State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in North Carolina

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across North Carolina is $981/mo - 2% above the US average.

$981
Avg 1BR FMR
100
Counties
17
Metro areas

The verdict

North Carolina's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,161 - 1% below the US average, the 27th lowest of 51 states.

#27
most affordable of 51 states (2BR)
-1%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$46,440
income to afford it (30% rule)
126%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 100 counties and 17 metro areas in NC. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for North Carolina

Across North Carolina's 100 counties and 17 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rents average $932 for a studio, $981 for a 1-bedroom, $1,161 for a 2-bedroom, $1,499 for a 3-bedroom, and $1,780 for a 4-bedroom. FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level, not statewide, so the numbers above are the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside NC, weighted equally. Local housing authorities use each county's or metro's FMR (not the state average) to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards, typically ranging from 90% to 110% of FMR.

Benchmarked against the rest of the country, North Carolina's average 1-bedroom FMR of $981 is 2% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Ashe County at $705, while the most expensive is in Wake County at $1,596, a spread of roughly 126% between the lowest- and highest-cost counties. That intra-state dispersion is why urban voucher recipients, families relocating for jobs, and landlords setting Section 8 rents all need to check the specific FMR area rather than rely on a statewide figure.

For affordability, the 30% rule implies a household income of $39,240 per year (about $3,270/month) to afford North Carolina's average 1-bedroom at $981. The ratio of FMR to local wages determines how many households are rent-burdened. Pair these rent figures with North Carolina's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where North Carolina sits among all 50 states + DC

Average 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. every US state

$1,161 Top 53% higher than 47% of 51 states

$900–$1,000: 11 states (22%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,100: 7 states (14%). Below this entry. $1,100–$1,200: 8 states (16%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $1,300–$1,400: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,500: 8 states (16%). Above this entry. $1,500–$1,600: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,700: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,700–$1,800: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,800–$1,900: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,900–$2,000: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,100: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,100–$2,200: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $2,300–$2,400: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,500: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. NC $900 $2,500 every US state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.1K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. 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

State Average vs National Average

Studio
$932
+4% vs US avg
1 BR
$981
+2% vs US avg
2 BR
$1,161
-1% vs US avg
3 BR
$1,499
-2% vs US avg
4 BR
$1,780
+1% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in North Carolina by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent, the highest-cost 10 of 100 NC counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside NC, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $705 in Ashe County to $1,596 in Wake County.

Source HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data As of FY2026

Cheapest Counties

Lowest FMR rental costs →

Most Expensive Counties

Highest FMR rental costs →

Rent Burden

% of income spent on rent →

Rent Growth

YoY rent trends by county →

Metro areas in North Carolina

Each metro FMR area applies one rent schedule across all its counties, ranked here by 1-bedroom FMR.

# Metro area Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA $1,524
$1,596
$1,750$2,196$2,936
2 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,417
$1,507
$1,711$2,117$2,527
3 Asheville, NC MSA $1,227
$1,429
$1,567$1,905$2,629
4 Brunswick County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,242
$1,301
$1,426$1,983$2,392
5 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC MSA $1,157
$1,239
$1,358$1,889$2,278
6 Burlington, NC MSA $992
$1,230
$1,348$1,670$1,972
7 Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,159
$1,213
$1,330$1,703$1,960
8 Camden County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,121
$1,139
$1,287$1,790$2,159
9 Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,090
$1,113
$1,251$1,667$2,068
10 Goldsboro, NC MSA $942
$948
$1,244$1,496$2,021
11 Jacksonville, NC MSA $929
$935
$1,173$1,631$1,968
12 Rocky Mount, NC MSA $913
$918
$1,143$1,550$1,812
13 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA $858
$908
$1,095$1,372$1,660
14 Greenville, NC MSA $891
$896
$1,095$1,465$1,837
15 Davidson County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area $816
$876
$960$1,316$1,591
16 Anson County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area $785
$867
$1,138$1,364$1,654
17 Craven County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area -
-
---

Counties in North Carolina, ranked by rent (100)

All 100 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Franklin County $1,524
$1,596
$1,750$2,196$2,936
2 Johnston County $1,524
$1,596
$1,750$2,196$2,936
3 Wake County $1,524
$1,596
$1,750$2,196$2,936
4 Cabarrus County $1,469
$1,538
$1,686$2,076$2,637
5 Gaston County $1,469
$1,538
$1,686$2,076$2,637
6 Mecklenburg County $1,469
$1,538
$1,686$2,076$2,637
7 Union County $1,469
$1,538
$1,686$2,076$2,637
8 Gates County $1,489
$1,513
$1,709$2,364$2,794
9 New Hanover County $1,144
$1,513
$1,659$2,178$2,319
10 Currituck County $1,492
$1,512
$1,713$2,376$2,797
11 Chatham County $1,417
$1,507
$1,711$2,117$2,527
12 Durham County $1,417
$1,507
$1,711$2,117$2,527
13 Orange County $1,417
$1,507
$1,711$2,117$2,527
14 Buncombe County $1,227
$1,429
$1,567$1,905$2,629
15 Henderson County $1,227
$1,429
$1,567$1,905$2,629
16 Madison County $1,227
$1,429
$1,567$1,905$2,629
17 Dare County $1,120
$1,305
$1,430$1,821$1,893
18 Brunswick County $1,242
$1,301
$1,426$1,983$2,392
19 Moore County $1,157
$1,239
$1,358$1,889$2,278
20 Alamance County $992
$1,230
$1,348$1,670$1,972
21 Iredell County $1,167
$1,222
$1,340$1,809$2,248
22 Guilford County $1,159
$1,213
$1,330$1,703$1,960
23 Randolph County $1,159
$1,213
$1,330$1,703$1,960
24 Camden County $1,121
$1,139
$1,287$1,790$2,159
25 Haywood County $1,039
$1,122
$1,230$1,475$1,844
26 Cumberland County $1,090
$1,113
$1,251$1,667$2,068
27 Granville County $1,026
$1,084
$1,200$1,571$1,700
28 Davie County $995
$1,082
$1,232$1,607$1,898
29 Forsyth County $995
$1,082
$1,232$1,607$1,898
30 Stokes County $995
$1,082
$1,232$1,607$1,898
31 Yadkin County $995
$1,082
$1,232$1,607$1,898
32 Pender County $1,016
$1,064
$1,166$1,622$1,956
33 Watauga County $822
$988
$1,177$1,504$1,974
34 Rowan County $952
$958
$1,196$1,573$2,006
35 Lincoln County $917
$953
$1,054$1,461$1,728
36 Clay County $878
$948
$1,039$1,429$1,561
37 Wayne County $942
$948
$1,244$1,496$2,021
38 Onslow County $929
$935
$1,173$1,631$1,968
39 Chowan County $924
$930
$1,220$1,463$1,615
40 Pasquotank County $921
$927
$1,216$1,640$1,899
41 Edgecombe County $913
$918
$1,143$1,550$1,812
42 Nash County $913
$918
$1,143$1,550$1,812
43 Carteret County $907
$913
$1,198$1,541$1,966
44 Alexander County $858
$908
$1,095$1,372$1,660
45 Burke County $858
$908
$1,095$1,372$1,660
46 Caldwell County $858
$908
$1,095$1,372$1,660
47 Catawba County $858
$908
$1,095$1,372$1,660
48 Craven County $897
$902
$1,184$1,591$1,988
49 Pitt County $891
$896
$1,095$1,465$1,837
50 Transylvania County $881
$887
$1,164$1,396$1,749
51 Lee County $874
$880
$1,136$1,362$1,715
52 Jackson County $840
$879
$964$1,272$1,276
53 Davidson County $816
$876
$960$1,316$1,591
54 Anson County $785
$867
$1,138$1,364$1,654
55 Pamlico County $861
$866
$1,077$1,291$1,618
56 Graham County $782
$844
$925$1,199$1,390
57 Macon County $681
$830
$987$1,183$1,325
58 Polk County $824
$829
$983$1,351$1,649
59 Greene County $782
$823
$925$1,189$1,390
60 Richmond County $714
$814
$925$1,286$1,406
61 Swain County $806
$813
$925$1,264$1,390
62 Harnett County $805
$810
$980$1,363$1,644
63 Rutherford County $801
$806
$925$1,275$1,332
64 Sampson County $663
$806
$925$1,109$1,302
65 Perquimans County $799
$804
$999$1,382$1,387
66 Bertie County $790
$796
$1,044$1,252$1,449
67 Montgomery County $789
$794
$925$1,252$1,552
68 Wilson County $789
$794
$1,025$1,307$1,541
69 Rockingham County $717
$793
$1,040$1,286$1,463
70 Wilkes County $782
$793
$925$1,233$1,538
71 McDowell County $782
$790
$925$1,180$1,225
72 Avery County $761
$766
$1,005$1,205$1,510
73 Cleveland County $758
$763
$925$1,286$1,322
74 Hoke County $756
$761
$998$1,388$1,674
75 Hyde County $751
$756
$940$1,204$1,413
76 Scotland County $750
$755
$925$1,244$1,249
77 Jones County $748
$752
$925$1,179$1,552
78 Caswell County $743
$748
$925$1,270$1,390
79 Robeson County $744
$748
$925$1,187$1,389
80 Duplin County $742
$747
$980$1,175$1,377
81 Alleghany County $740
$745
$978$1,173$1,470
82 Person County $739
$744
$948$1,318$1,377
83 Tyrrell County $739
$744
$925$1,286$1,390
84 Washington County $739
$744
$925$1,197$1,391
85 Vance County $738
$743
$975$1,197$1,318
86 Halifax County $638
$742
$925$1,190$1,367
87 Northampton County $736
$741
$972$1,165$1,344
88 Beaufort County $732
$737
$925$1,220$1,552
89 Lenoir County $727
$732
$925$1,241$1,441
90 Columbus County $718
$722
$925$1,109$1,225
91 Cherokee County $645
$713
$935$1,290$1,497
92 Yancey County $708
$713
$935$1,233$1,238
93 Ashe County $700
$705
$925$1,220$1,225
94 Bladen County $700
$705
$925$1,258$1,298
95 Hertford County $638
$705
$925$1,210$1,225
96 Martin County $700
$705
$925$1,220$1,225
97 Mitchell County $700
$705
$925$1,134$1,225
98 Stanly County $638
$705
$925$1,281$1,466
99 Surry County $700
$705
$925$1,109$1,406
100 Warren County $700
$705
$925$1,172$1,239

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in North Carolina? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in North Carolina is $981 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $1,161.
How does North Carolina rent compare to the national average? ▼
North Carolina rents are 2% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $981 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in North Carolina? ▼
The most affordable county is Ashe County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $705. The most expensive is Wake County at $1,596.
What income do I need to afford rent in North Carolina? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $39,240/year ($3,270/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in North Carolina.

Explore North Carolina rent data

Rent burden → Rent growth → Cheapest counties → Most expensive counties → National rent-burden rankings → Affordability calculator →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

Browse all → | Rankings →
Data sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. See our methodology for details. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent data (huduser.gov).