Cleveland County, NC Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Cleveland County, North Carolina is about $189,000 (the 2026 median across 10 ZIP codes, at ~$166/sq ft) — 34% more affordable than the North Carolina median and 35% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
How Cleveland County compares
Cleveland County is relatively affordable for housing nationally: its typical home costs $189,000 against $287,000 for North Carolina and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $145,000 to $247,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County | $189,000 | $166 |
| North Carolina | $287,000 | $203 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cleveland County home prices by ZIP code
The 10 most valuable ZIP codes in Cleveland County (of 10 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28086 Kings Mountain | $247,000 | $193 | +31% |
| 28017 Boiling Springs | $230,000 | $319 | +22% |
| 28152 Shelby | $221,000 | $172 | +17% |
| 28042 | $204,000 | $107 | +8% |
| 28150 Shelby | $202,000 | $169 | +7% |
| 28073 Grover | $176,000 | $153 | -7% |
| 28090 Belwood | $168,000 | $162 | -11% |
| 28114 Mooresboro | $155,000 | $144 | -18% |
| 28020 Casar | $145,000 | $223 | -23% |
| 28136 Polkville | $145,000 | $76 | -23% |
Home value appreciation in Cleveland County
Home prices in Cleveland County have risen about 113% over the last 10 years (≈7.9% a year) and +113.1% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +2.7% — still rising. A home worth $189,000 today was worth roughly $88,608 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 Cleveland County
Run the numbers for Cleveland County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Cleveland County
To buy the typical $189,000 home in Cleveland County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $51,000 a year (about $1,200 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $61,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $9,500 | $1,490/mo | $64,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $18,900 | $1,430/mo | $61,000/yr |
| 20% | $37,800 | $1,200/mo | $51,000/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 Cleveland County
At about $166 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Cleveland County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 900 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $200k | 1200 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $250k | 1510 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $300k | 1810 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $400k | 2410 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 Cleveland County
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Cleveland 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.