Central City, KY vs Williamston, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Williamston, NC has a modeled overall cost index 8.5% higher than Central City, KY.

Central City, KY · modeled 2BR rent: $1,020 / month
Williamston, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $950 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Central City, KY and Williamston, NC using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Central City, KY

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $549/month in Williamston, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $156,588 in Williamston, NC

Regional cost estimates: Central City, KY uses Nashville, TN. Williamston, NC uses Chesapeake, VA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 8.5%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$549

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$6.6K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Central City, KY

Population:6K

Cost Index:

82.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$115K

Williamston, NC

Population:5K

Cost Index:

89.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$122K

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Central City, KY

The Bluegrass State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kentucky, this city has a population of 6K residents.

Williamston, NC

The Tar Heel State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Central City, KY vs Williamston, NC

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Central City, KY	Williamston, NC	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,256/mo	$2,496/mo	↑ $240more	10.6%
Transportation	$1,214/mo	$1,343/mo	↑ $129more	10.6%
All Utilities	$548/mo	$638/mo	↑ $89.12more	16.2%
Groceries	$1,003/mo	$1,066/mo	↑ $63.04more	6.3%
Healthcare	$642/mo	$702/mo	↑ $60.76more	9.5%
Other	$1,836/mo	$1,804/mo	↓ $32.58less	1.8%

Housing

↑ 10.6%

Central City, KY

$2,256

Williamston, NC

$2,496

Difference

$240

Transportation

↑ 10.6%

Central City, KY

$1,214

Williamston, NC

$1,343

Difference

$129

All Utilities

↑ 16.2%

Central City, KY

$548

Williamston, NC

$638

Difference

$89.12

Groceries

↑ 6.3%

Central City, KY

$1,003

Williamston, NC

$1,066

Difference

$63.04

Healthcare

↑ 9.5%

Central City, KY

$642

Williamston, NC

$702

Difference

$60.76

Other

↓ 1.8%

Central City, KY

$1,836

Williamston, NC

$1,804

Difference

$32.58

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$770

To$720

↓ $50.00

1 Bed

From$780

To$720

↓ $60.00

2 Bed

From$1,020

To$950

↓ $70.00

3 Bed

From$1,350

To$1,250

↓ $100

Central City, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $780–$780/mo

Williamston, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $720–$720/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Central City, KY

$8,049

Monthly in Williamston, NC

$549

Difference

Home Values

Central City

Williamston

$115K

Median Value

$122K

↓ -3.9%

YoY Change

↓ -8.5%

↑ +19.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +16.7%

Homes in Williamston are 7% more expensive than Central City

Calculate payment - Central City Calculate payment - Williamston

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $375

Per year

Monthly Difference

$31.25

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.3%

Rate difference

Central City, KY

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kentucky State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Williamston, NC

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

North Carolina State Tax

Effective: 4.8%

$7.1K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.4%

$44.1K

Take-Home Pay

$8,822/month

$105.9K

Additional Tax Information

Central City, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Williamston, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Central City

Williamston

50 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

51.6%

Good Air Days

80.3%

97 High

Climate Risk

81 Low

🌊🫨🌪

Top Hazards

None

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

42 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

42 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

Before moving from Central City, KY to Williamston, NC

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Williamston, NC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Central City, KY. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Central City to Williamston moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Williamston, NC by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Central City, KY vs Williamston, NC

How do the cost estimates for Central City, KY and Williamston, NC compare?

Williamston, NC has a modeled overall cost index 8.5% higher than Central City, KY. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Central City, KY, the model estimates $156,588 in Williamston, NC. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Central City, KY and Williamston, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,020/month in Central City, KY and $950/month in Williamston, NC. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Kentucky and North Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com

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