Oak City is a small town of 420 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $57,769
and a 2.9% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is
11% below the national average.
Strengths:
Oak City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Oak City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Oak City city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 88.8
Oak City's overall cost of living index is 88.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Oak City costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.
Metric
Oak City, NC
National Avg
Median Home Value
$89,300
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$863
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
36.2%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$57,769
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Oak City's violent crime rate is 454.5 per 100,000 residents
— 20% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
454.5 /100k
Property Crime
2312.8 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Oak City, NC
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
7.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
84.1%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Oak City sees average highs of 50.8°F in January
and 89.1°F in July,
with 51.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.6 inches of snow per year.
Oak City's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Oak City roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $89,300 and median rent is $863/month.
Oak City's violent crime rate is 454.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2312.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Oak City, NC has a population of 420, a median household income of $57,769, and an unemployment rate of 2.9%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Oak City averages 50.8°F in January and 89.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 51.4 inches
with about 0.6 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Oak City, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 27857.
The population of Oak City, North Carolina is 420 with a median age of 49.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Oak City: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $89,300, median household income $57,769, crime index 116 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Oak City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
