Rents are 7% below what Greensboro'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 $1,395 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
January. Asking rents in Greensboro usually run 0.8% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in July, about $21 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Greensboro is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Greensboro changed +2.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 North Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.9%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Greensboro rose 46.7% while median household income rose 25.6% ($48,964 to $61,515). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Greensboro is 49.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($61,515) is $1,538 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,519); a 4-bedroom is $1,709.
The priciest of 9 ZIP codes in Greensboro, 27455 ($1,564/mo), costs 21% more than the cheapest, 27403 ($1,291/mo).
Asheboro, 25 miles away, rents for 26% less ($1,038/mo), about $4,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Greensboro. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. 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
Greensboro, NC is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 41% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Greensboro, NC has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Greensboro, NC stood at $1,021 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,395, reflecting a 36.6% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $51,667 to $61,515 between 2021 and 2024, a 19.1% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 1.9% since 2021, moving from about 295,483 residents to roughly 301,198. Taken together, the five-year picture in Greensboro, 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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Can you afford rent in Greensboro on your salary?
At $1,395/mo, how Greensboro rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Greensboro rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Greensboro. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Greensboro
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Greensboro is $1,395/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,033/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,193/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,072/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,519/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($61,515/yr), Greensboro ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Greensboro?
At $1,395/mo, rent takes ~27% of Greensboro's median household income ($61,515/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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