North Carolina Average Home Price by City (2026)

The average home price in North Carolina (NC) is about $290,000 — the 2026 median, at ~$202/sq ft — 1% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.

$290,000
North Carolina median value
$202
Median price / sq ft
~1,440
sq ft a median budget buys
-1%
vs U.S. median
Charlotte — $412,000CharlotteRaleigh — $505,000RaleighGreensboro — $238,000Fayetteville — $235,500FayettevilleDurham — $422,000DurhamWinston-Salem — $260,000Wilmington — $398,000Wilmington

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 $290,000 and a local rate near $202 per square foot. Among the 18 North Carolina cities we track, Chapel Hill is the most expensive (median $651,000) and Williamston is the most affordable (median $122,000) — so where you land in the state matters as much as the state itself.

Browse North Carolina cities

Chapel Hill$651,000Cary$636,000Apex$610,000Raleigh$505,000Asheville$450,000Hendersonville$430,000Durham$422,000Charlotte$412,000Wilmington$398,000Salisbury$300,000Gastonia$273,000Winston-Salem$260,000Greensboro$238,000Fayetteville$235,500High Point$213,000Rocky Mount$208,000Wilson$172,000Williamston$122,000

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.

Salary needed to buy a home in North Carolina

To buy the typical $290,000 home in North Carolina with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $79,000 a year (about $1,840 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $94,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.

Down paymentCash downMonthly paymentIncome needed
5% (+PMI)$14,500$2,290/mo$98,000/yr
10% (+PMI)$29,000$2,190/mo$94,000/yr
20%$58,000$1,840/mo$79,000/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 $202 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in North Carolina:

BudgetApprox. sizeWhat that looks like locally
$150k740 sq ftbelow the local median — condos, smaller or older homes
$200k990 sq ftbelow the local median — condos, smaller or older homes
$250k1240 sq ftaround the typical home here
$300k1490 sq ftaround the typical home here
$400k1980 sq ftabove 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.

North Carolina home prices: frequently asked

What salary do you need to buy a house in North Carolina? +
For the typical $290,000 home in North Carolina, a household income of about $79,000 a year covers the payment with 20% down (a 30-year fixed at 6.5%, plus taxes and insurance, under the 28% rule). With 10% down you need roughly $94,000; with 5% down about $98,000.
What is the average home price in North Carolina? +
The average home price in North Carolina is about $290,000 as of 2026, at roughly $202 per square foot — 1% more affordable than the U.S. median of $294,000. That figure is the statewide median across the ZIP codes we track, which is what most price reports mean by the average.
What is the median home price in North Carolina (NC)? +
About $290,000 in 2026. The median is the mid-point home — half of homes cost more, half less — and it is the better yardstick than a true mean, which a handful of luxury sales can drag upward. At $202/sq ft, a median budget in North Carolina buys roughly 1,440 sq ft of home.
Where is North Carolina most and least expensive? +
Among the 18 North Carolina cities tracked here, Chapel Hill is the priciest (median $651,000) and Williamston is the most affordable (median $122,000). ZIP-level prices within one city vary further, so check the city page for your area.