County FMR · HUD FY2026

Mecklenburg County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Mecklenburg County, NC - 60% above the US average.

$1,538
1-bedroom FMR
$1,686
2-bedroom FMR
-6.6%
YoY change
+60%
vs US avg

The verdict

Mecklenburg is the 10th most expensive of 100 counties in North Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #314 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 6.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#314
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#10
most expensive of 100 in North Carolina (2BR)
+57%
vs the state average
$61,520
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.1%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (65.4%); only 4 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Mecklenburg County, NC. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina is $1,538 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,686/mo and a studio is $1,469/mo. This is 60% higher than the national average of $959 and 57% above the North Carolina average of $981.

Rent decreased6.6% from FY 2025 ($1,647), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $61,520/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

Observed renter burden: 46.3% of the 202,679 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Carolina. Population: 1,115,403. Population grew 7.3% 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 MECKLENBURG·COUNTY·NC·NC

Mecklenburg County, NC: $1,538/mo 1BR · #314 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA NC
  • 1BR-FMR $1,538
  • 2BR-FMR $1,686
  • RANK-UPPER #314
  • YOY-DOWN -6.6%
  • VSUS-HIGH +60%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +57% NC
  • INC-MID 22%
  • POP-MEGA 1.1M
  • PHOTO-NEAR Wake County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,384–$1,692
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Wake ($58 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $932 · US avg: $893
$1,469/mo
↓ 7.4% YoY +58% vs state +65% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $981 · US avg: $959
$1,538/mo
↓ 6.6% YoY +57% vs state +60% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,161 · US avg: $1,175
$1,686/mo
↓ 7.6% YoY +45% vs state +43% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,499 · US avg: $1,525
$2,076/mo
↓ 7.7% YoY +38% vs state +36% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,780 · US avg: $1,756
$2,637/mo
↓ 7.5% YoY +48% vs state +50% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,586
$1,469
$-117 (-7.4%)
1 Bedroom $1,647
$1,538
$-109 (-6.6%)
2 Bedroom $1,824
$1,686
$-138 (-7.6%)
3 Bedroom $2,250
$2,076
$-174 (-7.7%)
4 Bedroom $2,852
$2,637
$-215 (-7.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Mecklenburg County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
21%
Affordable
Need $58,760/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
22%
Affordable
Need $61,520/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
24.2%
Affordable
Need $67,440/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
29.7%
Affordable
Need $83,040/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
37.8%
Burdened
Need $105,480/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%24.2%
Mecklenburg County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $83,765 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View North Carolina rent burden →

Where Mecklenburg sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,686 Top 10% higher than 90% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). This entry sits in this band. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Mecklenburg compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other North Carolina counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Mecklenburg is highlighted. Nearby North Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Wake County ($1,596), Mecklenburg County (this county) ($1,538), Durham County ($1,507), Buncombe County ($1,429), Guilford County ($1,213), Cumberland County ($1,113), Forsyth County ($1,082).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,538/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 14.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,190 18.6% Affordable
Registered Nurses $81,860 22.5% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $80,490 22.9% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $58,030 31.8% Stretched
Electricians $54,070 34.1% Stretched
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $49,580 37.2% Stretched
Elementary School Teachers $49,400 37.4% Stretched
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $49,390 37.4% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $39,870 46.3% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $39,530 46.7% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $32,630 56.6% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $30,090 61.3% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,760 64.2% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $28,230 65.4% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (North Carolina) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Mecklenburg County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Mecklenburg (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 64.7% overall, from $934 to $1,538. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 19.0% (FY 2025), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$800$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600$1,800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,538
Mecklenburg County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓6.6% $1,469 $1,538 $1,686
FY 2025 ↑19.0% $1,586 $1,647 $1,824
FY 2024 ↑17.3% $1,347 $1,384 $1,554
FY 2023 ↑16.4% $1,154 $1,180 $1,333
FY 2022 ↑0.4% $996 $1,014 $1,155
FY 2021 ↑8.1% $987 $1,010 $1,151
FY 2020 $907 $934 $1,063
Total change (6yr): +64.7%
Annualized: +8.7%/yr
1 BR: $934 → $1,538

Part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area

Mecklenburg County is a central county of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan statistical area, alongside 10 other metro-area counties.

Mecklenburg County ranks #5 of 11 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: York County ($1,538), Union County ($1,538), Gaston County ($1,538), Cabarrus County ($1,538), Mecklenburg County (this county) ($1,538), Iredell County ($1,222), Rowan County ($958), Lincoln County ($953), Lancaster County ($922), Anson County ($867), Chester County ($816).

York County
1 BR: $1,538/mo
Union County
1 BR: $1,538/mo
Gaston County
1 BR: $1,538/mo
Cabarrus County
1 BR: $1,538/mo
Mecklenburg County (this county)
1 BR: $1,538/mo
Iredell County
1 BR: $1,222/mo
Rowan County
1 BR: $958/mo
Lincoln County
1 BR: $953/mo
Lancaster County
1 BR: $922/mo
Anson County
1 BR: $867/mo
Chester County
1 BR: $816/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Mecklenburg 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).

York County
SC · 2 BR $1,686/mo
Santa Fe County
NM · 2 BR $1,685/mo
Lane County
OR · 2 BR $1,688/mo
Bay County
FL · 2 BR $1,682/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside NC).

Morrow County
OH · 24.2% of income · 2 BR $1,430/mo
McCulloch County
TX · 24.2% of income · 2 BR $1,045/mo
Skagit County
WA · 24.1% of income · 2 BR $1,720/mo
Dauphin County
PA · 24.2% of income · 2 BR $1,493/mo

Nearby Counties in North Carolina

Largest counties by population in North Carolina

Showing the 8 largest of 99 other counties in North Carolina.

Wake County
1 BR: $1,596/mo Pop: 1,132,103
Guilford County
1 BR: $1,213/mo Pop: 539,557
Forsyth County
1 BR: $1,082/mo Pop: 383,739
Cumberland County
1 BR: $1,113/mo Pop: 335,207
Durham County
1 BR: $1,507/mo Pop: 325,101
Buncombe County
1 BR: $1,429/mo Pop: 269,449
Union County
1 BR: $1,538/mo Pop: 240,109
Gaston County
1 BR: $1,538/mo Pop: 228,972
View all counties in North Carolina →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Mecklenburg County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Mecklenburg County is $1,538 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,686 and a studio is $1,469.
How does Mecklenburg County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Mecklenburg County is 60% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,538 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Mecklenburg County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Mecklenburg County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,686 ranks #314 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Mecklenburg County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $61,520 ($5,127/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Mecklenburg County.
Is rent going up or down in Mecklenburg County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Mecklenburg County decreased by 6.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,647 to $1,538.
Which jobs can afford rent in Mecklenburg 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 $1,538/mo. 4 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Mecklenburg County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Mecklenburg County went from $934 in FY 2020 to $1,538 in FY 2026, a total change of +64.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Mecklenburg County? ▼
In Mecklenburg County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,538/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 Mecklenburg County? ▼
For Mecklenburg County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,538/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.