Charlottesville, VA vs Wake Forest, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Wake Forest, NC has a modeled overall cost index 3.1% lower than Charlottesville, VA.

Charlottesville, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,940 / month
Wake Forest, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,750 / 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 Charlottesville, VA and Wake Forest, 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 Charlottesville, VA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $186/month in Wake Forest, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $147,768 in Wake Forest, NC

Regional cost estimates: Charlottesville, VA uses Richmond, VA. Wake Forest, NC uses Raleigh, NC. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 3.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$186

Savings

Annual Impact

$2.2K

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.

Charlottesville, VA

Population:45K

Cost Index:

95.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$514K

Wake Forest, NC

Population:54K

Cost Index:

92.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$505K

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Charlottesville, VA

The Old Dominion State

45K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Virginia, this city has a population of 45K residents.

Wake Forest, NC

The Tar Heel State

54K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 54K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Charlottesville, VA vs Wake Forest, 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	Charlottesville, VA	Wake Forest, NC	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,277/mo	$2,205/mo	↓ $72.21less	3.2%
Other	$1,746/mo	$1,694/mo	↓ $51.82less	3.0%
Healthcare	$643/mo	$611/mo	↓ $31.85less	5.0%
All Utilities	$583/mo	$555/mo	↓ $28.10less	4.8%
Transportation	$1,275/mo	$1,274/mo	↓ $1.45less	0.1%
Groceries	$976/mo	$975/mo	↓ $0.56less	0.1%

Housing

↓ 3.2%

Charlottesville, VA

$2,277

Wake Forest, NC

$2,205

Difference

$72.21

less

Other

↓ 3.0%

Charlottesville, VA

$1,746

Wake Forest, NC

$1,694

Difference

$51.82

less

Healthcare

↓ 5.0%

Charlottesville, VA

$643

Wake Forest, NC

$611

Difference

$31.85

less

All Utilities

↓ 4.8%

Charlottesville, VA

$583

Wake Forest, NC

$555

Difference

$28.10

less

Transportation

↓ 0.1%

Charlottesville, VA

$1,275

Wake Forest, NC

$1,274

Difference

$1.45

less

Groceries

↓ 0.1%

Charlottesville, VA

$976

Wake Forest, NC

$975

Difference

$0.56

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,510

To$1,530

↑ $20.00

1 Bed

From$1,700

To$1,600

↓ $100

2 Bed

From$1,940

To$1,750

↓ $190

3 Bed

From$2,360

To$2,210

↓ $150

Charlottesville, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,700–$1,700/mo

Wake Forest, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,600–$1,600/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 Charlottesville, VA

$7,314

Monthly in Wake Forest, NC

$186

Difference

Home Values

Charlottesville

Wake Forest

$514K

Median Value

$505K

↑ +1%

YoY Change

↓ -1.8%

↑ +34.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +39.9%

Homes in Wake Forest are 2% less expensive than Charlottesville

Calculate payment - Charlottesville Calculate payment - Wake Forest

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.2K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$104

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.8%

Rate difference

Charlottesville, VA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Virginia State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,718/month

$104.6K

Wake Forest, 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

Charlottesville, VA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.7%

Property Tax:0.8%

Wake Forest, 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

Charlottesville

Wake Forest

36 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

79.2%

Good Air Days

61.7%

78 Low

Climate Risk

96 High

None

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

31 days

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

31 days

Before moving from Charlottesville, VA to Wake Forest, NC

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Wake Forest, NC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Charlottesville, VA. 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 Charlottesville to Wake Forest moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Charlottesville, VA vs Wake Forest, NC

How do the cost estimates for Charlottesville, VA and Wake Forest, NC compare?

Wake Forest, NC has a modeled overall cost index 3.1% lower than Charlottesville, VA. 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 Charlottesville, VA, the model estimates $147,768 in Wake Forest, 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 Charlottesville, VA and Wake Forest, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,940/month in Charlottesville, VA and $1,750/month in Wake Forest, 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 Virginia and North Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com