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 $205,300 and the median county rent is $860/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
$205,300
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$860/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
Orange County, Dare County, Wake County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Robeson County, Bertie County, Northampton County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Mecklenburg County, Wake County, Durham County lead on rent, while Graham County, Tyrrell County, Caswell County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Bertie County, Northampton County, Greene 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
$88,600
- 2. Bertie County
$95,800
- 3. Northampton County
$102,200
- 4. Halifax County
$102,500
- 5. Washington County
$107,000
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Bertie County
2.1x home-value-to-income
- 2. Northampton County
2.1x home-value-to-income
- 3. Greene County
2.2x home-value-to-income
- 4. Jones County
2.2x home-value-to-income
- 5. Robeson County
2.2x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Graham County
$581/mo
- 2. Tyrrell County
$612/mo
- 3. Caswell County
$699/mo
- 4. Swain County
$715/mo
- 5. Wilkes County
$715/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Gates County
19.0% rent burden
- 2. Yancey County
20.0% rent burden
- 3. Alexander County
21.0% rent burden
- 4. Camden County
23.0% rent burden
- 5. McDowell County
23.0% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Jackson County
0.37% effective tax rate
- 2. Swain County
0.40% effective tax rate
- 3. Avery County
0.41% effective tax rate
- 4. Watauga County
0.41% effective tax rate
- 5. Macon County
0.43% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Hyde County
$404/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Jackson County
$305/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Swain County
$251/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Cherokee County
$249/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Anson County
$232/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Camden County
$87,781 income, 3.3x value-to-income
- 2. Union County
$99,243 income, 3.8x value-to-income
- 3. Jones County
$55,659 income, 2.2x value-to-income
- 4. Wake County
$101,763 income, 4.2x value-to-income
- 5. Currituck County
$91,548 income, 3.8x 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 $88,600 home value, $40,318 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Northampton County $102,200 home value, 1.21% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Watauga County $1,066/mo rent, 47.00% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Orange County $428,500 home value, $88,553 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 | $95,800 | $824/mo | $45,931 | 2.1x | 0.80% |
| Northampton County | $102,200 | $749/mo | $47,935 | 2.1x | 1.21% |
| Greene County | $114,000 | $845/mo | $50,904 | 2.2x | 0.87% |
| Jones County | $122,600 | $725/mo | $55,659 | 2.2x | 0.76% |
| Robeson County | $88,600 | $784/mo | $40,318 | 2.2x | 0.90% |
| Halifax County | $102,500 | $776/mo | $45,071 | 2.3x | 1.13% |
| Hertford County | $111,100 | $806/mo | $47,472 | 2.3x | 0.97% |
| Martin County | $109,900 | $729/mo | $46,793 | 2.3x | 1.07% |
| Duplin County | $123,200 | $815/mo | $51,880 | 2.4x | 0.74% |
| Edgecombe County | $116,800 | $818/mo | $48,480 | 2.4x | 1.10% |
| Sampson County | $128,400 | $811/mo | $53,159 | 2.4x | 0.82% |
| Caswell County | $151,200 | $699/mo | $59,407 | 2.5x | 0.68% |
| Hyde County | $119,600 | $1,237/mo | $47,338 | 2.5x | 0.63% |
| Lenoir County | $111,400 | $814/mo | $44,795 | 2.5x | 0.88% |
| Scotland County | $109,900 | $766/mo | $43,500 | 2.5x | 0.91% |
| Washington County | $107,000 | $829/mo | $41,750 | 2.6x | 1.12% |
| Anson County | $119,300 | $849/mo | $44,245 | 2.7x | 0.93% |
| Columbus County | $128,300 | $775/mo | $48,184 | 2.7x | 0.87% |
| Gates County | $163,900 | $940/mo | $61,612 | 2.7x | 0.78% |
| Montgomery County | $150,300 | $753/mo | $55,849 | 2.7x | 0.70% |
| Bladen County | $125,800 | $752/mo | $44,528 | 2.8x | 0.90% |
| Nash County | $171,100 | $924/mo | $60,704 | 2.8x | 0.77% |
| Richmond County | $120,800 | $744/mo | $43,626 | 2.8x | 0.93% |
| Rockingham County | $156,000 | $789/mo | $55,796 | 2.8x | 0.79% |
| Warren County | $124,700 | $771/mo | $45,279 | 2.8x | 0.85% |
| Wayne County | $162,700 | $932/mo | $58,082 | 2.8x | 0.74% |
| Alexander County | $190,000 | $745/mo | $65,268 | 2.9x | 0.63% |
| Randolph County | $171,600 | $857/mo | $59,047 | 2.9x | 0.72% |
| Yadkin County | $176,400 | $734/mo | $60,321 | 2.9x | 0.69% |
| McDowell County | $168,300 | $741/mo | $55,527 | 3.0x | 0.52% |
| Person County | $192,800 | $796/mo | $64,927 | 3.0x | 0.67% |
| Surry County | $166,400 | $741/mo | $56,095 | 3.0x | 0.62% |
| Beaufort County | $181,200 | $859/mo | $57,997 | 3.1x | 0.70% |
| Burke County | $170,500 | $805/mo | $55,684 | 3.1x | 0.70% |
| Caldwell County | $174,000 | $735/mo | $55,401 | 3.1x | 0.64% |
| Cumberland County | $183,700 | $1,156/mo | $58,780 | 3.1x | 0.99% |
| Stokes County | $186,800 | $766/mo | $60,039 | 3.1x | 0.62% |
| Tyrrell County | $138,400 | $612/mo | $43,952 | 3.1x | 0.89% |
| Vance County | $146,300 | $860/mo | $46,943 | 3.1x | 0.81% |
| Cleveland County | $180,200 | $835/mo | $55,769 | 3.2x | 0.69% |
| Craven County | $206,200 | $1,100/mo | $64,635 | 3.2x | 0.67% |
| Davidson County | $200,100 | $863/mo | $62,426 | 3.2x | 0.63% |
| Davie County | $235,300 | $889/mo | $73,234 | 3.2x | 0.67% |
| Graham County | $155,800 | $581/mo | $49,038 | 3.2x | 0.54% |
| Harnett County | $220,700 | $1,080/mo | $69,012 | 3.2x | 0.74% |
| Wilkes County | $161,400 | $715/mo | $50,438 | 3.2x | 0.62% |
| Camden County | $289,800 | $1,220/mo | $87,781 | 3.3x | 0.62% |
| Granville County | $235,700 | $1,008/mo | $70,975 | 3.3x | 0.72% |
| Hoke County | $196,000 | $1,047/mo | $60,095 | 3.3x | 0.69% |
| Pitt County | $194,300 | $971/mo | $58,851 | 3.3x | 0.85% |
| Wilson County | $171,800 | $915/mo | $51,381 | 3.3x | 0.83% |
| Alamance County | $221,200 | $1,007/mo | $64,445 | 3.4x | 0.65% |
| Catawba County | $218,100 | $891/mo | $64,544 | 3.4x | 0.60% |
| Franklin County | $240,900 | $988/mo | $71,386 | 3.4x | 0.72% |
| Johnston County | $267,600 | $1,007/mo | $79,838 | 3.4x | 0.69% |
| Lee County | $213,800 | $962/mo | $63,060 | 3.4x | 0.80% |
| Onslow County | $219,500 | $1,198/mo | $64,568 | 3.4x | 0.65% |
| Pamlico County | $209,800 | $909/mo | $61,624 | 3.4x | 0.60% |
| Rowan County | $216,100 | $990/mo | $63,196 | 3.4x | 0.65% |
| Forsyth County | $227,800 | $1,046/mo | $65,541 | 3.5x | 0.85% |
| Mitchell County | $202,100 | $744/mo | $58,089 | 3.5x | 0.50% |
| Pasquotank County | $223,300 | $1,146/mo | $63,912 | 3.5x | 0.69% |
| Pender County | $267,100 | $1,072/mo | $76,838 | 3.5x | 0.70% |
| Perquimans County | $211,600 | $1,061/mo | $61,224 | 3.5x | 0.62% |
| Stanly County | $214,300 | $830/mo | $61,631 | 3.5x | 0.62% |
| Chowan County | $204,400 | $766/mo | $56,982 | 3.6x | 0.69% |
| Gaston County | $235,000 | $1,085/mo | $65,472 | 3.6x | 0.80% |
| Guilford County | $234,900 | $1,108/mo | $66,027 | 3.6x | 0.88% |
| Lincoln County | $279,500 | $977/mo | $78,490 | 3.6x | 0.59% |
| Rutherford County | $180,800 | $748/mo | $49,771 | 3.6x | 0.58% |
| Cabarrus County | $318,600 | $1,303/mo | $86,084 | 3.7x | 0.76% |
| Iredell County | $292,300 | $1,183/mo | $78,678 | 3.7x | 0.63% |
| Currituck County | $351,200 | $1,126/mo | $91,548 | 3.8x | 0.46% |
| Moore County | $315,300 | $1,181/mo | $82,837 | 3.8x | 0.57% |
| Swain County | $209,800 | $715/mo | $55,429 | 3.8x | 0.40% |
| Union County | $374,400 | $1,390/mo | $99,243 | 3.8x | 0.61% |
| Avery County | $233,200 | $791/mo | $57,657 | 4.0x | 0.41% |
| Yancey County | $222,300 | $807/mo | $54,961 | 4.0x | 0.48% |
| Cherokee County | $208,700 | $800/mo | $51,496 | 4.1x | 0.50% |
| Haywood County | $254,900 | $1,052/mo | $61,001 | 4.2x | 0.60% |
| Wake County | $422,800 | $1,508/mo | $101,763 | 4.2x | 0.71% |
| Brunswick County | $314,700 | $1,267/mo | $74,034 | 4.3x | 0.57% |
| Carteret County | $304,200 | $1,062/mo | $70,235 | 4.3x | 0.45% |
| Macon County | $229,000 | $791/mo | $53,298 | 4.3x | 0.43% |
| Ashe County | $221,900 | $774/mo | $50,827 | 4.4x | 0.51% |
| Durham County | $351,700 | $1,415/mo | $79,501 | 4.4x | 0.84% |
| Mecklenburg County | $371,200 | $1,521/mo | $83,765 | 4.4x | 0.75% |
| Alleghany County | $199,000 | $755/mo | $44,272 | 4.5x | 0.60% |
| Chatham County | $397,800 | $1,066/mo | $88,534 | 4.5x | 0.67% |
| Madison County | $263,500 | $764/mo | $58,628 | 4.5x | 0.50% |
| Polk County | $281,100 | $1,089/mo | $61,005 | 4.6x | 0.58% |
| Henderson County | $317,800 | $1,120/mo | $67,623 | 4.7x | 0.52% |
| Jackson County | $253,900 | $855/mo | $53,479 | 4.7x | 0.37% |
| Orange County | $428,500 | $1,387/mo | $88,553 | 4.8x | 0.96% |
| Clay County | $263,300 | $791/mo | $53,645 | 4.9x | 0.45% |
| New Hanover County | $353,700 | $1,343/mo | $72,892 | 4.9x | 0.59% |
| Buncombe County | $360,000 | $1,281/mo | $70,578 | 5.1x | 0.60% |
| Dare County | $425,400 | $1,307/mo | $81,214 | 5.2x | 0.53% |
| Transylvania County | $336,100 | $909/mo | $64,523 | 5.2x | 0.46% |
| Watauga County | $321,500 | $1,066/mo | $51,367 | 6.3x | 0.41% |
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.