CostBy County

Cost of Living in Harnett County, North Carolina

$1,112/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$246,200
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$1,112/mo
14% above state average
Median Home Value
$246,200
26% below national
Census GRAPI
28.0%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Harnett County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Harnett County$1,112/mo
North Carolina Average$977/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$1,112/mo
Median Gross Rent
$246,200
Median Home Value
$1,221/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
28.0%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Harnett County ranks #2,537 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 19%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Harnett County Median Monthly Owner Costs Reach $1,221

The median selected monthly owner cost for all owner-occupied units in Harnett County is $1,221, which is $294 higher than the North Carolina unweighted county mean of $927. Median home values in the county were estimated at $246,200, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $235,312. The official gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 28.0%, which is 0.9 percentage points below the state unweighted county mean of 28.9%. Median gross rent was recorded at $1,112 per month, above the unweighted county mean of $977. Median renter-household income was estimated at $46,507. These data points are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates, including tables B25064, B25071, B25077, B25088, and B25119. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Harnett County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 28.0% of renter household income in Harnett County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $1,112 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,221. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $44,480 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The North Carolina unweighted mean of county median rents is $977 per month. Harnett County's $1,112 median is 13.9% above that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Harnett County

$

Rent Burden

18.7%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,663

per month

Owner Cost Burden

20.6%

of gross income

The median home in Harnett County may be a stretch

Median home value is $246,200. Estimated monthly cost: $1,965 vs. your max of $1,663.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income18.7%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $71,287Needed: $44,480
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $71,287Needed: $52,329
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $71,287Needed: $57,297

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Harnett County, North Carolina?
Harnett County, North Carolina has a median monthly rent of $1,112/mo and a median home value of $246,200. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 28.0% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Harnett County?
The median gross rent in Harnett County is $1,112/mo. This is 14% above state average for North Carolina.
Is Harnett County affordable?
Harnett County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 28.0%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Harnett County's rent compare to the state average?
Harnett County's median rent of $1,112/mo is 14% above state average of $977/mo for North Carolina.
What is the median home value in Harnett County?
The median home value in Harnett County, North Carolina is $246,200. This is 26% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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