North Carolina Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 100 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$938/mo
Average Home Value
$214,164
Average Owner Cost
$905/mo
▼19% below national average rentExplore on Map
At a Glance
Average Monthly Rent
$938/mo
19% below national median
Average Home Value
$214,164
24% below national median
Avg. Monthly Owner Cost
$905/mo
46% below national median
Affordability Rating
Affordable
Avg. rent under 30% of income
Housing Costs in North Carolina: An Overview
The median rent in North Carolina is $938 per month, which is 19% below the national median of $1,163. This makes the state relatively affordable compared to much of the country.
Within North Carolina, housing costs vary significantly by county. Mecklenburg County is the most expensive county with a median rent of $1,521 per month and a median home value of $371,200. At the other end of the spectrum, Graham County offers the most affordable housing, with a median rent of $581 per month and homes valued at a median of $155,800.
The average home value across North Carolina counties is $214,164, 24% lower than the national median of $281,900. With a median household income of roughly $61,072, homeownership remains within reach for many households.
Before moving to North Carolina, it is worth understanding the local housing landscape. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties, so researching the specific county you plan to live in is essential. Use the county-level data below to compare rent, home values, and affordability ratings so you can budget accurately for your relocation.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in North Carolina
How median rents are spread across 100 counties
Top 5 Most Expensive Counties
Mecklenburg County
North Carolina
$1,521/mo
Home: $371,200
Rent/Income: 29.0%
Wake County
North Carolina
$1,508/mo
Home: $422,800
Rent/Income: 28.0%
Durham County
North Carolina
$1,415/mo
Home: $351,700
Rent/Income: 28.0%
Union County
North Carolina
$1,390/mo
Home: $374,400
Rent/Income: 26.0%
Orange County
North Carolina
$1,387/mo
Home: $428,500
Rent/Income: 32.0%
Top 5 Most Affordable Counties
Graham County
North Carolina
$581/mo
Home: $155,800
Rent/Income: 30.0%
Tyrrell County
North Carolina
$612/mo
Home: $138,400
Rent/Income: 37.0%
Caswell County
North Carolina
$699/mo
Home: $151,200
Rent/Income: 28.0%
Wilkes County
North Carolina
$715/mo
Home: $161,400
Rent/Income: 26.0%
Swain County
North Carolina
$715/mo
Home: $209,800
Rent/Income: 23.0%
All North Carolina Counties
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County | Expensive$1,521/mo | $371,200 | $1,506/mo | 29.0% |
| Wake County | Expensive$1,508/mo | $422,800 | $1,667/mo | 28.0% |
| Durham County | Moderate$1,415/mo | $351,700 | $1,430/mo | 28.0% |
| Union County | Moderate$1,390/mo | $374,400 | $1,494/mo | 26.0% |
| Orange County | Moderate$1,387/mo | $428,500 | $1,525/mo | 32.0% |
| New Hanover County | Moderate$1,343/mo | $353,700 | $1,410/mo | 31.0% |
| Dare County | Moderate$1,307/mo | $425,400 | $1,392/mo | 31.0% |
| Cabarrus County | Moderate$1,303/mo | $318,600 | $1,393/mo | 30.0% |
| Buncombe County | Moderate$1,281/mo | $360,000 | $1,151/mo | 31.0% |
| Brunswick County | Moderate$1,267/mo | $314,700 | $1,111/mo | 30.0% |
| Hyde County | Moderate$1,237/mo | $119,600 | $833/mo | 37.0% |
| Camden County | Moderate$1,220/mo | $289,800 | $1,508/mo | 23.0% |
| Onslow County | Moderate$1,198/mo | $219,500 | $1,205/mo | 29.0% |
| Iredell County | Moderate$1,183/mo | $292,300 | $1,155/mo | 26.0% |
| Moore County | Moderate$1,181/mo | $315,300 | $1,151/mo | 29.0% |
| Cumberland County | Moderate$1,156/mo | $183,700 | $1,134/mo | 30.0% |
| Pasquotank County | Moderate$1,146/mo | $223,300 | $1,127/mo | 31.0% |
| Currituck County | Moderate$1,126/mo | $351,200 | $1,526/mo | 24.0% |
| Henderson County | Moderate$1,120/mo | $317,800 | $973/mo | 28.0% |
| Guilford County | Moderate$1,108/mo | $234,900 | $1,103/mo | 30.0% |
| Craven County | Moderate$1,100/mo | $206,200 | $976/mo | 28.0% |
| Polk County | Moderate$1,089/mo | $281,100 | $859/mo | 31.0% |
| Gaston County | Moderate$1,085/mo | $235,000 | $1,068/mo | 29.0% |
| Harnett County | Moderate$1,080/mo | $220,700 | $1,171/mo | 26.0% |
| Pender County | Moderate$1,072/mo | $267,100 | $1,215/mo | 30.0% |
| Chatham County | Moderate$1,066/mo | $397,800 | $1,144/mo | 29.0% |
| Watauga County | Moderate$1,066/mo | $321,500 | $961/mo | 47.0% |
| Carteret County | Moderate$1,062/mo | $304,200 | $1,088/mo | 33.0% |
| Perquimans County | Moderate$1,061/mo | $211,600 | $1,004/mo | 24.0% |
| Haywood County | Moderate$1,052/mo | $254,900 | $820/mo | 29.0% |
| Hoke County | Moderate$1,047/mo | $196,000 | $1,076/mo | 29.0% |
| Forsyth County | Moderate$1,046/mo | $227,800 | $1,054/mo | 28.0% |
| Granville County | Moderate$1,008/mo | $235,700 | $1,103/mo | 28.0% |
| Alamance County | Moderate$1,007/mo | $221,200 | $993/mo | 28.0% |
| Johnston County | Moderate$1,007/mo | $267,600 | $1,276/mo | 28.0% |
| Rowan County | Affordable$990/mo | $216,100 | $895/mo | 28.0% |
| Franklin County | Affordable$988/mo | $240,900 | $1,089/mo | 31.0% |
| Lincoln County | Affordable$977/mo | $279,500 | $1,023/mo | 26.0% |
| Pitt County | Affordable$971/mo | $194,300 | $1,102/mo | 28.0% |
| Lee County | Affordable$962/mo | $213,800 | $1,027/mo | 27.0% |
| Gates County | Affordable$940/mo | $163,900 | $849/mo | 19.0% |
| Wayne County | Affordable$932/mo | $162,700 | $903/mo | 28.0% |
| Nash County | Affordable$924/mo | $171,100 | $884/mo | 25.0% |
| Wilson County | Affordable$915/mo | $171,800 | $948/mo | 28.0% |
| Pamlico County | Affordable$909/mo | $209,800 | $791/mo | 29.0% |
| Transylvania County | Affordable$909/mo | $336,100 | $808/mo | 28.0% |
| Catawba County | Affordable$891/mo | $218,100 | $870/mo | 25.0% |
| Davie County | Affordable$889/mo | $235,300 | $966/mo | 25.0% |
| Davidson County | Affordable$863/mo | $200,100 | $831/mo | 26.0% |
| Vance County | Affordable$860/mo | $146,300 | $742/mo | 30.0% |
| Beaufort County | Affordable$859/mo | $181,200 | $831/mo | 29.0% |
| Randolph County | Affordable$857/mo | $171,600 | $836/mo | 26.0% |
| Jackson County | Affordable$855/mo | $253,900 | $550/mo | 28.0% |
| Anson County | Affordable$849/mo | $119,300 | $617/mo | 27.0% |
| Greene County | Affordable$845/mo | $114,000 | $723/mo | 24.0% |
| Cleveland County | Affordable$835/mo | $180,200 | $726/mo | 29.0% |
| Stanly County | Affordable$830/mo | $214,300 | $847/mo | 25.0% |
| Washington County | Affordable$829/mo | $107,000 | $702/mo | 31.0% |
| Bertie County | Affordable$824/mo | $95,800 | $766/mo | 28.0% |
| Edgecombe County | Affordable$818/mo | $116,800 | $834/mo | 29.0% |
| Duplin County | Affordable$815/mo | $123,200 | $707/mo | 27.0% |
| Lenoir County | Affordable$814/mo | $111,400 | $758/mo | 27.0% |
| Sampson County | Affordable$811/mo | $128,400 | $681/mo | 27.0% |
| Yancey County | Affordable$807/mo | $222,300 | $618/mo | 20.0% |
| Hertford County | Affordable$806/mo | $111,100 | $807/mo | 34.0% |
| Burke County | Affordable$805/mo | $170,500 | $722/mo | 25.0% |
| Cherokee County | Affordable$800/mo | $208,700 | $551/mo | 30.0% |
| Person County | Affordable$796/mo | $192,800 | $961/mo | 32.0% |
| Avery County | Affordable$791/mo | $233,200 | $632/mo | 24.0% |
| Clay County | Affordable$791/mo | $263,300 | $765/mo | 33.0% |
| Macon County | Affordable$791/mo | $229,000 | $693/mo | 29.0% |
| Rockingham County | Affordable$789/mo | $156,000 | $731/mo | 28.0% |
| Robeson County | Affordable$784/mo | $88,600 | $559/mo | 29.0% |
| Halifax County | Affordable$776/mo | $102,500 | $769/mo | 31.0% |
| Columbus County | Affordable$775/mo | $128,300 | $681/mo | 29.0% |
| Ashe County | Affordable$774/mo | $221,900 | $683/mo | 28.0% |
| Warren County | Affordable$771/mo | $124,700 | $745/mo | 31.0% |
| Chowan County | Affordable$766/mo | $204,400 | $1,016/mo | 27.0% |
| Scotland County | Affordable$766/mo | $109,900 | $724/mo | 30.0% |
| Stokes County | Affordable$766/mo | $186,800 | $750/mo | 24.0% |
| Madison County | Affordable$764/mo | $263,500 | $722/mo | 27.0% |
| Alleghany County | Affordable$755/mo | $199,000 | $759/mo | 28.0% |
| Montgomery County | Affordable$753/mo | $150,300 | $645/mo | 23.0% |
| Bladen County | Affordable$752/mo | $125,800 | $719/mo | 29.0% |
| Northampton County | Affordable$749/mo | $102,200 | $736/mo | 30.0% |
| Rutherford County | Affordable$748/mo | $180,800 | $627/mo | 27.0% |
| Alexander County | Affordable$745/mo | $190,000 | $605/mo | 21.0% |
| Mitchell County | Affordable$744/mo | $202,100 | $595/mo | 26.0% |
| Richmond County | Affordable$744/mo | $120,800 | $723/mo | 32.0% |
| McDowell County | Affordable$741/mo | $168,300 | $605/mo | 23.0% |
| Surry County | Affordable$741/mo | $166,400 | $687/mo | 27.0% |
| Caldwell County | Affordable$735/mo | $174,000 | $661/mo | 24.0% |
| Yadkin County | Affordable$734/mo | $176,400 | $683/mo | 29.0% |
| Martin County | Affordable$729/mo | $109,900 | $822/mo | 25.0% |
| Jones County | Affordable$725/mo | $122,600 | $726/mo | 29.0% |
| Swain County | Affordable$715/mo | $209,800 | $464/mo | 23.0% |
| Wilkes County | Affordable$715/mo | $161,400 | $568/mo | 26.0% |
| Caswell County | Affordable$699/mo | $151,200 | $714/mo | 28.0% |
| Tyrrell County | Affordable$612/mo | $138,400 | $663/mo | 37.0% |
| Graham County | Affordable$581/mo | $155,800 | $447/mo | 30.0% |
Compare North Carolina to Other States
See how North Carolina counties stack up against counties in other states. Compare rent, home values, and affordability side by side.
Start a ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions About North Carolina Housing Costs
What is the most affordable county in North Carolina?
Graham County is among the most affordable counties in North Carolina with a median rent of $581 per month.
What is the most expensive county to live in North Carolina?
Mecklenburg County is among the most expensive counties in North Carolina with a median rent of $1,521 per month and a median home value of $371,200.
How does North Carolina's cost of living compare to the national average?
North Carolina's average monthly rent of $938 is 19% below the national median of $1,163.
What is the average home value in North Carolina?
The average home value across all North Carolina counties is $214,164.
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.