North Carolina Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 100 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$977/mo
Average Home Value
$235,312
Average Owner Cost
$927/mo
County cost atlas
North Carolina housing costs by county
Compare rent, entry-price context, owner costs, and cost score in one state view. Pin a county, switch layers, then open the full county profile when a place needs closer review.
Counties
100
Avg rent
$977/mo
Owner cost
$927/mo
Avg score
47.4
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. Rent, owner cost, and home value are county medians. Cost score rewards lower rent and lower owner costs, but affordability still depends on income, household size, commute, debt, and personal finances. Use this as decision context, not personalized financial advice.
State Cost Summary
Use these state averages as a starting point, then scan the atlas and rankings for the county-level spread behind them.
Housing Costs in North Carolina: An Overview
The unweighted mean of county median rents in North Carolina is $977 per month, which is 31% below the national ACS median of $1,413. This gives every county equal weight and is not an official statewide median.
Within North Carolina, housing costs vary significantly by county. Mecklenburg County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $1,627 per month and a median home value of $406,800. Tyrrell County has the lowest reported median rent at $644 per month and a median home value of $164,500.
The unweighted mean of county median home values in North Carolina is $235,312, 29% lower than the national ACS median of $332,700. The unweighted mean of county median household incomes is $63,182; neither figure is a household-weighted statewide estimate.
Before comparing places in North Carolina, start with the county-level pattern. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties. Use the atlas, rankings, and county links below to compare rent, home values, owner costs, and rent burden before opening a specific county profile.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in North Carolina
How median rents are spread across 100 counties
Highest Median Rent Counties
Lowest Median Rent Counties
All North Carolina Counties
Sorted by median rent, highest first. A higher cost score means lower rent and owner cost pressure within the national scoring model.
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Cost Score | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County | Over $1,500$1,627/mo | $406,800 | $1,573/mo | 7.0 | 29.8% |
| Wake County | Over $1,500$1,623/mo | $461,300 | $1,733/mo | 5.7 | 29.3% |
| Durham County | Over $1,500$1,508/mo | $389,400 | $1,477/mo | 9.1 | 29.4% |
| Orange County | $1,000–$1,500$1,496/mo | $459,500 | $1,524/mo | 8.7 | 34.2% |
| Union County | $1,000–$1,500$1,496/mo | $417,300 | $1,514/mo | 8.8 | 26.7% |
| New Hanover County | $1,000–$1,500$1,417/mo | $387,800 | $1,465/mo | 10.3 | 33.0% |
| Cabarrus County | $1,000–$1,500$1,414/mo | $354,800 | $1,476/mo | 10.1 | 30.0% |
| Buncombe County | $1,000–$1,500$1,362/mo | $391,800 | $1,195/mo | 15.7 | 31.6% |
| Brunswick County | $1,000–$1,500$1,351/mo | $349,800 | $1,148/mo | 17.1 | 31.7% |
| Dare County | $1,000–$1,500$1,345/mo | $460,400 | $1,471/mo | 11.3 | 28.9% |
| Onslow County | $1,000–$1,500$1,265/mo | $236,400 | $1,269/mo | 15.9 | 30.4% |
| Hyde County | $1,000–$1,500$1,263/mo | $124,000 | $779/mo | 37.9 | 34.3% |
| Moore County | $1,000–$1,500$1,254/mo | $351,400 | $1,120/mo | 19.9 | 29.5% |
| Iredell County | $1,000–$1,500$1,252/mo | $321,400 | $1,164/mo | 18.4 | 26.9% |
| Camden County | $1,000–$1,500$1,232/mo | $337,100 | $1,530/mo | 12.6 | 23.1% |
| Cumberland County | $1,000–$1,500$1,222/mo | $199,200 | $1,152/mo | 19.4 | 31.1% |
| Henderson County | $1,000–$1,500$1,187/mo | $351,400 | $978/mo | 26.8 | 28.9% |
| Chatham County | $1,000–$1,500$1,180/mo | $446,200 | $1,192/mo | 19.3 | 29.1% |
| Polk County | $1,000–$1,500$1,178/mo | $315,000 | $867/mo | 33.5 | 31.1% |
| Pasquotank County | $1,000–$1,500$1,170/mo | $234,600 | $1,121/mo | 21.7 | 30.1% |
| Guilford County | $1,000–$1,500$1,163/mo | $259,900 | $1,136/mo | 21.5 | 31.0% |
| Currituck County | $1,000–$1,500$1,162/mo | $378,800 | $1,595/mo | 13.8 | 26.0% |
| Gaston County | $1,000–$1,500$1,153/mo | $266,000 | $1,089/mo | 23.3 | 30.3% |
| Johnston County | $1,000–$1,500$1,146/mo | $305,600 | $1,362/mo | 17.0 | 29.3% |
| Gates County | $1,000–$1,500$1,143/mo | $170,800 | $816/mo | 37.9 | 21.1% |
| Watauga County | $1,000–$1,500$1,127/mo | $358,900 | $961/mo | 29.2 | 45.9% |
| Harnett County | $1,000–$1,500$1,112/mo | $246,200 | $1,221/mo | 20.6 | 28.0% |
| Craven County | $1,000–$1,500$1,110/mo | $231,600 | $1,018/mo | 27.2 | 28.4% |
| Carteret County | $1,000–$1,500$1,108/mo | $333,300 | $1,119/mo | 23.7 | 35.5% |
| Pender County | $1,000–$1,500$1,106/mo | $299,000 | $1,241/mo | 20.5 | 30.1% |
| Forsyth County | $1,000–$1,500$1,098/mo | $250,400 | $1,090/mo | 25.1 | 29.6% |
| Hoke County | $1,000–$1,500$1,089/mo | $219,300 | $1,143/mo | 23.5 | 30.1% |
| Franklin County | $1,000–$1,500$1,083/mo | $284,300 | $1,142/mo | 23.8 | 32.8% |
| Haywood County | $1,000–$1,500$1,067/mo | $279,200 | $834/mo | 39.3 | 30.9% |
| Alamance County | $1,000–$1,500$1,064/mo | $241,500 | $1,011/mo | 29.2 | 28.6% |
| Lee County | $1,000–$1,500$1,017/mo | $240,200 | $1,043/mo | 30.1 | 27.2% |
| Lincoln County | $1,000–$1,500$1,015/mo | $321,000 | $1,053/mo | 29.9 | 26.7% |
| Rowan County | $1,000–$1,500$1,013/mo | $238,400 | $978/mo | 33.1 | 28.7% |
| Granville County | $1,000–$1,500$1,008/mo | $247,700 | $1,100/mo | 28.5 | 27.3% |
| Perquimans County | $1,000–$1,500$1,008/mo | $231,700 | $1,050/mo | 30.4 | 25.9% |
| Pitt County | Under $1,000$993/mo | $208,900 | $1,108/mo | 29.0 | 30.3% |
| Transylvania County | Under $1,000$967/mo | $373,600 | $831/mo | 44.5 | 29.1% |
| Catawba County | Under $1,000$965/mo | $241,600 | $893/mo | 40.5 | 26.1% |
| Wayne County | Under $1,000$965/mo | $178,700 | $928/mo | 38.4 | 28.7% |
| Nash County | Under $1,000$953/mo | $191,000 | $910/mo | 40.0 | 25.1% |
| Wilson County | Under $1,000$953/mo | $186,000 | $1,002/mo | 35.4 | 28.6% |
| Cleveland County | Under $1,000$914/mo | $200,000 | $742/mo | 54.7 | 29.7% |
| Jackson County | Under $1,000$904/mo | $284,700 | $529/mo | 69.6 | 27.1% |
| Davidson County | Under $1,000$901/mo | $219,100 | $852/mo | 48.3 | 26.8% |
| Randolph County | Under $1,000$887/mo | $197,100 | $853/mo | 49.3 | 27.4% |
| Burke County | Under $1,000$884/mo | $185,400 | $737/mo | 57.8 | 25.1% |
| Vance County | Under $1,000$883/mo | $161,500 | $722/mo | 59.3 | 33.3% |
| Yancey County | Under $1,000$882/mo | $243,100 | $649/mo | 64.4 | 28.4% |
| Beaufort County | Under $1,000$871/mo | $192,700 | $844/mo | 51.5 | 30.5% |
| Davie County | Under $1,000$867/mo | $253,900 | $990/mo | 43.3 | 27.1% |
| Duplin County | Under $1,000$865/mo | $137,400 | $676/mo | 64.2 | 27.2% |
| Person County | Under $1,000$864/mo | $213,900 | $1,009/mo | 42.6 | 38.3% |
| Lenoir County | Under $1,000$861/mo | $120,500 | $741/mo | 59.8 | 29.0% |
| Stanly County | Under $1,000$861/mo | $242,400 | $852/mo | 51.9 | 29.3% |
| Ashe County | Under $1,000$859/mo | $243,100 | $734/mo | 60.6 | 27.4% |
| Edgecombe County | Under $1,000$858/mo | $125,100 | $867/mo | 51.3 | 29.3% |
| Greene County | Under $1,000$853/mo | $117,400 | $732/mo | 61.4 | 24.5% |
| Hertford County | Under $1,000$844/mo | $119,200 | $857/mo | 53.7 | 40.7% |
| Bertie County | Under $1,000$839/mo | $98,500 | $758/mo | 61.0 | 27.6% |
| Sampson County | Under $1,000$834/mo | $150,700 | $716/mo | 64.8 | 27.9% |
| Columbus County | Under $1,000$824/mo | $146,000 | $711/mo | 66.3 | 29.8% |
| Anson County | Under $1,000$814/mo | $148,600 | $619/mo | 73.8 | 26.1% |
| Cherokee County | Under $1,000$813/mo | $232,300 | $576/mo | 76.6 | 26.5% |
| Halifax County | Under $1,000$813/mo | $106,200 | $770/mo | 63.1 | 29.7% |
| Mitchell County | Under $1,000$813/mo | $220,100 | $581/mo | 76.3 | 27.2% |
| Rockingham County | Under $1,000$810/mo | $168,600 | $747/mo | 65.3 | 30.4% |
| McDowell County | Under $1,000$806/mo | $171,100 | $615/mo | 74.9 | 24.9% |
| Robeson County | Under $1,000$805/mo | $94,500 | $565/mo | 78.2 | 29.2% |
| Clay County | Under $1,000$804/mo | $278,400 | $807/mo | 61.4 | 20.0% |
| Macon County | Under $1,000$803/mo | $251,900 | $722/mo | 67.9 | 23.4% |
| Warren County | Under $1,000$790/mo | $154,200 | $784/mo | 64.8 | 31.6% |
| Rutherford County | Under $1,000$783/mo | $201,800 | $679/mo | 73.4 | 28.1% |
| Madison County | Under $1,000$780/mo | $284,600 | $706/mo | 72.1 | 26.3% |
| Scotland County | Under $1,000$778/mo | $114,900 | $718/mo | 71.4 | 31.0% |
| Stokes County | Under $1,000$775/mo | $196,700 | $749/mo | 69.5 | 27.7% |
| Avery County | Under $1,000$773/mo | $265,800 | $716/mo | 72.1 | 25.7% |
| Bladen County | Under $1,000$773/mo | $135,100 | $685/mo | 74.3 | 30.9% |
| Montgomery County | Under $1,000$766/mo | $161,700 | $599/mo | 80.6 | 26.2% |
| Yadkin County | Under $1,000$766/mo | $181,200 | $651/mo | 77.4 | 30.1% |
| Alexander County | Under $1,000$764/mo | $211,800 | $612/mo | 80.3 | 24.2% |
| Surry County | Under $1,000$761/mo | $177,600 | $693/mo | 75.2 | 27.3% |
| Martin County | Under $1,000$758/mo | $109,700 | $849/mo | 64.3 | 25.0% |
| Northampton County | Under $1,000$758/mo | $114,500 | $781/mo | 69.0 | 30.3% |
| Pamlico County | Under $1,000$752/mo | $216,800 | $843/mo | 65.3 | 29.2% |
| Jones County | Under $1,000$747/mo | $130,300 | $740/mo | 72.9 | 26.9% |
| Caldwell County | Under $1,000$744/mo | $192,200 | $692/mo | 76.9 | 25.6% |
| Washington County | Under $1,000$743/mo | $125,900 | $760/mo | 71.9 | 29.6% |
| Swain County | Under $1,000$742/mo | $207,000 | $465/mo | 89.0 | 24.1% |
| Caswell County | Under $1,000$727/mo | $164,500 | $701/mo | 77.8 | 25.2% |
| Richmond County | Under $1,000$724/mo | $127,800 | $709/mo | 77.4 | 30.7% |
| Wilkes County | Under $1,000$723/mo | $168,800 | $580/mo | 86.2 | 27.2% |
| Chowan County | Under $1,000$681/mo | $235,800 | $1,134/mo | 56.9 | 31.7% |
| Graham County | Under $1,000$676/mo | $170,600 | $488/mo | 93.6 | 27.1% |
| Alleghany County | Under $1,000$675/mo | $214,800 | $765/mo | 76.8 | 27.8% |
| Tyrrell County | Under $1,000$644/mo | $164,500 | $631/mo | 88.3 | 31.3% |
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
Which North Carolina county has the lowest median rent?
Which North Carolina county has the highest median rent?
How does North Carolina's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the unweighted county-mean home value in North Carolina?
Planning a Move?
Researching the cost of living in North Carolina, North Carolina? Compare moving quotes from top providers and save on your relocation.
Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.