$50,000 in North Carolina
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for North Carolina.
Occupations near $50,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $50,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail salesperson | senior | $50,000 |
| Accountant | entry-level | $53,000 |
| Police officer | entry-level | $47,000 |
| Construction laborer | mid-career | $46,500 |
| High school teacher | entry-level | $46,000 |
| Elementary teacher | entry-level | $46,000 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $50,000 typically means a retail salesperson or comparable role. Above-median earner status in North Carolina.
Two earners at $25,000 each combined = $50,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $50,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in North Carolina
At $50,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 31% of income — HUD-defined cost-burdened. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $50,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $50,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $134,906. North Carolina median home value is $290,500 — you can afford 46% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $50,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in North Carolina's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina (current) | $70,804 | -29% | 38th |
| Tennessee | $67,631 | -26% | 40th |
| South Carolina | $67,804 | -26% | 40th |
| Georgia | $74,664 | -33% | 36th |
| Virginia | $89,931 | -44% | 30th |
$50,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in North Carolina
Common questions
- Is $50,000 a good household income in North Carolina?
- It's at roughly the 38th percentile for North Carolina after adjusting for the state's median income ($70,804). Nationally that's about the 33th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $50,000 compare to the North Carolina median?
- It's 29% below the North Carolina median household income of $70,804 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of North Carolina households earn less than $70,804, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.