Housing decision brief
Beaufort County, NC Housing Market
Beaufort County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
40th lowest home value out of 100 North Carolina counties with data | 50th lowest rent out of 100
Median home value
$181,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$859/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$831/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
29.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$28/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$181,200 median home value is 12% below North Carolina county median
Lower rent
$859/mo is At the North Carolina county median
Rent burden below pressure line
29.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $28/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$57,997 median income is 2% below North Carolina county median
Health context
Health score is 35.8 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Beaufort County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $181,200 | $205,300 | $281,900 | 12% favorable12% below North Carolina county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $859 | $860 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the North Carolina county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $831 | $832 | $1,672 | Near state medianAt the North Carolina county median |
Median household income | $57,997 | $58,949 | $74,755 | Near state median2% below North Carolina county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.70% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 30% favorable30% below North Carolina county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 29.00% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median29.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$23,637
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$22,383
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Beaufort County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $859/month representing approximately 17.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 29.0%.
Rent vs own
At $859/month rent versus $831/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $28/month cheaper , a 3% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,360/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,614/year. With a median household income of $57,997, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Beaufort County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Yancey County where rent averages $807/month, Beaufort County is approximately 6% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County, NC | $180,200 | $835/mo | Same-state comparison near $180,200 home value and $835/mo rent. |
| Randolph County, NC | $171,600 | $857/mo | Same-state comparison near $171,600 home value and $857/mo rent. |
| Burke County, NC | $170,500 | $805/mo | Same-state comparison near $170,500 home value and $805/mo rent. |
| Nash County, NC | $171,100 | $924/mo | Same-state comparison near $171,100 home value and $924/mo rent. |
| Davidson County, NC | $200,100 | $863/mo | Same-state comparison near $200,100 home value and $863/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Beaufort County
Is Beaufort County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Beaufort County?
How much income do you need for housing in Beaufort County?
What should I double-check before moving to Beaufort County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.