Cost of Living in the Southeast
Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland & DC
Photo: Elijah Mears / UnsplashThe Southeast — Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland & DC — covers 11 cities we track across 8 states. Median one-bedroom rent across those cities is $1,324 — about the same as the $1,271 median across the 6 regions we track.
The cheapest city we track in the Southeast is Louisville, KY, at $877/mo for a one-bedroom; the priciest is Washington, DC, at $1,885/mo. Median household income across the region's tracked cities is $75,197, about the same as the $72,701 median across all regions.
Region Medians
Medians across the 11 cities we track in the Southeast — not a population-weighted regional figure.
States in the Southeast
Cities in the Southeast
Southeast cost of living — FAQ
- Is the Southeast expensive to live in?
- The Southeast is on the pricier side of the 6 US regions we track. Its median one-bedroom rent of $1,324 ranks #3 of 6 and is about the same as the $1,271 median.
- What is the cheapest city to live in in the Southeast?
- Louisville, KY is the cheapest of the cities we track in the Southeast, with a one-bedroom rent of $877 a month.
- What is the most expensive city in the Southeast?
- Washington, DC is the priciest of the cities we track in the Southeast, with a one-bedroom rent of $1,885 a month.
- Which states are in the Southeast?
- We track cities in 8 states in the Southeast: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland & DC.
Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year; NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010; Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).