Most affordable counties to rent in North Carolina

Ranked by how much of the typical renter household's income the typical rent takes. Camden County is the most affordable at 22.5%; Watauga County the least affordable at 44.8%.

CountyRent-to-incomeMedian gross rentMedian renter incomeRenters paying 30%+2 BR FMR FY2027
1. Camden County22.5%$1,232$65,56828%$1,364
2. Swain County22.7%$742$39,22238%$1,012
3. Alexander County23.3%$764$39,36139%$1,147
4. Dare County23.4%$1,345$68,88148%$1,510
5. Macon County23.6%$803$40,83738%$1,015
6. Avery County23.7%$773$39,11841%$1,012
7. Stokes County24.1%$775$38,57846%$1,332
8. Nash County24.2%$953$47,29241%$1,167
9. Davie County24.7%$867$42,12145%$1,332
10. Caldwell County25.1%$744$35,59540%$1,147
11. Burke County25.1%$884$42,24137%$1,147
12. Greene County25.2%$853$40,65542%$1,012
13. Martin County25.2%$758$36,03242%$1,012
14. Wilkes County25.4%$723$34,17643%$1,012
15. Montgomery County25.5%$766$36,03338%$1,012
16. Madison County25.6%$780$36,60241%$1,866
17. Davidson County25.8%$901$41,95842%$1,087
18. Chatham County25.9%$1,180$54,77148%$1,745
19. McDowell County26.0%$806$37,17840%$1,012
20. Jackson County26.6%$904$40,80442%$1,039
21. Duplin County26.7%$865$38,80442%$1,025
22. Catawba County26.8%$965$43,27141%$1,147
23. Pamlico County27.0%$752$33,37648%$1,088
24. Pender County27.1%$1,106$48,92550%$1,199
25. Iredell County27.2%$1,252$55,15944%$1,429
26. Lee County27.4%$1,017$44,54644%$1,179
27. Yadkin County27.4%$766$33,54650%$1,332
28. Union County27.5%$1,496$65,36043%$1,785
29. Rowan County27.5%$1,013$44,16747%$1,262
30. Cherokee County27.5%$813$35,41943%$1,012
31. Rutherford County27.5%$783$34,11247%$1,012
32. Johnston County27.9%$1,146$49,30548%$1,689
33. Anson County27.9%$814$34,96940%$1,143
34. Randolph County28.0%$887$37,97944%$1,271
35. Surry County28.1%$761$32,55143%$1,012
36. Currituck County28.3%$1,162$49,31448%$1,667
37. Granville County28.3%$1,008$42,69244%$1,213
38. Columbus County28.4%$824$34,80150%$1,012
39. Lincoln County28.4%$1,015$42,82142%$1,138
40. Wayne County28.6%$965$40,45647%$1,261
41. Alamance County28.6%$1,064$44,58947%$1,348
42. Harnett County28.7%$1,112$46,50745%$1,051
43. Cabarrus County28.8%$1,414$58,85450%$1,785
44. Alleghany County29.0%$675$27,95540%$1,048
45. Sampson County29.3%$834$34,16347%$1,012
46. Vance County29.4%$883$36,07457%$1,012
47. Gaston County29.5%$1,153$46,85951%$1,785
48. Wilson County29.8%$953$38,43847%$1,069
49. Transylvania County29.8%$967$38,93248%$1,386
50. Wake County29.9%$1,623$65,17248%$1,689
51. Pitt County30.3%$993$39,30751%$1,167
52. Craven County30.5%$1,110$43,60946%$1,246
53. Stanly County30.6%$861$33,73249%$1,012
54. Forsyth County30.6%$1,098$43,01349%$1,332
55. Henderson County30.8%$1,187$46,21748%$1,866
56. Guilford County30.9%$1,163$45,09952%$1,271
57. Mecklenburg County31.2%$1,627$62,67549%$1,785
58. Onslow County31.2%$1,265$48,62351%$1,319
59. Cleveland County31.2%$914$35,12050%$1,014
60. Lenoir County31.2%$861$33,07047%$1,012
61. Durham County31.6%$1,508$57,28748%$1,745
62. Cumberland County31.8%$1,222$46,05952%$1,476
63. Edgecombe County32.0%$858$32,18548%$1,167
64. Moore County32.0%$1,254$46,97049%$1,223
65. Rockingham County32.1%$810$30,28351%$1,012
66. Beaufort County32.2%$871$32,43251%$1,012
67. Haywood County32.2%$1,067$39,71152%$1,250
68. Richmond County32.4%$724$26,77451%$1,012
69. Pasquotank County33.1%$1,170$42,43150%$1,220
70. Brunswick County33.1%$1,351$48,96852%$1,574
71. Robeson County33.3%$805$29,00648%$1,012
72. Hoke County34.0%$1,089$38,39450%$1,150
73. Carteret County34.2%$1,108$38,85757%$1,277
74. Franklin County34.4%$1,083$37,81955%$1,689
75. Chowan County34.4%$681$23,72955%$1,331
76. Buncombe County34.5%$1,362$47,41954%$1,866
77. Scotland County34.6%$778$27,00852%$1,012
78. New Hanover County34.7%$1,417$49,01955%$1,705
79. Warren County34.7%$790$27,29853%$1,012
80. Orange County36.5%$1,496$49,21658%$1,745
81. Bladen County36.9%$773$25,11851%$1,012
82. Halifax County37.6%$813$25,96449%$1,012
83. Northampton County37.8%$758$24,05951%$1,012
84. Person County38.4%$864$27,01360%$1,012
85. Polk County38.5%$1,178$36,68152%$1,012
86. Hertford County38.6%$844$26,25063%$1,012
87. Watauga County44.8%$1,127$30,16466%$1,311

Rent-to-income = median gross rent × 12 ÷ median household income of renters. Both are medians of different households, so this is an area comparison, not the burden of any one household. 13 of 100 counties are left out because they have fewer than 500 renter households, a Census margin of error is too large (coefficient of variation above 15%) or a figure is not published.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation. FMR: HUD FY2027.

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