Rents are 6% below what Greenville'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 $1,460 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 Greenville is 1.2% below its high of $1,477 in April 2026, at $1,460 as of September 2026.
Rent in Greenville changed +2.0% 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 Greenville rose 47.6% while median household income rose 21.7% ($40,875 to $49,748). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Greenville is 49.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has fallen 3 months in a row, and rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($49,748) is $1,244 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,135); a 3-bedroom is $1,535.
Washington, 18 miles away, rents for 12% less ($1,285/mo), about $2,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Greenville. 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
Greenville, NC is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 39.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Greenville, NC has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Greenville, NC has increased by $415 per month, settling near $1,460 after starting the period at $1,045. Census figures show median household income at $49,748 today, compared with $44,064 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 26.8 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 87,815 to 92,857 between 2021 and 2024, a 5.7% change. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Greenville on your salary?
At $1,460/mo, how Greenville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Greenville rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Greenville. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Greenville
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Greenville is $1,460/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $910/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,135/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $915/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,535/mo.
At 35% of local median household income ($49,748/yr), Greenville ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Greenville?
At $1,460/mo, rent takes ~35% of Greenville's median household income ($49,748/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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