High Point, NC Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for High Point, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in High Point →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Roughly 114,120 people call High Point, North Carolina home. Household income runs $58,582 at the median, below what we see across the broader set of cities (-19%).
Housing costs are a defining factor for anyone relocating to High Point. The median home value sits at $196,500 (below the multi-city median at -40%), while renters pay a median of $1,030 per month. Buyers should weigh current mortgage rates and local property taxes against these figures before committing.
High Point's home-price-to-income ratio of about 3.4× puts it in affordable territory — income here stretches further toward a home purchase than in many cities we track. Year-over-year, home values around High Point are up 3.24%, a pace in line with a healthy, unremarkable market. High Point carries a Relatively Moderate hazard rating from FEMA, on the lower end of what we track.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,030/mo in High Point would take 21.1% of your income.
$435/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($196,500) would take 21.5% of your income toward principal & interest.
$318/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in High Point
Median home value is $196,500 and median gross rent is $1,030/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 High Point's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
High Point reported a violent crime rate of 521 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to High Point
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in High Point, NC?
- In High Point, the median home value is $196,500 and median rent is $1,030 per month, against a median household income of $58,582. These figures come from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in High Point?
- Using the standard 30%-of-income rule of thumb, affording High Point's median rent of $1,030/month takes an income of roughly $41,200 a year. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for High Point.
- Is it better to rent or buy in High Point?
- High Point's median rent of $1,030/month translates to about $41,200 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $44,958 a year for principal and interest on the $196,500 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is High Point safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, High Point's violent crime rate was 521 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for High Point →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of High Point's.