CostIndexUSA

Harrisburg, PA vs Raleigh, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostPA
Harrisburg
98.7
overall index
$1,400/mo rent
NC
Raleigh
98.2
overall index
$1,650/mo rent

Harrisburg and Raleigh have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+7.5%
Harrisburg
96.3
Raleigh
103.5
🛒 Groceries4.1%
Harrisburg
100.7
Raleigh
96.6
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Harrisburg
102.6
Raleigh
103.1
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Harrisburg
92.8
Raleigh
93.3
Utilities17.7%
Harrisburg
108.1
Raleigh
89

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Harrisburg to see what you'd need to earn in Raleigh to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Raleigh, NC
$79,600
$400 less needed in Raleigh

Formula: salary × (98.2 ÷ 98.7) = salary × 0.9949. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Harrisburg, PA

Median Home Price
$298,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
96.3
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.7×

Raleigh, NC

Median Home Price
$428,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
103.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.6×

Raleigh has 7.5% higher housing costs compared to Harrisburg.

Income & Job Market

Harrisburg, PA

Median Household Income
$76,800
Per Capita Income
$43,800
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Population
49,192
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareFinanceEducationManufacturing

Raleigh, NC

Median Household Income
$96,100
Per Capita Income
$54,800
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Population
467,665
Top Industries
TechnologyEducationHealthcareFinanceGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Harrisburg, PA
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Raleigh, NC
4.9×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.