Dickson City, PA vs Raleigh, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Raleigh, NC has a modeled overall cost index 8.7% higher than Dickson City, PA.

Dickson City, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,210 / month
Raleigh, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,800 / 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 Dickson City, PA and Raleigh, 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 Dickson City, PA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $798/month in Raleigh, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $159,576 in Raleigh, NC

Regional cost estimates: Dickson City, PA uses Newark, NJ. Raleigh, NC uses Raleigh-Cary, NC Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 8.7%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$798

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$9.6K

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.

Dickson City, PA

Population:6K

Cost Index:

89.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$195K

Raleigh, NC

Population:474K

Cost Index:

97.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$512K

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Dickson City, PA

The Keystone State

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Raleigh, NC

The Tar Heel State

474K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Research Triangle
•State capital
•Major university town

Major Industries

TechnologyResearchEducationGovernment

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Dickson City, PA vs Raleigh, 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	Dickson City, PA	Raleigh, NC	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,843/mo	$2,707/mo	↑ $864more	46.9%
Groceries	$1,095/mo	$1,052/mo	↓ $43.53less	4.0%
Transportation	$1,448/mo	$1,408/mo	↓ $39.57less	2.7%
Other	$1,835/mo	$1,872/mo	↑ $37.71more	2.1%
Healthcare	$685/mo	$659/mo	↓ $26.37less	3.8%
All Utilities	$594/mo	$599/mo	↑ $5.61more	0.9%

Housing

↑ 46.9%

Dickson City, PA

$1,843

Raleigh, NC

$2,707

Difference

$864

Groceries

↓ 4.0%

Dickson City, PA

$1,095

Raleigh, NC

$1,052

Difference

$43.53

less

Transportation

↓ 2.7%

Dickson City, PA

$1,448

Raleigh, NC

$1,408

Difference

$39.57

less

Other

↑ 2.1%

Dickson City, PA

$1,835

Raleigh, NC

$1,872

Difference

$37.71

Healthcare

↓ 3.8%

Dickson City, PA

$685

Raleigh, NC

$659

Difference

$26.37

less

All Utilities

↑ 0.9%

Dickson City, PA

$594

Raleigh, NC

$599

Difference

$5.61

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$830

To$1,570

↑ $740

1 Bed

From$990

To$1,640

↑ $650

2 Bed

From$1,210

To$1,800

↑ $590

3 Bed

From$1,580

To$2,255

↑ $675

Dickson City, PAZIP-level data

1BR range: $990–$990/mo

Raleigh, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,400–$1,880/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 Dickson City, PA

$8,298

Monthly in Raleigh, NC

$798

Difference

Home Values

Dickson City

Raleigh

$195K

Median Value

$512K

↑ +1.8%

YoY Change

↓ -0.5%

↑ +16.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +38.2%

$195K

Price Range

$314K - $992K

Homes in Raleigh are 162% more expensive than Dickson City

Calculate payment - Dickson City Calculate payment - Raleigh

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $2.5K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$210

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.7%

Rate difference

Dickson City, PA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Pennsylvania State Tax

Effective: 3.1%

$4.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.7%

$41.6K

Take-Home Pay

$9,032/month

$108.4K

Raleigh, 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

Dickson City, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

Raleigh, 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.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Dickson City, PA: No data yet

Raleigh, NC

35/100

0.2% sidewalk tags · 2.7% cycling tags

Environment

Dickson City

Raleigh

N/A

Air Quality

46 Good

Good Air Days

61.7%

98 High

Climate Risk

96 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

31 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

31 days

Before moving from Dickson City, PA to Raleigh, NC

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Raleigh, NC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Dickson City, PA. 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 Dickson City to Raleigh moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Dickson City, PA vs Raleigh, NC

How do the cost estimates for Dickson City, PA and Raleigh, NC compare?

Raleigh, NC has a modeled overall cost index 8.7% higher than Dickson City, PA. 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 Dickson City, PA, the model estimates $159,576 in Raleigh, 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 Dickson City, PA and Raleigh, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,210/month in Dickson City, PA and $1,800/month in Raleigh, 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 Pennsylvania and North Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com