Rents are 13% below what Matthews's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
Bedroom figures are derived from HUD Fair Market Rents and scaled to match Matthews's market median, because the published HUD values all ran above it. They are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Matthews usually run 0.8% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in September, about $26 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in Matthews is 2.5% below its high of $1,780 in April 2025, at $1,736 as of September 2026.
Rent in Matthews changed -0.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 North Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.9%.
Rent in Matthews is 25.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
30% of the median household income ($108,611) is $2,715 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,660); a 4-bedroom is $3,370.
Pineville, 11 miles away, rents for 12% less ($1,534/mo), about $2,400 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Matthews. 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
Matthews, NC is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 55.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Matthews, NC has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Matthews, NC has increased from $1,485 to $1,736, a 16.9% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $96,195 in 2021 to $108,611 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 3.9% since 2021, moving from about 29,417 residents to roughly 30,577. Renters now make up 35.6% of households, compared with 31.9% five years ago. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Matthews, NC market of 2021.
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At $1,736/mo, how Matthews rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Matthews rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Matthews. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Matthews
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Matthews is $1,736/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,395/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,604/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,447/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,980/mo.
At 19% of local median household income ($108,611/yr), Matthews ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Matthews rent compare to other cities in North Carolina?
At $1,736/mo, rent takes ~19% of Matthews's median household income ($108,611/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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