Rents are 4% below what Jacksonville'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 $1,421 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
December. Asking rents in Jacksonville usually run 0.7% below trend in December and 0.6% above it in May, about $18 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Jacksonville is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Jacksonville changed +4.3% 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 Jacksonville rose 48.2% while median household income rose 28.3% ($44,956 to $57,697). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Jacksonville is 59.5% 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 ($57,697) is $1,442 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,150); a 3-bedroom is $1,620.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Jacksonville. 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
Jacksonville, NC is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 26.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Jacksonville, NC has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Jacksonville, NC paid around $967 a month. That figure now sits near $1,421, up 46.9% from the 2021 baseline. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $47,483 in 2021 to $57,697 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Jacksonville, NC losing about 1,945 residents over the five-year window, down 2.7% on net. The renter share has eased from 65.3% to 61.3%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Jacksonville, NC market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Jacksonville on your salary?
At $1,421/mo, how Jacksonville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Jacksonville rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Jacksonville. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Jacksonville
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Jacksonville is $1,421/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $845/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,150/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $930/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,620/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($57,697/yr), Jacksonville ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Jacksonville?
At $1,421/mo, rent takes ~30% of Jacksonville's median household income ($57,697/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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