Data / Rankings / Rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)

Hyde County had the highest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) of 100 counties in 2023, at 72.5%. Gates County had the lowest, at 23.6%. The median was 46.8% and the figure for North Carolina was 47.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest72.5Hyde County
Lowest23.6Gates County
Median46.8100 counties
North Carolina47.8History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 45.9 %Alexander County: 33.4 %Alleghany County: 40.1 %Anson County: 42.7 %Ashe County: 42.3 %Avery County: 39.4 %Beaufort County: 49.8 %Bertie County: 44.4 %Bladen County: 49.1 %Brunswick County: 50.5 %Buncombe County: 53.4 %Burke County: 39.8 %Cabarrus County: 50.7 %Caldwell County: 38.4 %Camden County: 36.5 %Carteret County: 55.4 %Caswell County: 46.3 %Catawba County: 38.9 %Chatham County: 49 %Cherokee County: 50 %Chowan County: 42.6 %Clay County: 54.6 %Cleveland County: 49.7 %Columbus County: 49.2 %Craven County: 46.7 %Cumberland County: 50.4 %Currituck County: 45.9 %Dare County: 52 %Davidson County: 42.6 %Davie County: 41.9 %Duplin County: 42.9 %Durham County: 46.9 %Edgecombe County: 48.6 %Forsyth County: 46.6 %Franklin County: 51.9 %Gaston County: 48.5 %Gates County: 23.6 %Graham County: 51.5 %Granville County: 46.9 %Greene County: 43 %Guilford County: 50.4 %Halifax County: 52.2 %Harnett County: 42.2 %Haywood County: 49.6 %Henderson County: 47.7 %Hertford County: 56.2 %Hoke County: 49.8 %Hyde County: 72.5 %Iredell County: 42.2 %Jackson County: 46.2 %Johnston County: 46.6 %Jones County: 49.7 %Lee County: 44.7 %Lenoir County: 43.3 %Lincoln County: 41.6 %McDowell County: 34.1 %Macon County: 49.8 %Madison County: 43.5 %Martin County: 44.6 %Mecklenburg County: 48.4 %Mitchell County: 40.9 %Montgomery County: 31.6 %Moore County: 47.8 %Nash County: 42.2 %New Hanover County: 53.7 %Northampton County: 50.3 %Onslow County: 49.4 %Orange County: 54.7 %Pamlico County: 47 %Pasquotank County: 51.8 %Pender County: 50.8 %Perquimans County: 39.1 %Person County: 55.1 %Pitt County: 47.6 %Polk County: 54.3 %Randolph County: 44 %Richmond County: 54.2 %Robeson County: 49.8 %Rockingham County: 46.2 %Rowan County: 45.7 %Rutherford County: 44.8 %Sampson County: 46.5 %Scotland County: 50.8 %Stanly County: 42.2 %Stokes County: 41.1 %Surry County: 44.3 %Swain County: 38.7 %Transylvania County: 45.6 %Tyrrell County: 64 %Union County: 43.6 %Vance County: 52 %Wake County: 47.3 %Warren County: 52.9 %Washington County: 55.4 %Watauga County: 64.9 %Wayne County: 45.2 %Wilkes County: 43.8 %Wilson County: 46.4 %Yadkin County: 49.8 %Yancey County: 34.1 %
  • Under 42
  • 42 to 44
  • 44 to 47
  • 47 to 50
  • 50 to 52
  • 52 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Hyde County: 72.5 %Hyde County72.5Watauga County: 64.9 %Watauga County64.9Tyrrell County: 64 %Tyrrell County64Hertford County: 56.2 %Hertford County56.2Washington County: 55.4 %Washington County55.4Carteret County: 55.4 %Carteret County55.4Person County: 55.1 %Person County55.1Orange County: 54.7 %Orange County54.7Clay County: 54.6 %Clay County54.6Polk County: 54.3 %Polk County54.3Richmond County: 54.2 %Richmond County54.2New Hanover County: 53.7 %New Hanover County53.7Buncombe County: 53.4 %Buncombe County53.4Warren County: 52.9 %Warren County52.9Halifax County: 52.2 %Halifax County52.2Dare County: 52 %Dare County52Vance County: 52 %Vance County52Franklin County: 51.9 %Franklin County51.9Pasquotank County: 51.8 %Pasquotank County51.8Graham County: 51.5 %Graham County51.5Pender County: 50.8 %Pender County50.8Scotland County: 50.8 %Scotland County50.8Cabarrus County: 50.7 %Cabarrus County50.7Brunswick County: 50.5 %Brunswick County50.5Guilford County: 50.4 %Guilford County50.4Cumberland County: 50.4 %Cumberland County50.4Northampton County: 50.3 %Northampton County50.3Cherokee County: 50 %Cherokee County50Macon County: 49.8 %Macon County49.8Beaufort County: 49.8 %Beaufort County49.8Hoke County: 49.8 %Hoke County49.8Robeson County: 49.8 %Robeson County49.8Yadkin County: 49.8 %Yadkin County49.8Cleveland County: 49.7 %Cleveland County49.7Jones County: 49.7 %Jones County49.7Haywood County: 49.6 %Haywood County49.6Onslow County: 49.4 %Onslow County49.4Columbus County: 49.2 %Columbus County49.2Bladen County: 49.1 %Bladen County49.1Chatham County: 49 %Chatham County49Hyde County: 72.5 %Hyde County72.5Watauga County: 64.9 %Watauga County64.9Tyrrell County: 64 %Tyrrell County64Hertford County: 56.2 %Hertford County56.2Washington County: 55.4 %Washington County55.4Carteret County: 55.4 %Carteret County55.4Person County: 55.1 %Person County55.1Orange County: 54.7 %Orange County54.7Clay County: 54.6 %Clay County54.6Polk County: 54.3 %Polk County54.3Richmond County: 54.2 %Richmond County54.2New Hanover County: 53.7 %New Hanover County53.7Buncombe County: 53.4 %Buncombe County53.4Warren County: 52.9 %Warren County52.9Halifax County: 52.2 %Halifax County52.2Dare County: 52 %Dare County52Vance County: 52 %Vance County52Franklin County: 51.9 %Franklin County51.9Pasquotank County: 51.8 %Pasquotank County51.8Graham County: 51.5 %Graham County51.5Pender County: 50.8 %Pender County50.8Scotland County: 50.8 %Scotland County50.8Cabarrus County: 50.7 %Cabarrus County50.7Brunswick County: 50.5 %Brunswick County50.5Guilford County: 50.4 %Guilford County50.4Cumberland County: 50.4 %Cumberland County50.4Northampton County: 50.3 %Northampton County50.3Cherokee County: 50 %Cherokee County50Macon County: 49.8 %Macon County49.8Beaufort County: 49.8 %Beaufort County49.8Hoke County: 49.8 %Hoke County49.8Robeson County: 49.8 %Robeson County49.8Yadkin County: 49.8 %Yadkin County49.8Cleveland County: 49.7 %Cleveland County49.7Jones County: 49.7 %Jones County49.7Haywood County: 49.6 %Haywood County49.6Onslow County: 49.4 %Onslow County49.4Columbus County: 49.2 %Columbus County49.2Bladen County: 49.1 %Bladen County49.1Chatham County: 49 %Chatham County49
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Hyde County72.5+0.3 pts
2Watauga County64.9-1.1 pts
3Tyrrell County64+16.3 pts
4Hertford County56.2-1.4 pts
5Washington County55.4-4.2 pts
6Carteret County55.4+1.4 pts
7Person County55.1-2.1 pts
8Orange County54.7+0.6 pts
9Clay County54.6+4 pts
10Polk County54.3+11.8 pts
11Richmond County54.2+3.5 pts
12New Hanover County53.7+0.4 pts
13Buncombe County53.4-0 pts
14Warren County52.9-1 pts
15Halifax County52.2-3.7 pts
16Dare County52-0.1 pts
17Vance County52+0.3 pts
18Franklin County51.9+6.7 pts
19Pasquotank County51.8+2.4 pts
20Graham County51.5+6.3 pts
21Pender County50.8+1.4 pts
22Scotland County50.8+2.5 pts
23Cabarrus County50.7+1.3 pts
24Brunswick County50.5+1.1 pts
25Guilford County50.4+0.5 pts
26Cumberland County50.4-0.9 pts
27Northampton County50.3+1.8 pts
28Cherokee County50-2 pts
29Macon County49.8+2.3 pts
30Beaufort County49.8-1.3 pts
31Hoke County49.8+1.2 pts
32Robeson County49.8+1.7 pts
32Yadkin County49.8-4.2 pts
34Cleveland County49.7-0.6 pts
35Jones County49.7+2.4 pts
36Haywood County49.6-2.6 pts
37Onslow County49.4+0.2 pts
38Columbus County49.2-4.2 pts
39Bladen County49.1+0.6 pts
40Chatham County49+2.2 pts
41Edgecombe County48.6+3.1 pts
42Gaston County48.5+1.1 pts
43Mecklenburg County48.4+1.1 pts
44Moore County47.8+5.4 pts
45Henderson County47.7+3.2 pts
46Pitt County47.6-0.3 pts
47Wake County47.3+0.9 pts
48Pamlico County47-3.3 pts
49Granville County46.9-0.9 pts
50Durham County46.9+0.5 pts
51Craven County46.7+0.3 pts
52Johnston County46.60 pts
53Forsyth County46.6-0.4 pts
54Sampson County46.5+1.4 pts
55Wilson County46.4+0.2 pts
56Caswell County46.3-4.2 pts
57Rockingham County46.2-2.2 pts
58Jackson County46.2-4.2 pts
59Alamance County45.9-0.5 pts
60Currituck County45.9-11.7 pts
61Rowan County45.7+1.7 pts
62Transylvania County45.6-0.9 pts
63Wayne County45.2-2.7 pts
64Rutherford County44.8-2.8 pts
65Lee County44.7+0.6 pts
66Martin County44.6-2.3 pts
67Bertie County44.4-6 pts
68Surry County44.3+0.7 pts
69Randolph County44-0.8 pts
70Wilkes County43.8-4.3 pts
71Union County43.6+2.5 pts
72Madison County43.5-5.4 pts
73Lenoir County43.3-1.4 pts
74Greene County43-6.2 pts
75Duplin County42.9-1.3 pts
76Anson County42.7-2.3 pts
77Davidson County42.6-4.1 pts
78Chowan County42.6+2.3 pts
79Ashe County42.3-0.4 pts
80Harnett County42.2+0.3 pts
81Iredell County42.2-0.4 pts
81Nash County42.2-2.6 pts
83Stanly County42.2-0.3 pts
84Davie County41.9-4.2 pts
85Lincoln County41.6-1.8 pts
86Stokes County41.1-3.3 pts
87Mitchell County40.9-0.8 pts
88Alleghany County40.1-2 pts
89Burke County39.8-0.6 pts
90Avery County39.4-1.7 pts
91Perquimans County39.1-10 pts
92Catawba County38.9+1.2 pts
93Swain County38.7-0.5 pts
94Caldwell County38.4-2.1 pts
95Camden County36.5+1.8 pts
96McDowell County34.1+1.3 pts
97Yancey County34.1-2.6 pts
98Alexander County33.4-5.7 pts
99Montgomery County31.6-0.2 pts
100Gates County23.6-2.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Renter households whose gross rent (contract rent plus utilities and fuels the renter pays) was 30 percent or more of household income in the past 12 months, as a percentage of renter households for which that ratio can be computed. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Renters who pay no cash rent and households with no or negative income are left out of both the count and the base. 30 percent is the usual US threshold for rent burden. The EU housing cost overburden rate (housing_cost_overburden_rate) uses 40 percent of disposable income, all housing costs and people instead of households, so the two cannot be compared.

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. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat. 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. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in North Carolina by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in North Carolina by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/north-carolina-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/north-carolina-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in North Carolina by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)?

Hyde County, with 72.5% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)?

Gates County, with 23.6% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings