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Featured local agent — North Carolina
Sarah Mitchell
Compass Real Estate · North Carolina
“Your trusted relocation specialist since 2009. 350+ homes sold. Zero-pressure, data-first approach.”
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North Carolina housing market
How is the North Carolina housing market trending?
The median home sale price in North Carolina is $397,600, a +2.1% change from a year ago. Homes sell in an average of 52 days with 54,024 active listings statewide. Properties Incorporated tracks 642 cities across North Carolina with monthly market data from Redfin and Zillow plus Census demographic context. (Source: Redfin monthly MLS data + Zillow Research — the most recent releases; Redfin publishes each month's data on a ~6-week lag — as of May 2026.)
What are North Carolina's key housing stats?
Latest monthly print: May 2026
Median sale price
$397,600
+2.1% YoY
Days on market
52
statewide average
Active listings
54,024
3.9 months supply
30-yr mortgage rate
6.66%
national, weekly
Sale-to-list ratio
98.3%
below asking on average
What is the North Carolina housing market like right now?
North Carolina's housing market spans 642 cities tracked by Properties Incorporated, from dense metropolitan cores to small rural markets. Conditions vary widely within the state — a single statewide number hides the spread between fast-moving urban markets and quieter inland towns — but the rollup figures above give a useful baseline for anyone evaluating a move, an investment, or a refinance in North Carolina.
The Zillow Home Value Index for North Carolina stands at $340,430, reflecting a -0.0% change over the past year. ZHVI tracks the typical home value across the full distribution of homes — not just transacted sales — so it captures shifts in North Carolina's broader housing stock as well as recent buyer activity.
North Carolina's months-of-supply reading is 3.9, under the 4-month threshold most analysts use to classify a seller's market. Buyers should expect competition and tight inventory in active price bands.
Which cities lead the North Carolina housing market?
642 markets tracked — sorted by population
How do North Carolina cities rank by price and growth?
Top markets by price, growth, and velocity — within the largest cities in the state
Most expensive
- 1.Marvin$1.40M
- 2.Kitty Hawk$720,000
- 3.St. James$632,250
- 4.Sea Breeze$595,000
- 5.Rougemont$500,000
- 6.Royal Pines$495,000
- 7.Wilmington$487,038
- 8.Sneads Ferry$485,000
Most affordable
- 1.Mount Olive$150,000
- 2.North Wilkesboro$157,000
- 3.Rockingham$158,000
- 4.Cajah's Mountain$190,000
- 5.Roanoke Rapids$194,500
- 6.Old Fort$205,000
- 7.Mamers$217,000
- 8.Roxboro$230,000
Biggest price gains (YoY)
- 1.Roxboro+81.1%
- 2.Taylorsville+64.3%
- 3.Mount Airy+50.5%
- 4.Sneads Ferry+39.4%
- 5.St. Helena+39.3%
- 6.Rocky Mount+18.8%
- 7.Siler City+18.0%
- 8.Richlands+16.6%
Biggest price drops (YoY)
- 1.Mineral Springs-39.5%
- 2.Old Fort-36.9%
- 3.Mamers-36.2%
- 4.St. James-20.0%
- 5.Royal Pines-15.4%
- 6.Wilson's Mills-13.2%
- 7.Rural Hall-12.7%
- 8.Matthews-9.2%
Fastest-selling
- 1.St. Helena13d
- 2.Rougemont19d
- 3.Rockingham21d
- 4.Mineral Springs24d
- 5.Sea Breeze26d
- 6.Welcome28d
- 7.Pinnacle30d
- 8.Roxboro32d
Rankings drawn from the most recent monthly Redfin print across the largest 50 cities by population in North Carolina.
How do current mortgage rates affect North Carolina home buyers?
The current 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits at 6.66%. For a buyer purchasing the North Carolina median-priced home at $397,600 with a 20% down payment, the monthly principal-and-interest payment works out to roughly $2,044 — before taxes, insurance, HOA fees, or private mortgage insurance.
That payment shifts meaningfully with rate moves: a half-point swing on a $318,080 loan changes the monthly bill by roughly $75 to $100. Buyers locking in today should also budget for property taxes and homeowners insurance, both of which can add hundreds per month and vary by county. Model your specific scenario in the mortgage calculator. For where rates and prices are headed next, see our 2026 national forecast comparison.
How do you research North Carolina real estate?
Every North Carolina city page includes the same metric set as the statewide rollup above — median sale price, year-over-year change, days on market, active inventory, sale-to-list ratio — plus current listings drawn from public MLS feeds, Census Bureau demographic context, and a market-verdict assessment of where the balance currently sits between buyers and sellers.
When you're evaluating a move into North Carolina or considering an investment property, three resources work well together: the mortgage calculator for payment math, the affordability tool to back into a target price from income, and the city comparison tool for side-by-side analysis of two finalist markets. Pair them with individual city profiles for the deepest read. For market trend analysis and buying guides, the Properties Incorporated blog covers North Carolina housing trends, first-time buyer guides, and investment analysis updated monthly.
Key questions about North Carolina real estate
What is the median home price in North Carolina?
The median sale price in North Carolina is $397,600 as of May 2026, a +2.1% change from a year earlier.
How is the North Carolina housing market right now?
As of the most recent monthly print, homes in North Carolina are spending about 52 days on the market with roughly 54,024 active listings statewide. Months of supply sits at 3.9 — under 4 months typically favors sellers, over 6 months favors buyers.
Which North Carolina cities are most affordable?
The most affordable cities in North Carolina by median sale price include Mount Olive, North Wilkesboro, Rockingham, Cajah's Mountain, Roanoke Rapids. Each city page breaks down price, days on market, and recent listings.
Which North Carolina cities are most expensive?
The highest median-price cities tracked in North Carolina include Marvin, Kitty Hawk, St. James, Sea Breeze, Rougemont. Price-per-square-foot, inventory levels, and year-over-year change are listed on each city page.
Which North Carolina cities are seeing the biggest price increases?
Year-over-year price growth leaders in North Carolina include Roxboro (+81.1%), Taylorsville (+64.3%), Mount Airy (+50.5%), Sneads Ferry (+39.4%), St. Helena (+39.3%). Strong gains can reflect supply constraints, inbound migration, or a combination — read each city page for context.
How long do homes in North Carolina take to sell?
The statewide average is roughly 52 days on market. Velocity varies sharply between cities — St. Helena averages just 13 days, while smaller markets tend to see longer marketing periods.
How does North Carolina compare to the national housing market?
North Carolina's market data is reported alongside national benchmarks so you can see how the state stacks up. Median price and YoY are shown on each city page.
What is the current 30-year mortgage rate, and what does it mean for North Carolina buyers?
The current 30-year fixed mortgage rate is approximately 6.66%. A buyer purchasing a North Carolina-median home with 20% down would face roughly $2,044 per month in principal and interest, before taxes, insurance, or HOA fees. Use the mortgage calculator to model your specific numbers.
Is North Carolina a good place to invest in real estate?
Whether North Carolina fits your investment thesis depends on time horizon, target city, and whether you're optimizing for cash flow or appreciation. Use the city rankings above — particularly the price-growth and days-on-market columns — to identify markets aligned with your strategy, then drill into the city profile for inventory, demographics, and recent sales context.
How do I get started buying a home in North Carolina?
Start with a target city (use the rankings above to narrow), then review that city's profile for median price, inventory, and current listings. Run the numbers through the mortgage calculator using today's rate to see what payment fits your budget, and compare two finalists side-by-side using the city comparison tool.
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