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
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
$938/mo
Owner cost
$905/mo
Avg score
47.3
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019-2023 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 median rent in North Carolina is $938 per month, which is 19% below the national median of $1,163. That is useful statewide context, but rent burden still depends on local income, household size, commute, and the county a household chooses.
Within North Carolina, housing costs vary significantly by county. Mecklenburg County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $1,521 per month and a median home value of $371,200. Graham County has the lowest reported median rent at $581 per month and a median home value of $155,800.
The average home value across North Carolina counties is $214,164, 24% lower than the national median of $281,900. Median household income is roughly $61,072, so home values should be read alongside local wages, financing costs, taxes, insurance, and supply.
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 | Expensive$1,521/mo | $371,200 | $1,506/mo | 7.4 | 29.0% |
| Wake County | Expensive$1,508/mo | $422,800 | $1,667/mo | 6.0 | 28.0% |
| Durham County | Moderate$1,415/mo | $351,700 | $1,430/mo | 9.3 | 28.0% |
| Union County | Moderate$1,390/mo | $374,400 | $1,494/mo | 9.0 | 26.0% |
| Orange County | Moderate$1,387/mo | $428,500 | $1,525/mo | 8.6 | 32.0% |
| New Hanover County | Moderate$1,343/mo | $353,700 | $1,410/mo | 10.7 | 31.0% |
| Dare County | Moderate$1,307/mo | $425,400 | $1,392/mo | 11.6 | 31.0% |
| Cabarrus County | Moderate$1,303/mo | $318,600 | $1,393/mo | 11.6 | 30.0% |
| Buncombe County | Moderate$1,281/mo | $360,000 | $1,151/mo | 16.6 | 31.0% |
| Brunswick County | Moderate$1,267/mo | $314,700 | $1,111/mo | 17.8 | 30.0% |
| Hyde County | Moderate$1,237/mo | $119,600 | $833/mo | 32.2 | 37.0% |
| Camden County | Moderate$1,220/mo | $289,800 | $1,508/mo | 11.6 | 23.0% |
| Onslow County | Moderate$1,198/mo | $219,500 | $1,205/mo | 16.8 | 29.0% |
| Iredell County | Moderate$1,183/mo | $292,300 | $1,155/mo | 18.2 | 26.0% |
| Moore County | Moderate$1,181/mo | $315,300 | $1,151/mo | 18.4 | 29.0% |
| Cumberland County | Moderate$1,156/mo | $183,700 | $1,134/mo | 19.5 | 30.0% |
| Pasquotank County | Moderate$1,146/mo | $223,300 | $1,127/mo | 20.0 | 31.0% |
| Currituck County | Moderate$1,126/mo | $351,200 | $1,526/mo | 13.6 | 24.0% |
| Henderson County | Moderate$1,120/mo | $317,800 | $973/mo | 26.4 | 28.0% |
| Guilford County | Moderate$1,108/mo | $234,900 | $1,103/mo | 21.9 | 30.0% |
| Craven County | Moderate$1,100/mo | $206,200 | $976/mo | 26.8 | 28.0% |
| Polk County | Moderate$1,089/mo | $281,100 | $859/mo | 33.7 | 31.0% |
| Gaston County | Moderate$1,085/mo | $235,000 | $1,068/mo | 23.9 | 29.0% |
| Harnett County | Moderate$1,080/mo | $220,700 | $1,171/mo | 20.7 | 26.0% |
| Pender County | Moderate$1,072/mo | $267,100 | $1,215/mo | 20.1 | 30.0% |
| Chatham County | Moderate$1,066/mo | $397,800 | $1,144/mo | 21.9 | 29.0% |
| Watauga County | Moderate$1,066/mo | $321,500 | $961/mo | 28.8 | 47.0% |
| Carteret County | Moderate$1,062/mo | $304,200 | $1,088/mo | 23.9 | 33.0% |
| Perquimans County | Moderate$1,061/mo | $211,600 | $1,004/mo | 26.9 | 24.0% |
| Haywood County | Moderate$1,052/mo | $254,900 | $820/mo | 38.1 | 29.0% |
| Hoke County | Moderate$1,047/mo | $196,000 | $1,076/mo | 25.0 | 29.0% |
| Forsyth County | Moderate$1,046/mo | $227,800 | $1,054/mo | 25.8 | 28.0% |
| Granville County | Moderate$1,008/mo | $235,700 | $1,103/mo | 25.4 | 28.0% |
| Alamance County | Moderate$1,007/mo | $221,200 | $993/mo | 29.6 | 28.0% |
| Johnston County | Moderate$1,007/mo | $267,600 | $1,276/mo | 21.3 | 28.0% |
| Rowan County | Affordable$990/mo | $216,100 | $895/mo | 35.5 | 28.0% |
| Franklin County | Affordable$988/mo | $240,900 | $1,089/mo | 27.1 | 31.0% |
| Lincoln County | Affordable$977/mo | $279,500 | $1,023/mo | 29.9 | 26.0% |
| Pitt County | Affordable$971/mo | $194,300 | $1,102/mo | 27.5 | 28.0% |
| Lee County | Affordable$962/mo | $213,800 | $1,027/mo | 30.9 | 27.0% |
| Gates County | Affordable$940/mo | $163,900 | $849/mo | 41.7 | 19.0% |
| Wayne County | Affordable$932/mo | $162,700 | $903/mo | 38.5 | 28.0% |
| Nash County | Affordable$924/mo | $171,100 | $884/mo | 40.3 | 25.0% |
| Wilson County | Affordable$915/mo | $171,800 | $948/mo | 37.5 | 28.0% |
| Pamlico County | Affordable$909/mo | $209,800 | $791/mo | 48.1 | 29.0% |
| Transylvania County | Affordable$909/mo | $336,100 | $808/mo | 47.0 | 28.0% |
| Catawba County | Affordable$891/mo | $218,100 | $870/mo | 43.9 | 25.0% |
| Davie County | Affordable$889/mo | $235,300 | $966/mo | 38.6 | 25.0% |
| Davidson County | Affordable$863/mo | $200,100 | $831/mo | 49.5 | 26.0% |
| Vance County | Affordable$860/mo | $146,300 | $742/mo | 56.0 | 30.0% |
| Beaufort County | Affordable$859/mo | $181,200 | $831/mo | 50.0 | 29.0% |
| Randolph County | Affordable$857/mo | $171,600 | $836/mo | 49.7 | 26.0% |
| Jackson County | Affordable$855/mo | $253,900 | $550/mo | 70.0 | 28.0% |
| Anson County | Affordable$849/mo | $119,300 | $617/mo | 66.3 | 27.0% |
| Greene County | Affordable$845/mo | $114,000 | $723/mo | 59.2 | 24.0% |
| Cleveland County | Affordable$835/mo | $180,200 | $726/mo | 60.0 | 29.0% |
| Stanly County | Affordable$830/mo | $214,300 | $847/mo | 51.8 | 25.0% |
| Washington County | Affordable$829/mo | $107,000 | $702/mo | 62.0 | 31.0% |
| Bertie County | Affordable$824/mo | $95,800 | $766/mo | 57.9 | 28.0% |
| Edgecombe County | Affordable$818/mo | $116,800 | $834/mo | 54.1 | 29.0% |
| Duplin County | Affordable$815/mo | $123,200 | $707/mo | 63.2 | 27.0% |
| Lenoir County | Affordable$814/mo | $111,400 | $758/mo | 59.6 | 27.0% |
| Sampson County | Affordable$811/mo | $128,400 | $681/mo | 66.0 | 27.0% |
| Yancey County | Affordable$807/mo | $222,300 | $618/mo | 70.8 | 20.0% |
| Hertford County | Affordable$806/mo | $111,100 | $807/mo | 57.5 | 34.0% |
| Burke County | Affordable$805/mo | $170,500 | $722/mo | 63.8 | 25.0% |
| Cherokee County | Affordable$800/mo | $208,700 | $551/mo | 76.3 | 30.0% |
| Person County | Affordable$796/mo | $192,800 | $961/mo | 49.3 | 32.0% |
| Avery County | Affordable$791/mo | $233,200 | $632/mo | 72.2 | 24.0% |
| Clay County | Affordable$791/mo | $263,300 | $765/mo | 62.3 | 33.0% |
| Macon County | Affordable$791/mo | $229,000 | $693/mo | 67.7 | 29.0% |
| Rockingham County | Affordable$789/mo | $156,000 | $731/mo | 65.3 | 28.0% |
| Robeson County | Affordable$784/mo | $88,600 | $559/mo | 78.0 | 29.0% |
| Halifax County | Affordable$776/mo | $102,500 | $769/mo | 63.8 | 31.0% |
| Columbus County | Affordable$775/mo | $128,300 | $681/mo | 70.8 | 29.0% |
| Ashe County | Affordable$774/mo | $221,900 | $683/mo | 70.8 | 28.0% |
| Warren County | Affordable$771/mo | $124,700 | $745/mo | 66.7 | 31.0% |
| Chowan County | Affordable$766/mo | $204,400 | $1,016/mo | 51.0 | 27.0% |
| Scotland County | Affordable$766/mo | $109,900 | $724/mo | 69.0 | 30.0% |
| Stokes County | Affordable$766/mo | $186,800 | $750/mo | 67.0 | 24.0% |
| Madison County | Affordable$764/mo | $263,500 | $722/mo | 69.3 | 27.0% |
| Alleghany County | Affordable$755/mo | $199,000 | $759/mo | 67.3 | 28.0% |
| Montgomery County | Affordable$753/mo | $150,300 | $645/mo | 76.3 | 23.0% |
| Bladen County | Affordable$752/mo | $125,800 | $719/mo | 70.8 | 29.0% |
| Northampton County | Affordable$749/mo | $102,200 | $736/mo | 69.8 | 30.0% |
| Rutherford County | Affordable$748/mo | $180,800 | $627/mo | 77.8 | 27.0% |
| Alexander County | Affordable$745/mo | $190,000 | $605/mo | 79.2 | 21.0% |
| Mitchell County | Affordable$744/mo | $202,100 | $595/mo | 80.2 | 26.0% |
| Richmond County | Affordable$744/mo | $120,800 | $723/mo | 71.3 | 32.0% |
| McDowell County | Affordable$741/mo | $168,300 | $605/mo | 79.8 | 23.0% |
| Surry County | Affordable$741/mo | $166,400 | $687/mo | 74.4 | 27.0% |
| Caldwell County | Affordable$735/mo | $174,000 | $661/mo | 77.1 | 24.0% |
| Yadkin County | Affordable$734/mo | $176,400 | $683/mo | 75.5 | 29.0% |
| Martin County | Affordable$729/mo | $109,900 | $822/mo | 66.2 | 25.0% |
| Jones County | Affordable$725/mo | $122,600 | $726/mo | 73.4 | 29.0% |
| Swain County | Affordable$715/mo | $209,800 | $464/mo | 90.3 | 23.0% |
| Wilkes County | Affordable$715/mo | $161,400 | $568/mo | 85.6 | 26.0% |
| Caswell County | Affordable$699/mo | $151,200 | $714/mo | 76.5 | 28.0% |
| Tyrrell County | Affordable$612/mo | $138,400 | $663/mo | 85.7 | 37.0% |
| Graham County | Affordable$581/mo | $155,800 | $447/mo | 97.8 | 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?
What is the most expensive county to live in North Carolina?
How does North Carolina's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the average home value in North Carolina?
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.