Greensboro, NC Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Greensboro, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Greensboro →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Greensboro, North Carolina has a population of about 297,202. Typical household income is $55,051 per year, below the median across the cities in our dataset (-24%).
Greensboro's housing market shows a median home value of $197,200, below the multi-city benchmark (-40%), alongside median rent of $1,048 per month. Both figures matter for anyone weighing a move here.
Home values run about 3.6× median income in Greensboro, putting it squarely in the balanced range among the cities we cover. Year-over-year, home values around Greensboro are up 3.24%, a pace in line with a healthy, unremarkable market. Greensboro carries a Relatively Moderate hazard rating from FEMA, on the lower end of what we track.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,048/mo in Greensboro would take 22.8% of your income.
$328/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($197,200) would take 22.9% of your income toward principal & interest.
$232/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Greensboro
Median home value is $197,200 and median gross rent is $1,048/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Guilford rose 3.24% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,330/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Greensboro's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Greensboro reported a violent crime rate of 703.4 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Greensboro
Planning a move to Greensboro? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Greensboro, NC?
- For a quick read on Greensboro: homes carry a median value of $197,200, rent runs a median $1,048 monthly, and household income is a median $55,051, all from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Greensboro?
- Using the standard 30%-of-income rule of thumb, affording Greensboro's median rent of $1,048/month takes an income of roughly $41,920 a year. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Greensboro.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Greensboro?
- In Greensboro, comfortably renting the median unit ($1,048/month) takes about $41,920 in annual income, while buying the median home ($197,200) takes roughly $45,118 a year in principal and interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates).
- Is Greensboro safe?
- Greensboro's violent crime rate, per FBI reporting for 2025, stands at 703.4 per 100,000 residents.
See the full salary breakdown for Greensboro →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Greensboro's.