Housing decision brief
Northampton County, NC Housing Market
Northampton County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher 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.
3rd lowest home value out of 100 North Carolina counties with data | 16th lowest rent out of 100
Median home value
$102,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$749/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$736/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$13/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
$102,200 median home value is 50% below North Carolina county median
Lower rent
$749/mo is 13% below North Carolina county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $13/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$47,935 median income is 19% below North Carolina county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.21% effective property-tax rate is 21% above North Carolina county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 29.8 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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- 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
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Northampton 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. | $102,200 | $205,300 | $281,900 | 50% favorable50% below North Carolina county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $749 | $860 | $1,163 | 13% favorable13% below North Carolina county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $736 | $832 | $1,672 | 12% favorable12% below North Carolina county median |
Median household income | $47,935 | $58,949 | $74,755 | 19% pressure19% below North Carolina county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.21% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 21% pressure21% above North Carolina county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 7% pressure30.00% 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
+$17,975
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$16,392
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Northampton County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $749/month representing approximately 18.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 30.0%.
Rent vs own
At $749/month rent versus $736/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $13/month cheaper , a 2% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,960/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $31,543/year. With a median household income of $47,935, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Northampton County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Northampton County sits 6% less expensive than Cherokee County ($800/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax County, NC | $102,500 | $776/mo | Same-state comparison near $102,500 home value and $776/mo rent. |
| Martin County, NC | $109,900 | $729/mo | Same-state comparison near $109,900 home value and $729/mo rent. |
| Hertford County, NC | $111,100 | $806/mo | Same-state comparison near $111,100 home value and $806/mo rent. |
| Scotland County, NC | $109,900 | $766/mo | Same-state comparison near $109,900 home value and $766/mo rent. |
| Bertie County, NC | $95,800 | $824/mo | Same-state comparison near $95,800 home value and $824/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Northampton County
Is Northampton County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Northampton County?
How much income do you need for housing in Northampton County?
What should I double-check before moving to Northampton County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.