Wilmington, NC vs Palm Bay, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Palm Bay, FL has a modeled overall cost index 5.0% higher than Wilmington, NC.

Wilmington, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,740 / month
Palm Bay, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,835 / 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 Wilmington, NC and Palm Bay, FL 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 Wilmington, NC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $188/month in Palm Bay, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $152,260 in Palm Bay, FL

Regional cost estimates: Wilmington, NC uses Fayetteville, NC. Palm Bay, FL uses Orlando, FL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 5.0%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$188

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$2.3K

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.

Wilmington, NC

Population:123K

Cost Index:

95.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$385K

Palm Bay, FL

Population:136K

Cost Index:

100.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$304K

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Wilmington, NC

The Tar Heel State

123K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 123K residents.

Palm Bay, FL

The Sunshine State

136K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 136K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Wilmington, NC vs Palm Bay, FL

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	Wilmington, NC	Palm Bay, FL	Difference	Change
Other	$1,708/mo	$1,801/mo	↑ $93.83more	5.5%
Housing	$2,347/mo	$2,424/mo	↑ $76.54more	3.3%
Healthcare	$627/mo	$575/mo	↓ $51.10less	8.2%
All Utilities	$541/mo	$579/mo	↑ $38.05more	7.0%
Groceries	$1,000/mo	$1,029/mo	↑ $28.89more	2.9%
Transportation	$1,277/mo	$1,279/mo	↑ $2.13more	0.2%

Other

↑ 5.5%

Wilmington, NC

$1,708

Palm Bay, FL

$1,801

Difference

$93.83

Housing

↑ 3.3%

Wilmington, NC

$2,347

Palm Bay, FL

$2,424

Difference

$76.54

Healthcare

↓ 8.2%

Wilmington, NC

$627

Palm Bay, FL

$575

Difference

$51.10

less

All Utilities

↑ 7.0%

Wilmington, NC

$541

Palm Bay, FL

$579

Difference

$38.05

Groceries

↑ 2.9%

Wilmington, NC

$1,000

Palm Bay, FL

$1,029

Difference

$28.89

Transportation

↑ 0.2%

Wilmington, NC

$1,277

Palm Bay, FL

$1,279

Difference

$2.13

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,200

To$1,360

↑ $160

1 Bed

From$1,590

To$1,590

→ $0

2 Bed

From$1,740

To$1,835

↑ $95.00

3 Bed

From$2,280

To$2,500

↑ $220

Wilmington, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,510–$1,790/mo

Palm Bay, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,410–$1,750/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 Wilmington, NC

$7,688

Monthly in Palm Bay, FL

$188

Difference

Home Values

Wilmington

Palm Bay

$385K

Median Value

$304K

↓ -0.3%

YoY Change

↓ -4.5%

↑ +45.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +33%

$380K - $499K

Price Range

$231K - $313K

Homes in Palm Bay are 21% less expensive than Wilmington

Calculate payment - Wilmington Calculate payment - Palm Bay

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $7.1K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$594

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

4.7%

Rate difference

Wilmington, 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

Palm Bay, FL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Florida State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Wilmington, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Palm Bay, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

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

Wilmington

Palm Bay

46 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

63.7%

Good Air Days

75.6%

89 Moderate

Climate Risk

98 High

🌀🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌪

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

58 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

58 days

Before moving from Wilmington, NC to Palm Bay, FL

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Palm Bay, FL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Wilmington, NC. 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 Wilmington to Palm Bay moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Palm Bay, FL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Wilmington, NC vs Palm Bay, FL

How do the cost estimates for Wilmington, NC and Palm Bay, FL compare?

Palm Bay, FL has a modeled overall cost index 5.0% higher than Wilmington, NC. 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 Wilmington, NC, the model estimates $152,260 in Palm Bay, FL. 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 Wilmington, NC and Palm Bay, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,740/month in Wilmington, NC and $1,835/month in Palm Bay, FL. 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 North Carolina and Florida on TaxTakeHome.com