North Carolina Average Home Price by City (2026)
The average home price in North Carolina (NC) is about $287,000 — the 2026 median, at ~$203/sq ft — 1% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
Shaded by price · click a city to explore. Colour = median home value.
Considering a move to North Carolina?
Housing in North Carolina is 1% more affordable than the national average, with a typical home around $287,000 and a local rate near $203 per square foot. Among the 18 North Carolina cities we track, Chapel Hill is the most expensive (median $630,000) and Williamston is the most affordable (median $116,000) — so where you land in the state matters as much as the state itself.
Browse North Carolina cities
North Carolina home prices by county
38 North Carolina counties with enough data for their own page, priciest first:
See the cheapest (and most expensive) places to live in North Carolina.
Don’t see your city? Use the free Home Value Estimator for any U.S. ZIP, see the most expensive ZIP codes in America, or browse the full U.S. directory.
Home value appreciation in North Carolina
Home prices in North Carolina have risen about 107% over the last 10 years (≈7.5% a year) and +117.3% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +2.5% — still rising. A home worth $287,000 today was worth roughly $138,916 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — nationally the median state is +85.6% over 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for North Carolina
Run the numbers for North Carolina with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in North Carolina
To buy the typical $287,000 home in North Carolina with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $78,000 a year (about $1,820 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $93,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $14,400 | $2,260/mo | $97,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $28,700 | $2,160/mo | $93,000/yr |
| 20% | $57,400 | $1,820/mo | $78,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in North Carolina
At about $203 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in North Carolina:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 740 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $200k | 990 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 1230 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $300k | 1480 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $400k | 1970 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to North Carolina so you can compare your current home against every North Carolina city we track.