Average Rent in North Carolina

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Current Versus Historical North Carolina Rents

North Carolina rentals average $1,950 for a studio rental to $2,400 for a 4-bedroom rental. The median price of all currently available listings is $1,975, or roughly $1 per square feet.

For the apartment units and housing in March 2025, median rents have risen substantially over the last year. Studio rentals prices have increased by $133 (8.01%) year-over-year from $1,661 to $1,794. 1-bedroom rentals prices have increased by $277 (19.66%) year-over-year from $1,407 to $1,684. 2-bedroom rentals prices have increased by $238 (16.36%) year-over-year from $1,457 to $1,695. 3-bedroom rentals prices have increased by $137 (7.54%) year-over-year from $1,813 to $1,950. 4-bedroom rentals prices have increased by $30 (1.27%) year-over-year from $2,365 to $2,395. Note that this figure includes all active and rented listings throughout the month.

Month-to-month, seasonality might have a bigger impact than overall trend price changes. Studio rents have gone up by 8.14% this month. 1-bedroom rents have gone down by 1.75% this month. 2-bedroom rents have gone down by 2.64% this month. 3-bedroom rents have gone up by 1.92% this month. 4-bedroom rents have gone up by 0.64% this month.

Beds	Price / Sqft	Mar 2025 Rent	1 Yr Ago Rent (% +/-)	3 Yr Ago Rent (% +/-)
Studio	$2.65	$1,794	$1,661 (8.01%)	$1,911 (-6.11%)
1 BR	$2.03	$1,684	$1,407 (19.66%)	$1,681 (0.18%)
2 BR	$1.52	$1,695	$1,457 (16.36%)	$1,536 (10.35%)
3 BR	$1.23	$1,950	$1,813 (7.54%)	$1,737 (12.28%)
4+ BR	$1.07	$2,395	$2,365 (1.27%)	$2,268 (5.60%)

Historical Rents in North Carolina

Studio

1 Bed

2 Bed

3 Bed

4 Bed

Top Cities Near North Carolina

There are a total of 19 cities nearby North Carolina. The average rent in North Carolina is currently $2,351 per month. A total of 4 cities nearby have an average rent lower than that. Our records show that Fayetteville, NC, with an average rent of $1,400, is the most affordable city nearby. In contrast, the most expensive city near North Carolina is Bethesda, MD. Monthly rents here are on average $3,600 per month.

Let's compare North Carolina's rent against other top cities nearby by bedroom size. Typically, rent for studios in North Carolina is 53.85% more expensive than other cities nearby. One bedrooms are about 17.53% more affordable. Two bedrooms in North Carolina are about 21.88% more affordable. Finally, rent for three bedrooms are about 27.82% more affordable. Want more information? Check out the top 10 cities out of 19 total cities near North Carolina in the following chart.

City	Studio	1 Bed	2 Bed	All
Fayetteville, NC	N/A	$850	$1,095	$1,400
Raleigh, NC	$1,469	$1,198	$1,745	$1,895
Charlotte, NC	$2,500	$1,525	$1,800	$2,000
Durham, NC	N/A	$1,579	$1,800	$2,045
Cary, NC	N/A	$1,561	$1,950	$2,150
Alexandria, VA	$2,225	$2,310	$2,827	$2,650
Washington, DC	$1,900	$2,400	$3,200	$2,715
Arlington, VA	$1,851	$2,594	$3,529	$2,750
North Bethesda, MD	$2,166	$2,559	$4,702	$3,500
Bethesda, MD	$2,273	$2,688	$3,951	$3,600

Top Neighborhoods Near North Carolina

There are a total of 9 neighborhoods in or near North Carolina. Some of these neighborhoods include Terry Sanford, Westover, and Seventy-First. We've included all of these top 9 neighborhoods in or near North Carolina in the following chart.

The average rent for these 9 neighborhoods in or near North Carolina is currently around $2,495 per month. A total of 3 neighborhoods have a lower average rent. Meaning, only six neighborhoods have a higher average rent than $2,495. Interestingly, the neighborhoods' average rent is higher than North Carolina's average rent, which is only $1,975. Out of all the neighborhoods in or near North Carolina, Terry Sanford has the most affordable average rent at $1,150 per month. Whereas, at $3,850 average rent per month, North Buckhead is the most expensive neighborhood in or near North Carolina. View the following chart for more information.

Neighborhood	Studio	1 Bed	2 Bed	All
Terry Sanford, Fayetteville, NC	N/A	$895	$1,043	$1,150
Westover, Fayetteville, NC	N/A	$800	$1,195	$1,288
Seventy-First, Fayetteville, NC	N/A	$838	$1,100	$1,550
Midtown, Atlanta, GA	$1,465	$1,863	$2,725	$2,300
Dupont Circle, Washington, DC	$1,886	$2,490	$4,200	$2,495
Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta, GA	N/A	$2,000	$2,735	$2,844
Columbia Heights, Washington, DC	N/A	$2,000	$3,000	$2,848
Cathedral - Wesley Heights - McLean Gardens, Washington, DC	$2,000	$2,892	$4,631	$3,380
North Buckhead, Atlanta, GA	N/A	$1,850	$3,680	$3,850

Top Counties Near North Carolina

There are a total of 9 counties located by North Carolina. Some of these counties include Cumberland, NC, Johnston, NC, and Harnett, NC. The average rent for rentals in these counties is $2,164. That's roughly around $1 per sqft. A total of 7 counties have a lower average rent. The county that is the most affordable is Cumberland, NC. It's average rent per month is $1,400. Vice versa, with an average rent of $3,300, Loudoun, VA is the most expensive county by North Carolina.

In comparison, rent for one bedroom listings in North Carolina is 11.84% more affordable than other counties nearby. Finally, rent for two bedrooms in North Carolina is 12.47% more affordable than other counties nearby. We've listed all of these counties in the chart below.

County	Studio	1 Bed	2 Bed	All
Cumberland, NC	N/A	$848	$1,095	$1,400
Johnston, NC	N/A	$1,245	$1,500	$1,895
Harnett, NC	N/A	$1,375	$1,400	$1,900
Orange, NC	N/A	$1,098	$1,750	$1,968
Cabarrus, NC	N/A	$1,250	$1,300	$2,022
Wake, NC	$1,472	$1,295	$1,725	$2,039
Mecklenburg, NC	$2,500	$1,524	$1,835	$2,045
Durham, NC	N/A	$1,540	$1,800	$2,125
Union, NC	N/A	$1,118	$1,525	$2,150
Albemarle, VA	N/A	$1,718	$1,985	$2,200

Top Zipcodes Near North Carolina

There are a total of 29 zipcodes in or near North Carolina. The average rent for all of these zipcodes is $2,200. A total of 3 zipcodes have a average rent that is lower than that. The zipcode with the most affordable average rent for apartment listings is 28205, Charlotte, NC at $1,795 per month. In comparison, the zipcode with the most expensive average rent of $3,500 per month is 20852, North Bethesda, MD.

Do you need more space than that? Average rent for one bedroom rentals for the zipcodes in or near North Carolina is $1,584 per month. Or in other words, $2 per sqft. Meanwhile, two bedroom apartments will cost you an average of $2,100 per month. Which comes out to $2 per sqft. The following chart includes the top 10 zipcodes in North Carolina. You can view the average rent breakdown for each zipcode by bedroom size.

Zipcode	Studio	1 Bed	2 Bed	All
30318, Atlanta, GA	$1,403	$1,616	$2,359	$2,140
30309, Atlanta, GA	$1,364	$1,850	$2,864	$2,340
30024, Gwinnett County, GA	N/A	$1,581	$2,005	$2,650
22201, Arlington, VA	$1,851	$2,544	$3,704	$2,626
30328, Sandy Springs, GA	$1,565	$1,635	$2,100	$2,100
30080, Smyrna, GA	N/A	$1,448	$1,968	$2,500
30058, DeKalb County, GA	N/A	N/A	$1,630	$2,002
28208, Charlotte, NC	N/A	$1,150	$1,800	$1,948
27519, Cary, NC	N/A	$1,527	$1,995	$2,200
28269, Charlotte, NC	N/A	$1,295	$1,700	$1,995

Frequently Asked Questions - North Carolina Average Rents

What is the average rent price in North Carolina?

The average monthly rental price for North Carolina apartments for rent is approximately $1,975. This calculation takes into consideration rental listings of varying bedroom/bathroom sizes, building types, and locations.

Do North Carolina rent prices drop in winter?

Yes! On average we see a 3.4% drop in rental prices between the peak summer months and the slower winter months. With the added bonus of decreased competition from other renters looking to move, winter is generally considered the best time of the year to find an apartment for rent in North Carolina.

How much is a studio apartment in North Carolina?

The average monthly rental price for studio apartments is $1,950 and an average price per square feet of $2.65. There are a total of 19 studio apartment listings currently available for rent in North Carolina.

How much is a one bedroom apartment in North Carolina?

The average monthly rental price for one bedroom apartments is $1,375 and an average price per square feet of $2.03. There are a total of 306 one bedroom apartment listings currently available for rent in North Carolina.

How much is a two bedroom apartment in North Carolina?

The average monthly rental price for two bedroom apartments is $1,600 and an average price per square feet of $1.52. There are a total of 831 two bedroom apartment listings currently available for rent in North Carolina.

How have rent prices in North Carolina changed this year?

Rent prices for rentals in North Carolina can fluctuate yearly. Specifically, studio rental prices have changed by 0.08%, one bedroom rental prices have changed by 0.20%, two bedroom rental prices have changed by 0.16%, and three bedroom rental prices have changed by 0.08% year-over-year.

What is a reasonable rent price in North Carolina?

A reasonable rent price in North Carolina is around $1,580/month. You can search for these reasonably priced rental listings on RentHop.