County FMR · HUD FY2026
Alamance County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Alamance County, NC - 28% above the US average.
- $1,230
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,348
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +11.9%
- YoY change
- +28%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Alamance is the 20th most expensive of 100 counties in North Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #660 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 11.9% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #660
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #20
- most expensive of 100 in North Carolina (2BR)
- +25%
- vs the state average
- $49,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.3%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (52.3%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Alamance County, NC. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Alamance County, North Carolina is $1,230 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,348/mo and a studio is $992/mo. This is 28% higher than the national average of $959 and 25% above the North Carolina average of $981.
Rent increased11.9% from FY 2025 ($1,099), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $49,200/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 42.6% of the 23,538 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 5.5%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.8% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Carolina. Population: 171,779. Population grew 8.5% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than North Carolina's statewide growth of +4.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area ALAMANCE·COUNTY·NC·NC
Alamance County, NC: $1,230/mo 1BR · #660 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA NC
- 1BR-FMR $1,230
- 2BR-FMR $1,348
- RANK-MID #660
- YOY-SURGE +11.9%
- VSUS-HIGH +28%
- VS-ST-HIGH +25% NC
- INC-MID 23%
- POP-MID 172K
- PHOTO-NEAR Wake County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,107–$1,353
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Wake ($366 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $869 | $992 | +$123 (+14.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,099 | $1,230 | +$131 (+11.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,217 | $1,348 | +$131 (+10.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,532 | $1,670 | +$138 (+9.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,806 | $1,972 | +$166 (+9.2%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Alamance County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Alamance sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,348 Top 21% higher than 79% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Alamance compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other North Carolina counties
- Wake
Wake County
$1,596 1BR FMR / mo
- Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County
$1,538 1BR FMR / mo
- Durham
Durham County
$1,507 1BR FMR / mo
- Alamance
Alamance County
$1,230 1BR FMR / mo
- Guilford
Guilford County
$1,213 1BR FMR / mo
- Cumberland
Cumberland County
$1,113 1BR FMR / mo
- Forsyth
Forsyth County
$1,082 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Alamance is highlighted. Nearby North Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Wake County ($1,596), Mecklenburg County ($1,538), Durham County ($1,507), Alamance County (this county) ($1,230), Guilford County ($1,213), Cumberland County ($1,113), Forsyth County ($1,082).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,230/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using North Carolina BLS wages?
| Occupation | NC Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $131,000 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,190 | 14.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,860 | 18% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,490 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $58,030 | 25.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $54,070 | 27.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $49,580 | 29.8% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $49,400 | 29.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,390 | 29.9% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,870 | 37% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,530 | 37.3% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $32,630 | 45.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,090 | 49.1% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,760 | 51.3% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,230 | 52.3% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Alamance County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Alamance (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 86.6% overall, from $659 to $1,230. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 24.6% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑11.9% | $992 | $1,230 | $1,348 |
| FY 2025 ↑5.4% | $869 | $1,099 | $1,217 |
| FY 2024 ↑24.6% | $828 | $1,043 | $1,215 |
| FY 2023 ↑19.9% | $714 | $837 | $1,023 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.3% | $619 | $698 | $891 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.5% | $636 | $682 | $885 |
| FY 2020 | $601 | $659 | $847 |
Part of the Burlington, NC Metro Area
Alamance County is a central county of the Burlington, NC metropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Alamance County, both outside North Carolina so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside NC (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside NC).
Nearby Counties in North Carolina
Largest counties by population in North Carolina
Showing the 8 largest of 99 other counties in North Carolina.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Alamance County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Alamance County is $1,230 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,348 and a studio is $992.
How does Alamance County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Alamance County is 28% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,230 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Alamance County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Alamance County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,348 ranks #660 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Alamance County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $49,200 ($4,100/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Alamance County.
Is rent going up or down in Alamance County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Alamance County increased by 11.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,099 to $1,230.
Which jobs can afford rent in Alamance County?
Based on North Carolina BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,230/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Alamance County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Alamance County went from $659 in FY 2020 to $1,230 in FY 2026, a total change of +86.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Alamance County?
In Alamance County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,230/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Alamance County?
For Alamance County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,230/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Alamance County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 5.5%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Alamance County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.8% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Alamance's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,230 implies about $49,200/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- North Carolina counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Wake
- See where Alamance ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.