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Sarah Mitchell

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Compass Real Estate · North Carolina

“Your trusted relocation specialist since 2009. 350+ homes sold. Zero-pressure, data-first approach.”

North Carolina(512) 555-0184TX License #0512847

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North Carolina housing market

The typical home in North Carolina is worth $334,773, down 0.0% over the past year. Homes that actually closed went for a median of $397,600 after 52 days on market. On supply, pricing discipline, and speed of sale, North Carolina currently reads as a balanced market at 3.9 months of supply. At today's 7.03% 30-year fixed rate, that typical home costs $1,787 a month in principal and interest with 20.0% down.

Sources: Zillow, August 2026 · Refreshes monthly · Redfin, through May 2026 · Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026

North Carolina housing market at a glance

Every tile carries the provider and the month it was published

Typical home value

$334,773

-0.0% YoY · Zillow, August 2026

Median sale price

$397,600

Redfin, through May 2026

Typical asking rent

$1,680/mo

Median of 105 cities · Zillow, August 2026

30-yr fixed rate

7.03%

Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026

Monthly P&I

$1,787

20.0% down, 30-yr fixed

Days on market

+9 days YoY

Active listings

54,024

+7.2% YoY

Median household income

$69,904

U.S. Census ACS, 2023

Typical home value is Zillow's ZHVI — the value of a typical home across the whole housing stock, not just the homes that sold. Median sale price is what actually closed. Redfin stopped publishing public market trackers in June 2026; latest available period is May 2026.

Where North Carolina home prices are heading

North Carolina's typical home value is $334,773, down 0.0% over 12 months. The two-year number matters more than the one-year number: it spans a full rate cycle rather than a single seasonal swing. Values are currently 1.2% below their two-year high, which means sellers who bought at the top may need to bring money to closing rather than take equity out of it.

Against the national picture, North Carolina runs 9.2% below the U.S. typical home value of $368,697, and its 12-month move of -0.0% is trailing the national pace of +1.2%.

What would have to change for North Carolina prices to fall. Prices fall when supply outruns demand for long enough that sellers compete on price rather than waiting. North Carolina is carrying 3.9 months of supply — below the four-month line, so inventory would have to roughly double before sellers lose pricing power. Active listings are +7.2% year over year and new listings -6.3%, which is close to flat. The other lever is the rate. At 7.03%, existing owners with cheaper mortgages have little reason to list, which is what has kept supply artificially low across most of the country. A sustained move down in rates unlocks those sellers and adds inventory; it also adds buyers. Which side moves first decides the direction.

Market trends

Statewide monthly series · Redfin, through May 2026 · No longer updating · Redfin stopped publishing public market trackers in June 2026; latest available period is May 2026.

What it costs to buy in North Carolina at today's rate

Down payment

$66,955

20.0% of value

Loan amount

$267,819

30-yr fixed

Monthly P&I

$1,787

at 7.03%

Income needed

$76,586

28.0% front-end ratio

A buyer purchasing the typical North Carolina home at $334,773 puts $66,955 down, finances $267,819, and pays $1,787 a month in principal and interest. Property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA dues, and mortgage insurance sit on top of that and vary by county — budget for them separately rather than assuming the P&I figure is the payment.

Lenders typically want principal and interest under 28.0% of gross income, which puts the qualifying income for that purchase at roughly $76,586. North Carolina's median household earns $69,904 (Census ACS 2023) — a gap of $6,682 above what the median household brings in. Put differently, the median household would spend 30.7% of gross income on principal and interest alone — above the ratio most lenders underwrite to, which is why buyers here typically need a larger down payment, a co-borrower, or a cheaper city than the statewide typical home.

The value-to-income ratio in North Carolina is 4.8x. Between roughly 3.5x and 5x, prices are ahead of local earnings but still within reach for higher-earning households. Model your own numbers in the affordability calculator or the mortgage calculator.

Figures are illustrative, not a quote or a pre-approval. Rate: Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026 · Value: Zillow, August 2026 · Income: U.S. Census ACS, 2023

Buying in North Carolina in the next 12 months?

Tell us your timeline. We send the North Carolina market brief: the price ranges that are actually clearing, the cities where your budget goes furthest, and what to fix on your credit before you apply.

Rent or buy in North Carolina?

Zillow publishes its rent index per city rather than per state, so the honest statewide read is the median across the 105 largest North Carolina cities that carry it: $1,680 a month. Set against a typical home value of $334,773, that is a price-to-rent ratio of 16.6x.

Between 15x and 20x the two options are close enough that the tiebreaker is how long you stay, not the ratio itself. Principal and interest on the typical home runs $107 more per month than that typical rent — and that is before taxes, insurance, and the roughly 1% of value a year most owners spend on maintenance.

For a second read on the same question, the Census ACS puts median gross rent across all North Carolina households — every unit type, not just what is currently listed — at $1,162 a month (2023), with 66.4% of North Carolina households owning rather than renting. Asking rents lead the ACS figure because they reflect today's new leases rather than the whole stock of existing ones.

Run the rent-vs-buy calculator with your own holding period and down payment — the statewide ratio is a starting point, not an answer.

Supply: what is on the market in North Carolina

North Carolina inventory, new listings, sales, and supply, latest month versus the same month a year earlier
Measure	Latest	Year earlier	Change
Active listings	54,024	50,407	+7.2%
New listings	19,105	20,386	-6.3%
Homes sold	13,926	14,371	-3.1%
Months of supply	3.9	3.5	+0.4
Sale-to-list ratio	98.3%	98.4%	Below asking

What these mean. Active listings is the shelf — everything a buyer could tour today. New listings is restock rate; when it falls faster than sales, the shelf empties. Months of supply is active inventory divided by homes sold per month: at the current sales pace, how many months it would take to sell every home currently listed. Under 4 months of supply tilts toward sellers, 4 to 5 months is the neutral band, and above 5 months tilts toward buyers — above 7 months is a glut. These are the same thresholds the market verdict on every city and ZIP page is scored against. Sale-to-list ratio is the discipline check — above 100% means homes are clearing over asking on average, below means sellers are conceding.

Redfin, through May 2026 · No longer updating — Redfin stopped publishing public market trackers in June 2026; latest available period is May 2026. Zillow's inventory and new-listing counts are published per city and appear on the individual city pages.

Where North Carolina home values are moving fastest

12-month change in typical home value · Zillow, August 2026

Rising fastest

Falling

Computed from Zillow's typical home value for each city at August 2026 against the same month a year earlier, across the 150 largest North Carolina cities by population. Small markets swing hardest because a handful of transactions moves the index — read the city page before treating a large move as a trend.

The most and least expensive cities in North Carolina

Typical home value across the 150 largest cities · Zillow, August 2026

Most expensive

1.Weddington$1.05M
2.Waxhaw$709,982
3.Wesley Chapel$657,159
4.Davidson$652,186
5.Chapel Hill$631,034
6.Cary$619,636
7.Oak Island$604,000
8.Carolina Beach$603,767
9.Oak Ridge$599,623
10.Apex$592,991

Most affordable

1.Hamlet$131,881
2.Roanoke Rapids$132,688
3.Rockingham$134,488
4.Laurinburg$144,841
5.Kinston$147,059
6.Eden$148,257
7.Lumberton$152,249
8.Tarboro$157,007
9.Henderson$178,354
10.Rocky Mount$188,603

The spread between Weddington and Hamlet is 8.0x — one reason a single statewide number is close to useless for a buyer with a fixed budget. Pick the city first, then the price band. Speed is a separate axis from price: Northchase was the quickest of these markets to clear at 9 days on market (Redfin, through May 2026).

How North Carolina compares

North Carolina typical home value, 12-month change, median household income, and value-to-income ratio compared with the United States and neighboring states
Market	Typical value	12-mo change	Median income	Value / income
North Carolina	$334,773	-0.0%	$69,904	4.8x
United States	$368,697	+1.2%	—	—
South Carolina	$306,323	+1.0%	$66,818	4.6x
Virginia	$414,662	+2.2%	$90,974	4.6x
Georgia	$330,817	-0.5%	$74,664	4.4x

The three states above are North Carolina's nearest land neighbours — the markets buyers most often price against when a move is still negotiable. South Carolina and Georgia carry lower typical home value than North Carolina, which is what makes them the usual destination for equity-funded moves out of North Carolina.

Values and 12-month changes: Zillow, August 2026 · Refreshes monthly. Income: U.S. Census ACS, 2023. ACS publishes household income per state, not for the nation on the same basis, so the U.S. row shows home value only.

North Carolina housing markets by city

642 cities tracked — the 60 largest by population shown

Charlotte

$392,573

Raleigh

$428,671

Greensboro

$263,264

Durham

$389,634

Winston-Salem

$263,057

Fayetteville

$224,044

Cary

$619,636

Wilmington

$419,038

High Point

$250,100

Concord

$380,870

Asheville

$448,688

Greenville

$237,040

Gastonia

$275,364

Jacksonville

$263,173

Apex

$592,991

Huntersville

$546,644

Chapel Hill

$631,034

Burlington

$254,509

Kannapolis

$279,713

Rocky Mount

$188,603

Mooresville

$478,099

Wake Forest

$507,240

Wilson

$216,582

Hickory

$294,938

Holly Springs

$574,699

Indian Trail

$414,348

Fuquay-Varina

$437,695

Salisbury

$281,849

Monroe

$356,798

Goldsboro

$194,054

Garner

$380,170

Cornelius

$522,002

New Bern

$283,749

Sanford

$288,740

Morrisville

$470,563

Matthews

$509,343

Statesville

$297,476

Clayton

$361,047

Kernersville

$321,069

Asheboro

$242,557

Thomasville

$238,670

Mint Hill

$511,593

Leland

$384,364

Shelby

$212,840

Clemmons

$386,249

Waxhaw

$709,982

Carrboro

$424,337

Lexington

$273,382

Kinston

$147,059

Boone

$482,733

Knightdale

$363,989

Lumberton

$152,249

Harrisburg

$496,423

Mebane

$350,676

Elizabeth City

$267,652

Lenoir

$213,845

Pinehurst

$537,061

Mount Holly

$358,147

Hope Mills

$262,834

Morganton

$261,310

Browse all 642 North Carolina cities Compare every state →

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What to do next in North Carolina

If you are buying

Set the payment before the price. Start from what you can carry monthly, then work backwards with the affordability calculator — the typical North Carolina home is $1,787/mo in P&I today.
Pick the city, not the state. Values across North Carolina run from $131,881 in Hamlet to $1.05M in Weddington.
Put two finalists head to head in the city comparison tool before you tour anything.
Fix the credit file before you shop the rate. A better score moves the payment more than haggling over price does at 7.03%.

If you are selling

Price against your city, not the statewide figure — the spread between North Carolina markets is wider than the year-over-year move in any of them.
Read the supply table above. At 3.9 months of supply, you still set the terms — but only if the home is priced to the comps on day one.
Watch days on market in your city, not the state. The statewide median was 52 days (Redfin, through May 2026); your city page carries its own.
Time the listing against new-listing volume. New listings are -6.3% year over year — less competition than a year ago.

North Carolina housing market questions

What is the typical home value in North Carolina?

The typical home value in North Carolina is $334,773 (Zillow, August 2026). That is a -0.0% change over the past 12 months. The median price of homes that actually sold was $397,600 (Redfin, through May 2026); sale prices skew toward whatever segment is transacting, which is why they differ from the typical-value figure.

Are North Carolina home prices going up or down?

North Carolina home values are down 0.0% year over year (Zillow, August 2026). Values sit 1.2% below their highest reading in the past two years.

How much income do you need to buy a home in North Carolina?

At the current 30-year fixed rate of 7.03%, a $334,773 home with 20.0% down carries roughly $1,787 a month in principal and interest. Using the 28% front-end ratio most lenders underwrite to, that implies a household income of about $76,586 before taxes, insurance, HOA dues, or mortgage insurance are added. North Carolina's median household income is $69,904 (Census ACS, 2023), a gap of $6,682 above the median household. These figures are illustrative, not a quote or a pre-approval.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in North Carolina?

Typical asking rent across the largest North Carolina cities Zillow publishes rent data for is $1,680 a month (median of 105 cities, Zillow, August 2026). Against a typical home value of $334,773, that is a price-to-rent ratio of 16.6x. Ratios under about 15x generally favour buying if you plan to stay put; above about 20x, renting and investing the difference tends to win over short horizons. Principal and interest alone runs $107 more than that typical rent each month, before taxes, insurance, and maintenance.

Which North Carolina cities are the most affordable?

Among the largest cities we track in North Carolina, the lowest typical home values are in Hamlet ($131,881), Roanoke Rapids ($132,688), Rockingham ($134,488), Laurinburg ($144,841), Kinston ($147,059). Values are Zillow's typical-home-value index for August 2026.

Which North Carolina cities are the most expensive?

The highest typical home values among the largest North Carolina cities are in Weddington ($1.05M), Waxhaw ($709,982), Wesley Chapel ($657,159), Davidson ($652,186), Chapel Hill ($631,034). Price per square foot, inventory, and days on market for each are on the individual city pages.

Which North Carolina cities are appreciating the fastest?

Over the past 12 months the largest home-value gains among North Carolina cities we track were in Roanoke Rapids (+10.1%), Oak Island (+8.2%), Roxboro (+5.0%), Mount Airy (+4.0%), Mocksville (+3.5%). Fast appreciation usually reflects constrained supply, in-migration, or a small transaction base — check the individual city page before reading it as a trend.

How long do homes take to sell in North Carolina?

Homes in North Carolina spent a median of 52 days on market in the last month Redfin published (Redfin, through May 2026). That is 9 days slower than the same month a year earlier. The quickest market among the state's largest cities was Northchase at 9 days. Redfin stopped publishing public market trackers in June 2026; latest available period is May 2026.

How does North Carolina compare to neighboring states?

North Carolina's typical home value of $334,773 compares with South Carolina at $306,323, Virginia at $414,662, Georgia at $330,817. The U.S. typical home value is $368,697, putting North Carolina 9.2% below the national figure. South Carolina and Georgia are cheaper on a typical-value basis.

Is now a good time to buy in North Carolina?

That depends on your timeline, not the headline. The measurable inputs today: a 30-year fixed rate of 7.03%, 3.9 months of supply statewide (Redfin, through May 2026), active listings +7.2% year over year, and home values -0.0% over the past year. Buyers with a five-year-plus horizon are mostly exposed to the payment, not the price, so the rate you can qualify for matters more than the month you buy. Properties Incorporated is an independent data platform, not a brokerage or lender — this is information, not advice.

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