Rents are 7% below what Rocky Mount'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 $1,259 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 Rocky Mount is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in February 2022.
Rent in Rocky Mount changed +2.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 North Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.9%.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($55,534) is $1,388 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,113); a 3-bedroom is $1,517.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Rocky Mount, 27804 ($1,437/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 27801 ($977/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Rocky Mount. 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
Rocky Mount, NC is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large retiree population, has a median income below the national average, 22.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Rocky Mount, NC has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2022, rent in Rocky Mount, NC has climbed by $285 per month, settling near $1,259 after starting the period at $974. Median household income grew from $46,396 to $55,534 between 2021 and 2024, a 19.7% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 9.6 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Rocky Mount, 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 $1,259/mo, how Rocky Mount rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Rocky Mount rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Rocky Mount. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Rocky Mount
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Rocky Mount is $1,259/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $887/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,113/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $890/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,517/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($55,534/yr), Rocky Mount ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Rocky Mount?
Is rent going up or down in Rocky Mount?
Which Rocky Mount neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Rocky Mount rent compare to other cities in North Carolina?
At $1,259/mo, rent takes ~27% of Rocky Mount's median household income ($55,534/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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