CostIndexUSA

Billings, MT vs Wilmington, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableMT
Billings
93.5
overall index
$1,400/mo rent
NC
Wilmington
96.4
overall index
$1,700/mo rent

Billings is slightly cheaper than Wilmington — 3.1% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Billings, you would need $82,500 in Wilmington. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+20.4%
Billings
77.4
Wilmington
93.2
🛒 Groceries+0.6%
Billings
96
Wilmington
96.6
🚗 Transportation0.6%
Billings
103.7
Wilmington
103.1
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Billings
93.8
Wilmington
93.3
Utilities+21.4%
Billings
72.4
Wilmington
87.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Wilmington, NC
$82,500
$2,500 more needed in Wilmington

Formula: salary × (96.4 ÷ 93.5) = salary × 1.0310. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Billings, MT

Median Home Price
$392,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
77.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.3×

Wilmington, NC

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

Wilmington has 20.4% higher housing costs compared to Billings.

Income & Job Market

Billings, MT

Median Household Income
$70,800
Per Capita Income
$40,400
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
117,116
Top Industries
EnergyHealthcareRetailAgricultureManufacturing

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).

Billings, MT
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% 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.