RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Least affordable housing, North Carolina counties · 2020

North Carolina counties ranked by the CensusEasy Afford Score, median home value divided by median household income (2023 ACS). A higher score means a home costs more years of local income. This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

RELATEDMost expensive homes Cheapest homes Highest median rent Lowest median rent Highest homeownership rate Highest renter share

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPAFFORD SCOREVS 2000

01Watauga County, NCNC54,7865.3+35%

02Clay County, NCNC12,2394.7+62%

03New Hanover County, NCNC245,9594.6+43%

04Buncombe County, NCNC277,4174.6+63%

05Dare County, NCNC38,2454.5+50%

06Transylvania County, NCNC34,2114.5+62%

07Chatham County, NCNC85,1114.4+68%

08Orange County, NCNC152,4984.4+16%

09Jackson County, NCNC45,0394.4+55%

10Madison County, NCNC22,5534.3+60%

11Polk County, NCNC20,5334.3+49%

12Alleghany County, NCNC11,4794.1+37%

13Cherokee County, NCNC30,8304.0+49%

14Henderson County, NCNC122,3753.9+31%

15Carteret County, NCNC70,4693.9+41%

16Durham County, NCNC347,2403.8+30%

17Macon County, NCNC39,2323.8+24%

18Yancey County, NCNC19,0843.7+37%

19Brunswick County, NCNC174,7023.7+39%

20Ashe County, NCNC27,5143.7+22%

21Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3833.7+33%

22Moore County, NCNC110,6193.6+34%

23Wake County, NCNC1,257,2353.6+27%

24Haywood County, NCNC63,3693.6+37%

25Currituck County, NCNC33,1583.6+53%

26Avery County, NCNC18,1103.6+38%

27Camden County, NCNC11,3153.5+46%

28Perquimans County, NCNC13,4903.4+40%

29Mitchell County, NCNC15,0623.4+46%

30Pamlico County, NCNC12,7583.3+51%

31Pender County, NCNC72,1113.3+36%

32Swain County, NCNC14,0243.3+17%

33Iredell County, NCNC211,7983.2+28%

34Chowan County, NCNC14,0823.2+29%

35Guilford County, NCNC562,2343.2+19%

36Onslow County, NCNC217,1753.1+36%

37Lincoln County, NCNC98,6543.1+41%

38Alamance County, NCNC186,1773.1+27%

39Gates County, NCNC10,2343.1+67%

40Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7253.1+30%

41Union County, NCNC267,6743.1+26%

42Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2013.1+19%

43Forsyth County, NCNC401,7183.1+18%

44Craven County, NCNC105,0253.0+25%

45Cleveland County, NCNC103,3253.0+36%

46Pitt County, NCNC182,9363.0+19%

47Granville County, NCNC61,4213.0+35%

48Davidson County, NCNC180,1823.0+25%

49Yadkin County, NCNC38,3252.9+33%

50Harnett County, NCNC150,1372.9+28%

51Gaston County, NCNC246,5582.9+34%

52Johnston County, NCNC256,4482.9+23%

53Cumberland County, NCNC338,4732.9+28%

54Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5372.9+50%

55Rutherford County, NCNC65,7452.9+26%

56Surry County, NCNC72,2872.9+21%

57Wilkes County, NCNC66,2332.9+22%

58Beaufort County, NCNC44,6702.9+28%

59Rowan County, NCNC155,0962.9+22%

60Hoke County, NCNC56,9392.9+34%

61Catawba County, NCNC170,1722.9+22%

62Davie County, NCNC45,8552.9+11%

63Wilson County, NCNC81,1502.9+19%

64Graham County, NCNC8,1902.8+16%

65Stokes County, NCNC46,1262.8+30%

66Washington County, NCNC10,6382.8+27%

67Lee County, NCNC70,2582.8+21%

68Stanly County, NCNC68,8302.8+22%

69Franklin County, NCNC82,0372.8+26%

70McDowell County, NCNC45,1982.7+37%

71Burke County, NCNC88,6552.7+26%

72Caldwell County, NCNC81,1052.7+22%

73Alexander County, NCNC36,9582.7+24%

74Nash County, NCNC99,3652.7+16%

75Montgomery County, NCNC26,4032.7+30%

76Wayne County, NCNC122,2782.7+18%

77Bladen County, NCNC30,0072.7+28%

78Randolph County, NCNC149,5162.6+17%

79Hyde County, NCNC4,5542.6+24%

80Anson County, NCNC21,7582.6+29%

81Rockingham County, NCNC94,1952.5+9%

82Vance County, NCNC42,6382.5+10%

83Columbus County, NCNC50,4872.5+3%

84Scotland County, NCNC33,3222.4+20%

85Jones County, NCNC9,5752.4+14%

86Halifax County, NCNC46,5342.4+4%

87Warren County, NCNC18,8982.4+5%

88Caswell County, NCNC22,5632.4+12%

89Lenoir County, NCNC55,8372.4+6%

90Person County, NCNC40,6362.3+2%

91Sampson County, NCNC61,5042.3+9%

92Richmond County, NCNC42,0412.3+20%

93Bertie County, NCNC17,0862.2+5%

94Edgecombe County, NCNC49,1212.2+7%

95Martin County, NCNC21,6012.2+1%

96Northampton County, NCNC16,4912.1+9%

97Robeson County, NCNC119,9412.1+14%

98Hertford County, NCNC19,0152.1+4%

99Duplin County, NCNC51,5712.1−3%

100Greene County, NCNC20,7002.0+1%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

Download CSV (full list, 100 rows)How this score is calculated

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES