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Most Affordable Counties in North Carolina

Ranked by the share of North Carolina occupations whose take-home pay covers a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline.

Most affordable counties in North Carolina
#CountyJobs covering basicsJobs listed1-bedroom rentMedian household incomeRent / income
1Anson County, NC100%48$895/mo$47,30222.7%
2Rowan County, NC100%48$1,012/mo$65,72518.5%
3Lincoln County, NC100%48$1,045/mo$80,01615.7%
4Camden County, NC100%22$1,220/mo$91,07816.1%
5Iredell County, NC100%48$1,313/mo$81,41919.4%
6Mecklenburg County, NC92%48$1,640/mo$87,00522.6%
7Union County, NC92%48$1,640/mo$102,90019.1%
8Cabarrus County, NC92%48$1,640/mo$89,00522.1%
9Gaston County, NC92%48$1,640/mo$67,47829.2%
10Currituck County, NC91%22$1,488/mo$93,51119.1%
11Gates County, NC91%22$1,489/mo$66,33326.9%
12Wake County, NC87%23$1,552/mo$105,76817.6%
13Johnston County, NC87%23$1,552/mo$83,38422.3%
14Franklin County, NC87%23$1,552/mo$74,24025.1%

Most affordable counties in North Carolina

We ranked 14 North Carolina counties that have at least 20 occupations published on this site. The ranking measures how many of those occupations pay enough, at the local median wage, to cover a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes. Anson County, NC leads: 100% of its 48 occupations clear that bar, with a HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $895 a month.

Ties are broken by the lower one-bedroom rent, then by population. Where the Census Bureau publishes it, the table also shows median household income (American Community Survey 2020-2024) and what a year of one-bedroom rent equals as a share of it. Open a county to see every occupation and its take-home pay.