Counties in North Carolina by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly)

Currituck County had the highest fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly) of 100 counties in 2026, at $2,376. Surry County had the lowest, at $1,109. The median was $1,372. Source: the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest2,376Currituck County
Lowest1,109Surry County
Median1,372100 counties

Map of counties, 2026

Alamance County: 1,670 USDAlexander County: 1,372 USDAlleghany County: 1,173 USDAnson County: 1,364 USDAshe County: 1,220 USDAvery County: 1,205 USDBeaufort County: 1,220 USDBertie County: 1,252 USDBladen County: 1,258 USDBrunswick County: 1,983 USDBuncombe County: 2,231 USDBurke County: 1,372 USDCabarrus County: 2,076 USDCaldwell County: 1,372 USDCamden County: 1,790 USDCarteret County: 1,541 USDCaswell County: 1,270 USDCatawba County: 1,372 USDChatham County: 2,117 USDCherokee County: 1,290 USDChowan County: 1,463 USDClay County: 1,429 USDCleveland County: 1,286 USDColumbus County: 1,109 USDCraven County: 1,591 USDCumberland County: 1,667 USDCurrituck County: 2,376 USDDare County: 1,821 USDDavidson County: 1,316 USDDavie County: 1,607 USDDuplin County: 1,175 USDDurham County: 2,117 USDEdgecombe County: 1,550 USDForsyth County: 1,607 USDFranklin County: 2,196 USDGaston County: 2,076 USDGates County: 2,364 USDGraham County: 1,199 USDGranville County: 1,571 USDGreene County: 1,189 USDGuilford County: 1,703 USDHalifax County: 1,190 USDHarnett County: 1,363 USDHaywood County: 1,475 USDHenderson County: 2,231 USDHertford County: 1,210 USDHoke County: 1,388 USDHyde County: 1,204 USDIredell County: 1,809 USDJackson County: 1,272 USDJohnston County: 2,196 USDJones County: 1,179 USDLee County: 1,362 USDLenoir County: 1,241 USDLincoln County: 1,461 USDMcDowell County: 1,180 USDMacon County: 1,183 USDMadison County: 2,231 USDMartin County: 1,220 USDMecklenburg County: 2,076 USDMitchell County: 1,134 USDMontgomery County: 1,252 USDMoore County: 1,889 USDNash County: 1,550 USDNew Hanover County: 2,178 USDNorthampton County: 1,165 USDOnslow County: 1,631 USDOrange County: 2,117 USDPamlico County: 1,291 USDPasquotank County: 1,640 USDPender County: 1,622 USDPerquimans County: 1,382 USDPerson County: 1,318 USDPitt County: 1,465 USDPolk County: 1,351 USDRandolph County: 1,703 USDRichmond County: 1,286 USDRobeson County: 1,187 USDRockingham County: 1,286 USDRowan County: 1,573 USDRutherford County: 1,275 USDSampson County: 1,109 USDScotland County: 1,244 USDStanly County: 1,281 USDStokes County: 1,607 USDSurry County: 1,109 USDSwain County: 1,264 USDTransylvania County: 1,634 USDTyrrell County: 1,286 USDUnion County: 2,076 USDVance County: 1,197 USDWake County: 2,196 USDWarren County: 1,172 USDWashington County: 1,197 USDWatauga County: 1,504 USDWayne County: 1,496 USDWilkes County: 1,233 USDWilson County: 1,307 USDYadkin County: 1,607 USDYancey County: 1,233 USD
  • Under 1,200
  • 1,200 to 1,300
  • 1,300 to 1,400
  • 1,400 to 1,600
  • 1,600 to 1,900
  • 1,900 and over
USD, 2026. Source: HUD, HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2026

Currituck County: 2,376 USDCurrituck County2,376Gates County: 2,364 USDGates County2,364Buncombe County: 2,231 USDBuncombe County2,231Henderson County: 2,231 USDHenderson County2,231Madison County: 2,231 USDMadison County2,231Franklin County: 2,196 USDFranklin County2,196Johnston County: 2,196 USDJohnston County2,196Wake County: 2,196 USDWake County2,196New Hanover County: 2,178 USDNew Hanover County2,178Chatham County: 2,117 USDChatham County2,117Durham County: 2,117 USDDurham County2,117Orange County: 2,117 USDOrange County2,117Cabarrus County: 2,076 USDCabarrus County2,076Gaston County: 2,076 USDGaston County2,076Mecklenburg County: 2,076 USDMecklenburg County2,076Union County: 2,076 USDUnion County2,076Brunswick County: 1,983 USDBrunswick County1,983Moore County: 1,889 USDMoore County1,889Dare County: 1,821 USDDare County1,821Iredell County: 1,809 USDIredell County1,809Camden County: 1,790 USDCamden County1,790Guilford County: 1,703 USDGuilford County1,703Randolph County: 1,703 USDRandolph County1,703Alamance County: 1,670 USDAlamance County1,670Cumberland County: 1,667 USDCumberland County1,667Pasquotank County: 1,640 USDPasquotank County1,640Transylvania County: 1,634 USDTransylvania County1,634Onslow County: 1,631 USDOnslow County1,631Pender County: 1,622 USDPender County1,622Davie County: 1,607 USDDavie County1,607Forsyth County: 1,607 USDForsyth County1,607Stokes County: 1,607 USDStokes County1,607Yadkin County: 1,607 USDYadkin County1,607Craven County: 1,591 USDCraven County1,591Rowan County: 1,573 USDRowan County1,573Granville County: 1,571 USDGranville County1,571Edgecombe County: 1,550 USDEdgecombe County1,550Nash County: 1,550 USDNash County1,550Carteret County: 1,541 USDCarteret County1,541Watauga County: 1,504 USDWatauga County1,504Currituck County: 2,376 USDCurrituck County2,376Gates County: 2,364 USDGates County2,364Buncombe County: 2,231 USDBuncombe County2,231Henderson County: 2,231 USDHenderson County2,231Madison County: 2,231 USDMadison County2,231Franklin County: 2,196 USDFranklin County2,196Johnston County: 2,196 USDJohnston County2,196Wake County: 2,196 USDWake County2,196New Hanover County: 2,178 USDNew Hanover County2,178Chatham County: 2,117 USDChatham County2,117Durham County: 2,117 USDDurham County2,117Orange County: 2,117 USDOrange County2,117Cabarrus County: 2,076 USDCabarrus County2,076Gaston County: 2,076 USDGaston County2,076Mecklenburg County: 2,076 USDMecklenburg County2,076Union County: 2,076 USDUnion County2,076Brunswick County: 1,983 USDBrunswick County1,983Moore County: 1,889 USDMoore County1,889Dare County: 1,821 USDDare County1,821Iredell County: 1,809 USDIredell County1,809Camden County: 1,790 USDCamden County1,790Guilford County: 1,703 USDGuilford County1,703Randolph County: 1,703 USDRandolph County1,703Alamance County: 1,670 USDAlamance County1,670Cumberland County: 1,667 USDCumberland County1,667Pasquotank County: 1,640 USDPasquotank County1,640Transylvania County: 1,634 USDTransylvania County1,634Onslow County: 1,631 USDOnslow County1,631Pender County: 1,622 USDPender County1,622Davie County: 1,607 USDDavie County1,607Forsyth County: 1,607 USDForsyth County1,607Stokes County: 1,607 USDStokes County1,607Yadkin County: 1,607 USDYadkin County1,607Craven County: 1,591 USDCraven County1,591Rowan County: 1,573 USDRowan County1,573Granville County: 1,571 USDGranville County1,571Edgecombe County: 1,550 USDEdgecombe County1,550Nash County: 1,550 USDNash County1,550Carteret County: 1,541 USDCarteret County1,541Watauga County: 1,504 USDWatauga County1,504
USD. Source: HUD, HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2026
USD
Change on 2025
1Currituck County2,376+0.6%
2Gates County2,364+43%
3Buncombe County2,231+14.8%
3Henderson County2,231+14.8%
3Madison County2,231+14.8%
6Franklin County2,196+0.2%
6Johnston County2,196+0.2%
6Wake County2,196+0.2%
9New Hanover County2,178+4.4%
10Chatham County2,117-9.3%
10Durham County2,117-9.3%
10Orange County2,117-9.3%
13Cabarrus County2,076-7.7%
13Gaston County2,076-7.7%
13Mecklenburg County2,076-7.7%
13Union County2,076-7.7%
17Brunswick County1,983+10.4%
18Moore County1,889+18.8%
19Dare County1,821-2.8%
20Iredell County1,809-5.2%
21Camden County1,790+13.1%
22Guilford County1,703+16.4%
22Randolph County1,703+16.4%
24Alamance County1,670+9%
25Cumberland County1,667-0.7%
26Pasquotank County1,640+2.6%
27Transylvania County1,634+17.9%
28Onslow County1,631+0.9%
29Pender County1,622+7.3%
30Davie County1,607+5.3%
30Forsyth County1,607+5.3%
30Stokes County1,607+5.3%
30Yadkin County1,607+5.3%
34Craven County1,591-10%
35Rowan County1,573-7%
36Granville County1,571-10%
37Edgecombe County1,550+5.9%
37Nash County1,550+5.9%
39Carteret County1,541-2.7%
40Watauga County1,504-3.3%
41Wayne County1,496+2.7%
42Haywood County1,475+0.1%
43Pitt County1,465-1.3%
44Chowan County1,463+7.6%
45Lincoln County1,461-10%
46Clay County1,429+5.3%
47Hoke County1,388+0.4%
48Perquimans County1,382-0.8%
49Alexander County1,372+2.8%
49Burke County1,372+2.8%
49Caldwell County1,372+2.8%
49Catawba County1,372+2.8%
53Anson County1,364-6.9%
54Harnett County1,363-6.8%
55Lee County1,362-3.5%
56Polk County1,351+1.2%
57Person County1,318-8.8%
58Davidson County1,316+5.8%
59Wilson County1,307+0.2%
60Pamlico County1,291-9.8%
61Cherokee County1,290-2%
62Cleveland County1,286-1.3%
62Richmond County1,286-1.3%
62Rockingham County1,286-2.3%
62Tyrrell County1,286-1.3%
66Stanly County1,281-4.5%
67Rutherford County1,275+1.6%
68Jackson County1,272+0.2%
69Caswell County1,2700%
70Swain County1,264-3%
71Bladen County1,258+1.1%
72Bertie County1,252-1.2%
72Montgomery County1,252+2.4%
74Scotland County1,244+1.3%
75Lenoir County1,241-4.5%
76Wilkes County1,233-0.9%
76Yancey County1,233+0.4%
78Ashe County1,220-0.7%
78Beaufort County1,220-2%
78Martin County1,220+0.7%
81Hertford County1,210-1.9%
82Avery County1,205-5.1%
83Hyde County1,204-1.7%
84Graham County1,199-4%
85Vance County1,197-4.2%
85Washington County1,197+2.5%
87Halifax County1,190+4.3%
88Greene County1,189-4.3%
89Robeson County1,187+0.4%
90Macon County1,183-3.9%
91McDowell County1,180+0.7%
92Jones County1,179-9.5%
93Duplin County1,175-0.1%
94Alleghany County1,173+2.8%
95Warren County1,172+4%
96Northampton County1,165-5.7%
97Mitchell County1,134-2.3%
98Columbus County1,109-1.9%
98Sampson County1,109-1.9%
98Surry County1,109-1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Monthly gross rent, in US dollars, that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets for a three-bedroom unit in the HUD area that contains the county.

More on how it is measured
  • Gross rent is the rent plus all utilities paid by the tenant except telephone, cable or satellite television and internet.
  • HUD sets Fair Market Rents at the 40th percentile of gross rents paid by recent movers for standard-quality rental units, from American Community Survey data brought forward to the fiscal year; until 2018 a few metropolitan areas were set at the 50th percentile.
  • They set payment standards for Housing Choice Vouchers and rent ceilings in other HUD programs.

A policy benchmark, not a measured rent: it is lower than the median rent by design and differs from the Census Bureau median gross rent. HUD sets one value per HUD area, a metropolitan area (sometimes split into HUD Metro FMR Areas) or a non-metropolitan county, so every county of a metropolitan area shows the same figure. Counties in the six New England states have no value, because HUD defines their areas by town and a county can span several areas. Where HUD splits off part of a county, the county value is the rest of the county: Howard County, Maryland, without Columbia until FY2015, and Crawford County, Missouri, without its part of Sullivan. The year is HUD's federal fiscal year: FY2027 runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD USER. HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2026/FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research. (2026). HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars (Counties in North Carolina by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2026) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2026/FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx

MLA 9

HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars, Counties in North Carolina by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2026. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research, 21 Apr. 2026, https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2026/FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/north-carolina-counties?period=2026. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research. 2026. HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. Counties in North Carolina by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2026. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2026/FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/north-carolina-counties?period=2026.

Harvard

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research (2026) HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars, Counties in North Carolina by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2026 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2026/FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/north-carolina-counties?period=2026 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{department_counties_in_north_carolina_2026,
  author = {{U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research}},
  title = {{HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars: Counties in North Carolina by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2026}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2026/FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/north-carolina-counties?period=2026. Publisher attribution: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD USER. HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2026/FY26\_FMRs\_revised.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research
TI  - HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars: Counties in North Carolina by fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly), 2026
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/04/21
PB  - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2026/FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/north-carolina-counties?period=2026
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/fair-market-rent-three-bedroom/north-carolina-counties?period=2026.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD USER. HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2026/FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly)?

Currituck County, with $2,376 in 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research.

Which county has the lowest fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly)?

Surry County, with $1,109 in 2026.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research, HUD Fair Market Rents by county: three bedrooms, monthly gross rent in dollars. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Fair Market Rent, three bedrooms (HUD, monthly): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings