Housing decision brief
Hertford County, NC Housing Market
Hertford 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.
8th lowest home value out of 100 North Carolina counties with data | 38th lowest rent out of 100
Median home value
$119,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$844/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$857/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
40.7%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$13/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$119,200 median home value is 46% below North Carolina county median
Lower rent
$844/mo is 5% below North Carolina county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$45,537 median income is 24% below North Carolina county median
Health context
Health score is 21.9 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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- 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 Hertford 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. | $119,200 | $219,700 | $281,900 | 46% favorable46% below North Carolina county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $844 | $886 | $1,163 | 5% favorable5% below North Carolina county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $857 | $851 | $1,672 | Near state median1% above North Carolina county median |
Median household income | $45,537 | $60,230 | $74,755 | 24% pressure24% below North Carolina county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.98% | 1.00% | 1.02% | Near state median2% below North Carolina county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 40.70% | 29.00% | N/A | 40% pressure40.70% 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
+$11,777
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$8,808
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Hertford County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $806/month representing approximately 20.4% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 34.0%.
Rent vs own
At $806/month rent versus $807/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $1/month cheaper , a 0% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $32,240/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,586/year. With a median household income of $47,472, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 34.0% of renter households in Hertford County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Alleghany County where rent averages $755/month, Hertford County is approximately 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenoir County, NC | $120,500 | $861/mo | Same-state comparison near $120,500 home value and $861/mo rent. |
| Scotland County, NC | $114,900 | $778/mo | Same-state comparison near $114,900 home value and $778/mo rent. |
| Halifax County, NC | $106,200 | $813/mo | Same-state comparison near $106,200 home value and $813/mo rent. |
| Greene County, NC | $117,400 | $853/mo | Same-state comparison near $117,400 home value and $853/mo rent. |
| Edgecombe County, NC | $125,100 | $858/mo | Same-state comparison near $125,100 home value and $858/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Hertford County
Is Hertford County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Hertford County?
How much income do you need for housing in Hertford County?
What should I double-check before moving to Hertford County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.