, NC. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $6,683 per year lower in Brunswick County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Brunswick County, NC changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $196 per year lower in Brunswick County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Brunswick County, NC can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $163 per year lower in Brunswick County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Brunswick County, NC.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $813 per year higher in Brunswick County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Brunswick County, NC changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $2,135 per year lower in Brunswick County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Brunswick County, NC help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Wake County, NC and Brunswick County, NC, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Brunswick County, NC, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $3,967 per year lower in Brunswick County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Brunswick County, NC matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Brunswick County, NC.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Brunswick County, NC
Annual Increase:
$813 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Brunswick County, NC.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Brunswick County, NC
Annual Savings:
$6,683 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Brunswick County, NC.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -35% lower | |
| Food | -4% lower | |
| Transport | -1% lower | |
| Healthcare | 15% higher | |
| Other Costs | -29% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -28% lower |
In Brunswick County, NC, modeled annual costs are $51,936 compared with $64,269 in Wake County, NC.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Brunswick County, NC. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Brunswick County, NC and Wake County, NC are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
