To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in North Carolina needs to pay from $22.07 an hour in Rockingham County to $56.90 in Mecklenburg County, before taxes. The middle county is Sampson County at $28.29.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Alamance County | $32.22/hr | $1,040/mo |
| Alexander County | $32.87/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Alleghany County | $25.01/hr | $820/mo |
| Anson County | $29.60/hr | $960/mo |
| Ashe County | $24.36/hr | $800/mo |
| Avery County | $25.99/hr | $850/mo |
| Beaufort County | $26.32/hr | $860/mo |
| Bertie County | $27.30/hr | $890/mo |
| Bladen County | $27.30/hr | $890/mo |
| Brunswick County | $44.09/hr | $1,365/mo |
| Buncombe County | $47.67/hr | $1,460/mo |
| Burke County | $30.25/hr | $980/mo |
| Cabarrus County | $40.14/hr | $1,260/mo |
| Caldwell County | $26.32/hr | $860/mo |
| Camden County | $39.01/hr | $1,230/mo |
| Carteret County | $29.92/hr | $970/mo |
| Caswell County | $26.98/hr | $880/mo |
| Catawba County | $32.87/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Chatham County | $40.89/hr | $1,280/mo |
| Cherokee County | $24.03/hr | $790/mo |
| Chowan County | $31.27/hr | $1,011/mo |
| Clay County | $25.99/hr | $850/mo |
| Cleveland County | $26.98/hr | $880/mo |
| Columbus County | $26.32/hr | $860/mo |
| Craven County | $26.32/hr | $860/mo |
| Cumberland County | $37.12/hr | $1,180/mo |
| Currituck County | $40.52/hr | $1,270/mo |
| Dare County | $36.75/hr | $1,170/mo |
| Davidson County | $28.94/hr | $940/mo |
| Davie County | $33.49/hr | $1,079/mo |
| Duplin County | $25.67/hr | $840/mo |
| Durham County | $49.18/hr | $1,500/mo |
| Edgecombe County | $28.45/hr | $925/mo |
| Forsyth County | $37.50/hr | $1,190/mo |
| Franklin County | $32.87/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Gaston County | $37.50/hr | $1,190/mo |
| Gates County | $48.80/hr | $1,490/mo |
| Graham County | $27.63/hr | $900/mo |
| Granville County | $32.54/hr | $1,050/mo |
| Greene County | $26.32/hr | $860/mo |
| Guilford County | $37.88/hr | $1,200/mo |
| Halifax County | $24.36/hr | $800/mo |
| Harnett County | $26.49/hr | $865/mo |
| Haywood County | $32.54/hr | $1,050/mo |
| Henderson County | $43.53/hr | $1,350/mo |
| Hertford County | $22.07/hr | $730/mo |
| Hoke County | $27.57/hr | $898/mo |
| Hyde County | $27.47/hr | $895/mo |
| Iredell County | $32.87/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Jackson County | $32.87/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Johnston County | $32.87/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Jones County | $24.72/hr | $811/mo |
| Lee County | $27.83/hr | $906/mo |
| Lenoir County | $24.69/hr | $810/mo |
| Lincoln County | $29.60/hr | $960/mo |
| Macon County | $24.36/hr | $800/mo |
| Madison County | $41.65/hr | $1,300/mo |
| Martin County | $24.69/hr | $810/mo |
| McDowell County | $30.91/hr | $1,000/mo |
| Mecklenburg County | $56.90/hr | $1,705/mo |
| Mitchell County | $23.34/hr | $769/mo |
| Montgomery County | $30.58/hr | $990/mo |
| Moore County | $32.54/hr | $1,050/mo |
| Nash County | $32.22/hr | $1,040/mo |
| New Hanover County | $39.01/hr | $1,230/mo |
| Northampton County | $25.67/hr | $840/mo |
| Onslow County | $34.18/hr | $1,100/mo |
| Orange County | $49.18/hr | $1,500/mo |
| Pamlico County | $25.99/hr | $850/mo |
| Pasquotank County | $29.50/hr | $957/mo |
| Pender County | $28.29/hr | $920/mo |
| Perquimans County | $24.03/hr | $790/mo |
| Person County | $34.34/hr | $1,105/mo |
| Pitt County | $26.16/hr | $855/mo |
| Polk County | $34.52/hr | $1,110/mo |
| Randolph County | $30.25/hr | $980/mo |
| Richmond County | $23.54/hr | $775/mo |
| Robeson County | $24.69/hr | $810/mo |
| Rockingham County | $22.07/hr | $730/mo |
| Rowan County | $31.23/hr | $1,010/mo |
| Rutherford County | $27.80/hr | $905/mo |
| Sampson County | $28.29/hr | $920/mo |
| Scotland County | $23.38/hr | $770/mo |
| Stanly County | $24.03/hr | $790/mo |
| Stokes County | $25.01/hr | $820/mo |
| Surry County | $24.36/hr | $800/mo |
| Swain County | $27.37/hr | $892/mo |
| Transylvania County | $35.99/hr | $1,150/mo |
| Tyrrell County | $24.72/hr | $811/mo |
| Union County | $46.54/hr | $1,430/mo |
| Vance County | $32.87/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Wake County | $50.69/hr | $1,540/mo |
| Warren County | $23.38/hr | $770/mo |
| Washington County | $24.69/hr | $810/mo |
| Watauga County | $27.63/hr | $900/mo |
| Wayne County | $26.65/hr | $870/mo |
| Wilkes County | $26.65/hr | $870/mo |
| Wilson County | $26.49/hr | $865/mo |
| Yadkin County | $25.01/hr | $820/mo |
| Yancey County | $24.26/hr | $797/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?