Housing affordability index in North Carolina
Housing affordability index in North Carolina: puts one number on the housing question: 22.7% of the state's median household income goes to principal and interest on a median-priced home at today's rate.
30-year fixed rate used: 6.76% (observed 2026-09-10, FRED MORTGAGE30US).
Share of income
22.7%
principal + interest
Monthly payment
$1,287
on a $247,706 home
Median income
$68,149
households, ACS 5-year
| Rank | County | Share of income | Monthly P&I |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watauga County | 35.3% | $1,470 |
| 2 | Buncombe County | 30.8% | $1,708 |
| 3 | Dare County | 30.2% | $2,008 |
| 4 | Transylvania County | 30% | $1,551 |
| 5 | New Hanover County | 29.5% | $1,662 |
| 6 | Jackson County | 29.1% | $1,249 |
| 7 | Orange County | 28.7% | $2,055 |
| 8 | Henderson County | 27.7% | $1,514 |
| 9 | Chatham County | 27.6% | $1,939 |
| 10 | Clay County | 27.5% | $1,308 |
| 11 | Mecklenburg County | 26.3% | $1,738 |
| 12 | Polk County | 26.3% | $1,324 |
| 13 | Madison County | 26% | $1,227 |
| 14 | Durham County | 25.9% | $1,617 |
| 15 | Carteret County | 25.8% | $1,441 |
| 16 | Macon County | 25.8% | $1,095 |
| 17 | Alleghany County | 25.4% | $892 |
| 18 | Ashe County | 25.2% | $1,035 |
| 19 | Avery County | 25.1% | $1,121 |
| 20 | Haywood County | 25.1% | $1,182 |
| 21 | Brunswick County | 24.9% | $1,476 |
| 22 | Wake County | 24.9% | $2,003 |
| 23 | Cherokee County | 24.5% | $1,005 |
| 24 | Yancey County | 24.2% | $1,071 |
| 25 | Currituck County | 23.6% | $1,631 |
| 26 | Moore County | 22.7% | $1,475 |
| 27 | Iredell County | 22.3% | $1,357 |
| 28 | Pamlico County | 22.2% | $1,032 |
| 29 | Perquimans County | 22.2% | $1,096 |
| 30 | Chowan County | 22.1% | $942 |
| 31 | Union County | 22% | $1,748 |
| 32 | Mitchell County | 21.5% | $994 |
| 33 | Guilford County | 21.4% | $1,120 |
| 34 | Swain County | 21.1% | $929 |
| 35 | Cabarrus County | 20.9% | $1,463 |
| 36 | Forsyth County | 20.9% | $1,068 |
| 37 | Camden County | 20.6% | $1,356 |
| 38 | Gaston County | 20.6% | $1,074 |
| 39 | Onslow County | 20.5% | $1,022 |
| 40 | Pasquotank County | 20.5% | $1,047 |
| 41 | Pitt County | 20.3% | $928 |
| 42 | Alamance County | 20.2% | $1,027 |
| 43 | Pender County | 20.1% | $1,251 |
| 44 | Johnston County | 19.9% | $1,247 |
| 45 | Lincoln County | 19.9% | $1,253 |
| 46 | Davie County | 19.8% | $1,140 |
| 47 | Craven County | 19.6% | $1,008 |
| 48 | Davidson County | 19.6% | $957 |
| 49 | Stanly County | 19.6% | $991 |
| 50 | Catawba County | 19.5% | $1,008 |
| 51 | Rowan County | 19.5% | $973 |
| 52 | Rutherford County | 19.5% | $822 |
| 53 | Hoke County | 19.4% | $922 |
| 54 | Wilson County | 19.2% | $799 |
| 55 | Granville County | 19.1% | $1,083 |
| 56 | Cleveland County | 19% | $805 |
| 57 | Lee County | 19% | $966 |
| 58 | Caldwell County | 18.8% | $822 |
| 59 | Harnett County | 18.8% | $1,018 |
| 60 | Cumberland County | 18.7% | $865 |
| 61 | Wilkes County | 18.6% | $759 |
| 62 | Franklin County | 18.5% | $1,088 |
| 63 | Stokes County | 18.3% | $876 |
| 64 | Graham County | 18.2% | $696 |
| 65 | Surry County | 18.2% | $798 |
| 66 | Burke County | 18% | $808 |
| 67 | Warren County | 17.9% | $630 |
| 68 | Beaufort County | 17.8% | $831 |
| 69 | Bladen County | 17.8% | $602 |
| 70 | McDowell County | 17.8% | $796 |
| 71 | Nash County | 17.8% | $842 |
| 72 | Person County | 17.8% | $900 |
| 73 | Rockingham County | 17.6% | $742 |
| 74 | Randolph County | 17.5% | $822 |
| 75 | Wayne County | 17.5% | $791 |
| 76 | Yadkin County | 17.4% | $834 |
| 77 | Anson County | 17.3% | $604 |
| 78 | Columbus County | 17.3% | $622 |
| 79 | Gates County | 17.1% | $795 |
| 80 | Vance County | 17.1% | $691 |
| 81 | Alexander County | 16.8% | $879 |
| 82 | Richmond County | 16.5% | $581 |
| 83 | Tyrrell County | 15.8% | $730 |
| 84 | Montgomery County | 15.7% | $727 |
| 85 | Washington County | 15.7% | $508 |
| 86 | Caswell County | 15.2% | $720 |
| 87 | Hyde County | 15% | $547 |
| 88 | Halifax County | 14.8% | $513 |
| 89 | Scotland County | 14.8% | $519 |
| 90 | Lenoir County | 14.7% | $528 |
| 91 | Sampson County | 14.5% | $606 |
| 92 | Edgecombe County | 14.3% | $552 |
| 93 | Duplin County | 14.2% | $584 |
| 94 | Hertford County | 14% | $538 |
| 95 | Robeson County | 13.9% | $456 |
| 96 | Martin County | 13.8% | $515 |
| 97 | Jones County | 13.6% | $599 |
| 98 | Greene County | 13.4% | $563 |
| 99 | Bertie County | 13.1% | $454 |
| 100 | Northampton County | 13.1% | $499 |
Methodology
Every county figure for North Carolina uses the county's own median home value and median household income from the Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates, a 20% deposit, and the current 30-year fixed rate from FRED (MORTGAGE30US) amortised over 30 years.
The share shown is annualised principal and interest divided by median household income. Property tax, insurance and HOA dues are excluded so the comparison between counties stays like-for-like.
Counties without both a published home value and a published income are left out entirely rather than filled with an estimate, so the table is shorter than the county list in some states.
Sources: FRED series MORTGAGE30US, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2022.