Rents are 6% below what Spring Lake'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 $1,430 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 Spring Lake is 2.3% below its high of $1,463 in April 2026, at $1,430 as of September 2026.
Rent in Spring Lake changed +0.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 North Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.9%.
Rent has fallen 4 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($51,958) is $1,299 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,170); a 3-bedroom is $1,600.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Spring Lake. 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
Spring Lake, NC is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 25.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Spring Lake, NC has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Spring Lake, NC has shifted from $1,294 to $1,430, up 10.5% since 2022. Census figures show median household income at $51,958 today, compared with $39,659 five years earlier. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. The renter share has risen from 78.2% to 80.2%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2022.
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At $1,430/mo, how Spring Lake rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Spring Lake rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Spring Lake. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Spring Lake
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Spring Lake is $1,430/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,010/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,170/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,010/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,600/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($51,958/yr), Spring Lake ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Spring Lake?
Is rent going up or down in Spring Lake?
How does Spring Lake rent compare to other cities in North Carolina?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Spring Lake?
At $1,430/mo, rent takes ~33% of Spring Lake's median household income ($51,958/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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