Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Wake County, NC would need to be about $34,945 in Randolph County, NC, or $15,055 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Wake County, NC vs Randolph County, NC: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Randolph County, NC is cheaper than Wake County, NC.
Moving to Randolph County, NC is estimated to save $19,353 per year.
Cheaper County
Randolph County, NCSave about $19,353 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Wake County, NC is about $34,945 in Randolph County, NC.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $380 per year. Housing saves $9,726 per year.
Housing: $9,726 lower in Randolph County, NC
Taxes: $5,698 lower in Randolph County, NC
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $275 lower in Randolph County, NC
Food: $773 lower in Randolph County, NC
Transport: $380 higher in Randolph County, NC
Wake County, NC→Randolph County, NC
Equivalent salary in Randolph County, NC
$34,945
-30.11% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Wake County, NC: $128,556
Median Income in Randolph County, NC: $70,917
Living Index in Wake County, NC 49.99%
Living Index in Randolph County, NC 63.34%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Wake County, NC to Randolph 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 Randolph County, NC is estimated to save $19,353 per year. A $50,000 salary in Wake County, NC would have similar purchasing power to about $34,945 in Randolph County, NC. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -30.11% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $9,726 per year lower (-50.22%); Taxes is $5,698 per year lower (-39.61%).
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 Randolph 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 63.3% in Randolph County, NC. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $9,726 per year lower in Randolph 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 Randolph County, NC changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $773 per year lower in Randolph County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Randolph County, NC can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $380 per year higher in Randolph 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 Randolph County, NC.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $275 per year lower in Randolph County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Randolph County, NC changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,259 per year lower in Randolph County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Randolph 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 Randolph County, NC, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Randolph County, NC, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $5,698 per year lower in Randolph County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Randolph 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 Randolph County, NC.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Randolph County, NC
Annual Increase:
$380 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Randolph County, NC.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Randolph County, NC
Annual Savings:
$9,726 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Randolph County, NC.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -50% lower | |
| Food | -16% lower | |
| Transport | 3% higher | |
| Healthcare | -5% lower | |
| Other Costs | -44% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -40% lower |
In Randolph County, NC, modeled annual costs are $44,916 compared with $64,269 in Wake County, NC.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Randolph County, NC. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Randolph County, NC and Wake County, NC are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
