Rents are 7% below what Davidson's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,107 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Davidson is 0.8% below its high of $2,124 in December 2024, at $2,107 as of September 2026.
Rent in Davidson changed +0.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 North Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.9%.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($166,556) is $4,164 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($3,250).
Cornelius, 6 miles away, rents for 15% less ($1,796/mo), about $3,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Davidson. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Davidson, NC is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 75.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Davidson, NC has changed in 5 years
Rent in Davidson, NC has increased 20.7% since 2022, going from about $1,745 per month to roughly $2,107 today. Median household income grew from $141,845 to $166,556 between 2021 and 2024, a 17.4% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 3.3 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 14,644 to 15,660 between 2021 and 2024, a 6.9% change. Taken together, the five-year picture in Davidson, NC reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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At $2,107/mo, how Davidson rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Davidson rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Davidson. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Davidson
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Davidson is $2,107/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,800/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,070/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,870/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,570/mo.
At 15% of local median household income ($166,556/yr), Davidson ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Davidson?
Is rent going up or down in Davidson?
How does Davidson rent compare to other cities in North Carolina?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Davidson?
At $2,107/mo, rent takes ~15% of Davidson's median household income ($166,556/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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