| Index | Sunset Beach | North Carolina | National |
| Cost of living | 111 | 94 | 100 |
| Goods & Services | 97 | 98 | 100 |
| Groceries | 102 | 98 | 100 |
| Health care | 89 | 108 | 100 |
| Housing | 138 | 85 | 100 |
| Transportation | 88 | 92 | 100 |
| Utilities | 121 | 94 | 100 |
| Cost of living index | |
| Goods & Services index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $69,315 | $5,776 | $1,617 | $2,080 |
| Renters | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | 7.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | 4.75% |
| Item | Sunset Beach | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $26.38 | $24.26 | 8.7% |
| Beauty Salon | $56.15 | $45.56 | 23.2% |
| Toothpaste | $3.77 | $3.70 | 1.8% |
| Shampoo | $1.38 | $1.28 | 7.5% |
| Movie | $11.30 | $12.13 | 6.8% |
| Bowling | $19.43 | $18.00 | 8.0% |
| Item | Sunset Beach | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $6.22 | $5.84 | 6.5% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.67 | $1.57 | 6.2% |
| Milk | $4.59 | $4.67 | 1.8% |
| Potatoes | $5.51 | $4.93 | 11.6% |
| Pizza | $10.83 | $12.09 | 10.4% |
| Beer | $10.61 | $10.41 | 1.9% |
| Item | Sunset Beach | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $78.10 | $125.68 | 37.9% |
| Doctor | $137.50 | $135.78 | 1.3% |
| Dentist | $97.17 | $113.29 | 14.2% |
| Ibuprofen | $10.75 | $10.65 | 0.9% |
| Lipitor | $373.44 | $468.60 | 20.3% |
| Item | Sunset Beach | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $255,500.00 | $184,700.00 | 38.3% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $2,134.33 | $2,346.69 | 9.0% |
| Apartment Rent | $0.00 | $949.00 | 100.0% |
| Item | Sunset Beach | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $3.18 | $3.46 | 8.0% |
| Tire Balancing | $46.64 | $59.92 | 22.2% |
| Item | Sunset Beach | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $258.50 | $193.99 | 33.3% |
| Phone | $194.25 | $192.25 | 1.0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Calabash, NC | 2,057 | 96 | 4.2% |
| Little River, SC | 9,692 | 99 | 1.2% |
| Atlantic Beach, SC | 237 | 101 | 0.6% |
| Shallotte, NC | 4,205 | 102 | 1.6% |
| Carolina Shores, NC | 4,391 | 109 | 9.2% |
| Sunset Beach, NC | 3,994 | 111 | 11.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Berne, IN | 3,994 | 89 | 11.4% |
| Elk Ridge, UT | 3,994 | 129 | 28.8% |
| Ely, NV | 3,993 | 93 | 6.7% |
| Bloomfield Hills, MI | 3,995 | 198 | 98.3% |
| Danielson, CT | 3,996 | 105 | 5.4% |
| Sunset Beach, NC | 3,994 | 111 | 11.2% |
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