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Davidson County, NC

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Davidson County, NC is $960 per month, ranking #642 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $62,426, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 18.5% of income on housing. Rent in Davidson County has increased 0.6% year over year. The area has a population of 171K, with 26.5% of households renting.

18.5%
Affordable
of income → rent
$960
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$62,426
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$863
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+0.6%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
171K
Population
Census ACS
26.5%
Renters
of occupied housing
$200,100
Median Home Value
3.4%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
9.4%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
13.8%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$816
Studio
$876
1 Bedroom
$960
2 Bedroom
$1,316
3 Bedroom
$1,591
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Davidson County, NC, a household earning the area median income of $62,426 would spend 18.5% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$38,400
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$18
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$863
$97 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+36.2% since 2021
$7052021$7242022$8372023$9542024$9332025$9602026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 101.9 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Davidson County is 13.8%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
101.9 hrs
Poverty Rate
13.8%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Davidson County is $200,100. At a median income of $62,426, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.2x. 9.4% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average. The local unemployment rate is 3.4%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,401 est. mortgage
vs $960 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
9.4%
of housing units
Unemployment
3.4%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in North Carolina

Raleigh-Cary
$1,750/mo
2BR FMR · 21.9% burden
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News
$1,713/mo
2BR FMR · 25.5% burden
Durham-Chapel Hill
$1,711/mo
2BR FMR · 25.3% burden
Gates County
$1,709/mo
2BR FMR · 33.3% burden
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
$1,686/mo
2BR FMR · 25.2% burden

Compare Davidson County

vs Raleigh-Cary, NCvs Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, NCvs Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Areas With Similar Rent to Davidson County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Davidson County, NC is $960 per month. A studio is $816/mo, a 1-bedroom is $876/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,316/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $863/mo.

Davidson County has a rent burden of 18.5%, meaning a household earning the median income of $62,426 would spend 18.5% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $38,400.

Davidson County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $960/mo is $290 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Davidson County ranks #642 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Davidson County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $38,400, or a full-time hourly wage of $18/hour. The area median income is $62,426.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Davidson County increased by 0.6% compared to the prior year. This is a modest increase, roughly in line with typical housing cost trends.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.