Catawba County, NC Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Catawba County, North Carolina is about $304,000 (the 2026 median across 9 ZIP codes, at ~$195/sq ft) — 6% more expensive than the North Carolina median and 5% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Catawba County compares
Catawba County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $304,000 against $287,000 for North Carolina and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $250,000 to $521,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Catawba County | $304,000 | $195 |
| North Carolina | $287,000 | $203 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Catawba County home prices by ZIP code
The 9 most valuable ZIP codes in Catawba County (of 9 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28682 Terrell | $521,000 | $338 | +71% |
| 28673 Sherrills Ford | $499,000 | $218 | +64% |
| 28609 Catawba | $316,000 | $235 | +4% |
| 28650 Maiden | $314,000 | $211 | +3% |
| 28601 Hickory | $304,000 | $186 | +0% |
| 28613 Conover | $275,000 | $195 | -10% |
| 28610 Claremont | $258,000 | $180 | -15% |
| 28658 Newton | $256,000 | $180 | -16% |
| 28602 Hickory | $250,000 | $192 | -18% |
Home value appreciation in Catawba County
Home prices in Catawba County have risen about 111% over the last 10 years (≈7.8% a year) and +112.0% 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 $304,000 today was worth roughly $144,008 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, North Carolina is +106.6% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Catawba County
Run the numbers for Catawba County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Catawba County
To buy the typical $304,000 home in Catawba County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $83,000 a year (about $1,930 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $98,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $15,200 | $2,400/mo | $103,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $30,400 | $2,290/mo | $98,000/yr |
| 20% | $60,800 | $1,930/mo | $83,000/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 Catawba County
At about $195 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Catawba County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 770 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $200k | 1030 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 1280 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $300k | 1540 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $400k | 2050 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.
Estimate a specific home in Catawba County
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Catawba County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all North Carolina cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.