North Carolina and Virginia at a glance
Moving between North Carolina and Virginia changes more than the scenery. On a $60,000 salary, North Carolina leaves $25,905 a year after taxes, rent, food, energy and gasoline; Virginia leaves $21,549.
North Carolina comes out ahead by $4,356 a year ($363 a month). The calculation starts from the same gross pay in both states, subtracts federal tax, Social Security and Medicare, then each state's own income tax, and then the population-weighted cost of a one-bedroom rental, groceries, home energy and gasoline across 10,730,404 people in 100 counties in North Carolina and 8,705,170 people in 133 counties in Virginia.
Taxes: what each paycheck loses
Federal income tax ($5,072) and FICA ($4,590) on $60,000 are the same on both sides of the border. State income tax takes $2,008 in North Carolina and $2,650 in Virginia, which leaves take-home pay of $48,330 and $47,688.
At $100,000
At $100,000 take-home pay is $75,193 in North Carolina and $73,951 in Virginia, a difference of $1,242. The gap widens with income because graduated state brackets take a growing share.
Living costs
One-bedroom rent averages $1,282 a month in North Carolina and $1,596 in Virginia, so North Carolina is $315 a month cheaper for housing. Food costs $3,436 a year in both, because the USDA Thrifty Food Plan is a national figure; home energy $2,138 and $2,119, and gasoline $1,472 and $1,429. Together the basics cost $22,426 a year in North Carolina and $26,140 in Virginia.
What the Census adds
Median household income is $72,388 in North Carolina and $93,170 in Virginia. Homeowners pay a median of $1,896 a year in property tax in North Carolina and $2,790 in Virginia. Commuters travel 25.1 minutes each way on average in North Carolina and 27.3 in Virginia.
Method
Taxes use the 2025 rules for a single filer with wage income only and the standard deduction. Housing and living costs are county figures from HUD (one-bedroom Fair Market Rent), the USDA Thrifty Food Plan and state energy prices from the Energy Information Administration, averaged across each state's counties and weighted by population, so large counties count more. Local income taxes are not included. Counties differ widely inside every state, so use the county pages for a specific place.