County housing intelligence
North Carolina Housing Market by County
North Carolina is not one housing market. Across 100 counties, the median county home value is $219,700 and the median county rent is $886/mo. The useful question is not whether North Carolina is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$219,700
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$886/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
100
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The North Carolina Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Wake County, Dare County, Orange County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Robeson County, Bertie County, Halifax County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Mecklenburg County, Wake County, Durham County lead on rent, while Tyrrell County, Alleghany County, Graham County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Bertie County, Greene County, Jones County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Robeson County
$94,500
- 2. Bertie County
$98,500
- 3. Halifax County
$106,200
- 4. Martin County
$109,700
- 5. Northampton County
$114,500
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Bertie County
2.0x home-value-to-income
- 2. Greene County
2.2x home-value-to-income
- 3. Jones County
2.2x home-value-to-income
- 4. Halifax County
2.3x home-value-to-income
- 5. Hyde County
2.3x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Tyrrell County
$644/mo
- 2. Alleghany County
$675/mo
- 3. Graham County
$676/mo
- 4. Chowan County
$681/mo
- 5. Wilkes County
$723/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Clay County
20.0% rent burden
- 2. Gates County
21.1% rent burden
- 3. Camden County
23.1% rent burden
- 4. Macon County
23.4% rent burden
- 5. Swain County
24.1% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Jackson County
0.34% effective tax rate
- 2. Avery County
0.38% effective tax rate
- 3. Watauga County
0.39% effective tax rate
- 4. Swain County
0.41% effective tax rate
- 5. Clay County
0.43% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Hyde County
$484/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Jackson County
$375/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Gates County
$327/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Polk County
$311/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Swain County
$277/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Jones County
$59,641 income, 2.2x value-to-income
- 2. Gates County
$66,333 income, 2.6x value-to-income
- 3. Union County
$102,900 income, 4.1x value-to-income
- 4. Camden County
$91,078 income, 3.7x value-to-income
- 5. Bertie County
$48,750 income, 2.0x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Robeson County $94,500 home value, $41,978 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Halifax County $106,200 home value, 1.15% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Watauga County $1,127/mo rent, 45.90% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Wake County $461,300 home value, $105,768 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Compare Every North Carolina County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bertie County | $98,500 | $839/mo | $48,750 | 2.0x | 0.79% |
| Greene County | $117,400 | $853/mo | $53,244 | 2.2x | 0.89% |
| Jones County | $130,300 | $747/mo | $59,641 | 2.2x | 0.74% |
| Halifax County | $106,200 | $813/mo | $45,590 | 2.3x | 1.15% |
| Hyde County | $124,000 | $1,263/mo | $53,713 | 2.3x | 0.79% |
| Martin County | $109,700 | $758/mo | $48,578 | 2.3x | 1.06% |
| Northampton County | $114,500 | $758/mo | $50,086 | 2.3x | 1.08% |
| Robeson County | $94,500 | $805/mo | $41,978 | 2.3x | 0.87% |
| Edgecombe County | $125,100 | $858/mo | $51,265 | 2.4x | 1.04% |
| Duplin County | $137,400 | $865/mo | $55,148 | 2.5x | 0.69% |
| Scotland County | $114,900 | $778/mo | $45,730 | 2.5x | 0.93% |
| Gates County | $170,800 | $1,143/mo | $66,333 | 2.6x | 0.76% |
| Hertford County | $119,200 | $844/mo | $45,537 | 2.6x | 0.98% |
| Lenoir County | $120,500 | $861/mo | $45,143 | 2.7x | 0.84% |
| Caswell County | $164,500 | $727/mo | $59,755 | 2.8x | 0.69% |
| Montgomery County | $161,700 | $766/mo | $57,766 | 2.8x | 0.64% |
| Richmond County | $127,800 | $724/mo | $44,883 | 2.8x | 0.89% |
| Sampson County | $150,700 | $834/mo | $52,432 | 2.9x | 0.75% |
| Yadkin County | $181,200 | $766/mo | $62,932 | 2.9x | 0.67% |
| Columbus County | $146,000 | $824/mo | $49,442 | 3.0x | 0.77% |
| McDowell County | $171,100 | $806/mo | $57,168 | 3.0x | 0.53% |
| Rockingham County | $168,600 | $810/mo | $57,053 | 3.0x | 0.75% |
| Warren County | $154,200 | $790/mo | $50,638 | 3.0x | 0.71% |
| Washington County | $125,900 | $743/mo | $41,813 | 3.0x | 0.99% |
| Wayne County | $178,700 | $965/mo | $59,733 | 3.0x | 0.70% |
| Anson County | $148,600 | $814/mo | $47,302 | 3.1x | 0.77% |
| Nash County | $191,000 | $953/mo | $62,426 | 3.1x | 0.71% |
| Stokes County | $196,700 | $775/mo | $62,969 | 3.1x | 0.60% |
| Alexander County | $211,800 | $764/mo | $65,354 | 3.2x | 0.60% |
| Bladen County | $135,100 | $773/mo | $42,422 | 3.2x | 0.91% |
| Burke County | $185,400 | $884/mo | $58,592 | 3.2x | 0.68% |
| Randolph County | $197,100 | $887/mo | $61,022 | 3.2x | 0.67% |
| Surry County | $177,600 | $761/mo | $55,656 | 3.2x | 0.60% |
| Vance County | $161,500 | $883/mo | $50,465 | 3.2x | 0.78% |
| Beaufort County | $192,700 | $871/mo | $58,357 | 3.3x | 0.67% |
| Cumberland County | $199,200 | $1,222/mo | $61,291 | 3.3x | 0.93% |
| Wilkes County | $168,800 | $723/mo | $51,721 | 3.3x | 0.59% |
| Wilson County | $186,000 | $953/mo | $56,423 | 3.3x | 0.79% |
| Caldwell County | $192,200 | $744/mo | $56,425 | 3.4x | 0.60% |
| Cleveland County | $200,000 | $914/mo | $58,534 | 3.4x | 0.64% |
| Davidson County | $219,100 | $901/mo | $64,172 | 3.4x | 0.60% |
| Davie County | $253,900 | $867/mo | $75,057 | 3.4x | 0.63% |
| Graham County | $170,600 | $676/mo | $49,684 | 3.4x | 0.57% |
| Hoke County | $219,300 | $1,089/mo | $64,912 | 3.4x | 0.67% |
| Perquimans County | $231,700 | $1,008/mo | $67,917 | 3.4x | 0.59% |
| Person County | $213,900 | $864/mo | $63,300 | 3.4x | 0.62% |
| Craven County | $231,600 | $1,110/mo | $65,873 | 3.5x | 0.63% |
| Granville County | $247,700 | $1,008/mo | $71,111 | 3.5x | 0.67% |
| Harnett County | $246,200 | $1,112/mo | $71,287 | 3.5x | 0.69% |
| Onslow County | $236,400 | $1,265/mo | $68,148 | 3.5x | 0.64% |
| Pasquotank County | $234,600 | $1,170/mo | $66,589 | 3.5x | 0.67% |
| Catawba County | $241,600 | $965/mo | $67,864 | 3.6x | 0.58% |
| Pamlico County | $216,800 | $752/mo | $59,717 | 3.6x | 0.56% |
| Pitt County | $208,900 | $993/mo | $58,188 | 3.6x | 0.83% |
| Rowan County | $238,400 | $1,013/mo | $65,725 | 3.6x | 0.65% |
| Alamance County | $241,500 | $1,064/mo | $65,651 | 3.7x | 0.62% |
| Camden County | $337,100 | $1,232/mo | $91,078 | 3.7x | 0.58% |
| Forsyth County | $250,400 | $1,098/mo | $67,165 | 3.7x | 0.79% |
| Johnston County | $305,600 | $1,146/mo | $83,384 | 3.7x | 0.62% |
| Lee County | $240,200 | $1,017/mo | $65,387 | 3.7x | 0.74% |
| Pender County | $299,000 | $1,106/mo | $80,396 | 3.7x | 0.63% |
| Franklin County | $284,300 | $1,083/mo | $74,240 | 3.8x | 0.65% |
| Guilford County | $259,900 | $1,163/mo | $68,642 | 3.8x | 0.84% |
| Mitchell County | $220,100 | $813/mo | $57,602 | 3.8x | 0.52% |
| Gaston County | $266,000 | $1,153/mo | $67,478 | 3.9x | 0.75% |
| Iredell County | $321,400 | $1,252/mo | $81,419 | 3.9x | 0.61% |
| Rutherford County | $201,800 | $783/mo | $51,410 | 3.9x | 0.58% |
| Tyrrell County | $164,500 | $644/mo | $41,685 | 3.9x | 0.81% |
| Cabarrus County | $354,800 | $1,414/mo | $89,005 | 4.0x | 0.73% |
| Lincoln County | $321,000 | $1,015/mo | $80,016 | 4.0x | 0.58% |
| Stanly County | $242,400 | $861/mo | $60,704 | 4.0x | 0.57% |
| Swain County | $207,000 | $742/mo | $52,349 | 4.0x | 0.41% |
| Currituck County | $378,800 | $1,162/mo | $93,511 | 4.1x | 0.46% |
| Moore County | $351,400 | $1,254/mo | $86,080 | 4.1x | 0.53% |
| Union County | $417,300 | $1,496/mo | $102,900 | 4.1x | 0.57% |
| Yancey County | $243,100 | $882/mo | $58,709 | 4.1x | 0.48% |
| Ashe County | $243,100 | $859/mo | $56,866 | 4.3x | 0.49% |
| Avery County | $265,800 | $773/mo | $61,428 | 4.3x | 0.38% |
| Cherokee County | $232,300 | $813/mo | $53,628 | 4.3x | 0.46% |
| Macon County | $251,900 | $803/mo | $59,061 | 4.3x | 0.43% |
| Chowan County | $235,800 | $681/mo | $53,864 | 4.4x | 0.71% |
| Wake County | $461,300 | $1,623/mo | $105,768 | 4.4x | 0.71% |
| Brunswick County | $349,800 | $1,351/mo | $77,024 | 4.5x | 0.54% |
| Haywood County | $279,200 | $1,067/mo | $61,912 | 4.5x | 0.57% |
| Alleghany County | $214,800 | $675/mo | $47,172 | 4.6x | 0.57% |
| Carteret County | $333,300 | $1,108/mo | $72,322 | 4.6x | 0.43% |
| Polk County | $315,000 | $1,178/mo | $67,758 | 4.6x | 0.54% |
| Chatham County | $446,200 | $1,180/mo | $94,317 | 4.7x | 0.64% |
| Durham County | $389,400 | $1,508/mo | $82,316 | 4.7x | 0.79% |
| Mecklenburg County | $406,800 | $1,627/mo | $87,005 | 4.7x | 0.71% |
| Clay County | $278,400 | $804/mo | $56,971 | 4.9x | 0.43% |
| Madison County | $284,600 | $780/mo | $58,531 | 4.9x | 0.48% |
| Jackson County | $284,700 | $904/mo | $55,815 | 5.1x | 0.34% |
| Orange County | $459,500 | $1,496/mo | $90,089 | 5.1x | 0.91% |
| Dare County | $460,400 | $1,345/mo | $88,994 | 5.2x | 0.52% |
| Henderson County | $351,400 | $1,187/mo | $68,187 | 5.2x | 0.52% |
| New Hanover County | $387,800 | $1,417/mo | $75,166 | 5.2x | 0.54% |
| Buncombe County | $391,800 | $1,362/mo | $74,436 | 5.3x | 0.57% |
| Transylvania County | $373,600 | $967/mo | $66,184 | 5.6x | 0.45% |
| Watauga County | $358,900 | $1,127/mo | $51,693 | 6.9x | 0.39% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in North Carolina by county?
What is the typical rent in North Carolina by county?
Which North Carolina counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.