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North Carolina Housing Affordability Index | MonitorBankRates (MBR-HAI)

North Carolina Housing Affordability Index

North Carolina’s MBR Housing Affordability Index score is 104.2 (Near National Average) as of October 14, 2026, ranking 21st most affordable of 51 states, compared with a national score of 97.1. On a median-priced $288,900 home in North Carolina with 20% down, the current 7.41% 30-year fixed rate means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $1,601, or 27% of the state’s $72,388 median household income.

Daily MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) score for North Carolina compared to the national average. Updated every night using live mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income and home value data. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

Current Score
North Carolina
104.2
Near National Average
MBR-HAI • October 14, 2026
▲ +0.1 vs. prior day
National Average
97.1
Near National Average
MBR-HAI • October 14, 2026
0 vs. prior day
National Rank #21 of 51 states
vs. National Average +7.1 points
30-yr Rate Used 7.407%
Median Home Value $288,900
Median Household Income $72,388

Housing Affordability Across U.S. States

MBR-HAI score for every state as of October 14, 2026, with North Carolina outlined. Green states are more affordable than the national baseline of 100; red states are less affordable. Hover for the rank; click through to any state.

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia District of Columbia
Highly Affordable (120+) More Affordable (110-119) Near Average (90-109) Moderately Less (70-89) Significantly Less (50-69) Least Affordable (under 50)

National baseline = 100 (computed at the 6.5% reference rate). Scores update every morning. Hover any state for its rank; click to open that state's page.

Free to reuse with the citation shown on the image.

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Citation required: include Source: MBR Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com wherever the score appears (already in the snippet).

North Carolina Affordability Ranking

#21 of 51 states · October 14, 2026 More affordable than average
Most Affordable Least Affordable
More affordable than: 30 of 51 states (59%)
Less affordable than: 20 of 51 states (39%)
MBR-HAI Score: 104.2 vs. national 97.1 (+7.1 points)
Nearby States
↑ 18 more affordable states above
#19 NE 106.2
#20 GA 105.5
#21 North Carolina ◀ 104.2
#22 WI 103.6
#23 TN 103.4
↓ 28 less affordable states below
Top 5 Most Affordable
#1 WV 144.5
#2 AR 134.9
#3 AL 133.6
#4 MS 130.8
#5 IA 125.0
Bottom 5 Least Affordable
#47 OR 77.8
#48 DC 77.3
#49 MA 76.1
#50 HI 69.1
#51 CA 67.3

View full 51-state rankings →

North Carolina MBR-HAI · 90-Day Trend

North Carolina
National Average

Dashed line = national average. Amber dashed line = 100 baseline. Score updates each morning after the nightly rate aggregation run.

Key Affordability Factors · North Carolina

$288,900
Median Home Value
U.S. median: varies by state
$72,388
Median Household Income
U.S. median: $80,734
4.0x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Home value ÷ income
$1,135/mo
Median Owner Costs
18.8% of income annually
$1,944/yr
Median Property Tax
0.67% effective rate
65.4%
Homeownership Rate
U.S. average: 65.7%
24.4%
Owner Cost Burden
% spending 30%+ of income on housing
7.407%
30-yr Mortgage Rate
State average • October 14, 2026

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and Current Population Survey. Mortgage rate from MBR live rate database.

How North Carolina Ranks Among All States

#21
of 51 states
Least Affordable Most Affordable
North Carolina is more affordable than 60% of U.S. states, Near National Average
104.2
MBR-HAI Score
Rank State MBR-HAI Score Affordability
▲ See top 17 states →
18 Pennsylvania 108.0 Near National Average
19 Nebraska 106.2 Near National Average
20 Georgia 105.5 Near National Average
21 North Carolina You are here 104.2 Near National Average
22 Wisconsin 103.6 Near National Average
23 Tennessee 103.4 Near National Average
24 Delaware 103.2 Near National Average
▼ See all 51 state rankings →

Showing states ranked near North Carolina · October 14, 2026 • View complete national rankings →

Download North Carolina HAI Data

North Carolina History (CSV)
Daily score vs. national • all dates
date,state,hai_score,national_score,rate_used
2026-10-13,NC,104.2,97.1,7.407
Download NC History (CSV)
All 51 States (CSV)
Compare North Carolina to every state

Daily scores for all 51 states, filter by state or date in Excel or Google Sheets.

All States (CSV)
Cite the North Carolina MBR-HAI
Editorial / press citation
“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 14, 2026. North Carolina score: 104.2 (Near National Average), ranked #21 of 51 states. Methodology: monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index-methodology”
APA 7th edition (academic)
Monitor Bank Rates LLC. (2026, October 14). MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index: North Carolina [Data set]. https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/north-carolina/

Press & Citation Resources · North Carolina

Ready-to-publish sentences using today's North Carolina data, an email template you can send to clients, and direct contact for press inquiries or custom data requests.

Ready-to-Publish Sentences

Each sentence updates daily with the live North Carolina score. Free for editorial use with attribution to MonitorBankRates.

News Lead · AP-style, factual

In North Carolina, the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index stood at 104.2 on October 14, 2026, ranking #21 of 51 U.S. states for homeownership affordability and indicating near national average conditions relative to the national baseline. The state-level reading combines North Carolina's 30-year mortgage rate average of 7.407% with U.S. Census Bureau housing values, household income, property taxes, and cost burden data.

Analyst Quote · with voice, attributable

“North Carolina's MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index score of 104.2 places it #21 of 51 nationwide. Above the 100 baseline, that means buyer purchasing power in North Carolina is stronger than the long-run national average computed at a 6.5% mortgage rate. The state's 30-year average is currently 7.407%, and the index outperforms the national average.”

Brian McKay, MonitorBankRates

Social Media · concise, share-friendly

🏠 MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index. North Carolina: 104.2 (Near National Average), rank #21 of 51 states. 30-yr mortgage avg: 7.41%. National baseline = 100. Updated daily · via @MonitorBankRates → https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/north-carolina/

Casual / Blog · conversational

Housing affordability in North Carolina is currently sitting at 104.2 on the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, ranking it #21 of 51 U.S. states. With 100 representing the long-term national baseline at a 6.5% reference rate, North Carolina's 30-year mortgage rate of 7.41% reflects near national average conditions for local buyers. The state outperforms the national average as a whole.

Mortgage Broker Email Template

Pre-written client update for North Carolina homebuyers. Personalize the bracketed fields and send.

SubjectHousing affordability snapshot for North Carolina: what it means for your search
Hi [Client Name], Wanted to share a quick affordability snapshot for North Carolina from the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, a daily-updated composite that tracks how affordable U.S. homeownership is right now. North Carolina's current reading: 104.2 (Near National Average), rank #21 of 51 states National reading: 97.130-year mortgage rate average in North Carolina: 7.407% The index baseline of 100 represents long-run typical conditions at a 6.5% reference rate. North Carolina currently outperforms the national average. For full state context (including the 90-day trend, key affordability factors, and how North Carolina compares to neighboring states) see: https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/north-carolina/ Always happy to discuss what this means for your specific situation. Best, [Your Name]

For Press & Researchers

The North Carolina MBR-HAI is free to cite for editorial, academic, and policy use with attribution. We're happy to provide additional support:

  • Custom data cuts: North Carolina metros, MSAs, or historical slices on request
  • Embargo-friendly releases: give us 24 hours notice for scheduled coverage
  • Background interviews: methodology, market context, or commentary on rate moves
  • Direct contact: contact form or reply to any address listed there

For our published citation history and recent media mentions, see MBR in the Press.