CostIndexUSA

Missoula, MT vs Wilmington, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostMT
Missoula
96.4
overall index
$1,550/mo rent
NC
Wilmington
96.4
overall index
$1,700/mo rent

Missoula and Wilmington have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing1.8%
Missoula
94.9
Wilmington
93.2
🛒 Groceries+0.6%
Missoula
96
Wilmington
96.6
🚗 Transportation0.6%
Missoula
103.7
Wilmington
103.1
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Missoula
93.8
Wilmington
93.3
Utilities+21.9%
Missoula
72.1
Wilmington
87.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Wilmington, NC
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (96.4 ÷ 96.4) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Missoula, MT

Median Home Price
$552,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,550
Housing Index
94.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
29.7×

Wilmington, NC

Median Home Price
$432,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
93.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.2×

Missoula has 1.8% lower housing costs compared to Wilmington.

Income & Job Market

Missoula, MT

Median Household Income
$73,300
Per Capita Income
$41,800
Unemployment Rate
2.5%
Population
73,489
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTourismGovernmentRetail

Wilmington, NC

Median Household Income
$76,900
Per Capita Income
$43,800
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Population
115,451
Top Industries
HealthcareTourismTechnologyEducationMilitary

Affordability at a Glance

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

Missoula, MT
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Wilmington, NC
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

73% 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.