Living Cost Compare
Charlotte

North Carolina

$1,560/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,560 in Charlotte, NC versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charlotte, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,438 in Charlotte, NC and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 30% higher in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Charlotte, NC
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$1,424
$1,103
+23% in Charlotte, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,374
$1,024
+25% in Charlotte, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,491
$1,213
+19% in Charlotte, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,663
$1,394
+16% in Charlotte, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$351,500
$224,500
+36% in Charlotte, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$78,438
$55,269
+30% in Charlotte, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$54,310
+9% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
37.0 yr
+2.6 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
51.5%
46.0%
+5.5 pp in Charlotte, NC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
47.4%
33.1%
+14.3 pp in Charlotte, NC
Avg Commute
25.0 min
23.0 min
+2.0 min in Charlotte, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
733.1
1,138.2
+55% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
3,718.9
3,182.4
+14% in Charlotte, NC

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
59.9°F
54.9°F
+5.0°F in Charlotte, NC
Annual Precipitation
41.6 in
43.1 in
+1.4 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.86/gal
about equal

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.20
—

Adult base one-way fare — CATS vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
19.4
+28% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.56
$22.51
+18% in Charlotte, NC

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NC / DE)
4.75%
None
+4.8 pp in NC
Income Tax (top rate)
3.99%
6.60%
+2.6 pp in DE

Charlotte vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Charlotte, NC's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Wilmington?
Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).