Rent Affordability for An Elementary School Teacher in North Carolina
A typical elementary school teacher in North Carolina earns about $63,055 a year, which supports approximately $1,576 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked North Carolina city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.
As of May 2026. 45 of 142 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 97 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson, NC | $972/mo | 18.5% | very comfortable |
| Asheboro, NC | $1,069/mo | 20.3% | affordable |
| Kinston, NC | $1,076/mo | 20.5% | affordable |
| Cherryville, NC | $1,100/mo | 20.9% | affordable |
| Shelby, NC | $1,108/mo | 21.1% | affordable |
| Cullowhee, NC | $1,171/mo | 22.3% | affordable |
| Thomasville, NC | $1,180/mo | 22.5% | affordable |
| Lumberton, NC | $1,181/mo | 22.5% | affordable |
| Salisbury, NC | $1,206/mo | 23% | affordable |
| Lenoir, NC | $1,218/mo | 23.2% | affordable |
| Washington, NC | $1,225/mo | 23.3% | affordable |
| Nashville, NC | $1,260/mo | 24% | affordable |
| Havelock, NC | $1,289/mo | 24.5% | affordable |
| Burlington, NC | $1,298/mo | 24.7% | affordable |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $1,300/mo | 24.7% | affordable |
| Lincolnton, NC | $1,305/mo | 24.8% | affordable |
| Marion, NC | $1,310/mo | 24.9% | affordable |
| Morganton, NC | $1,341/mo | 25.5% | affordable |
| Greenville, NC | $1,346/mo | 25.6% | affordable |
| Bessemer City, NC | $1,375/mo | 26.2% | affordable |
| Graham, NC | $1,382/mo | 26.3% | affordable |
| Goldsboro, NC | $1,388/mo | 26.4% | affordable |
| Jacksonville, NC | $1,395/mo | 26.5% | affordable |
| Archdale, NC | $1,391/mo | 26.5% | affordable |
| Fayetteville, NC | $1,401/mo | 26.7% | affordable |
| High Point, NC | $1,401/mo | 26.7% | affordable |
| Greensboro, NC | $1,415/mo | 26.9% | affordable |
| Newton, NC | $1,421/mo | 27% | affordable |
| Spring Lake, NC | $1,420/mo | 27% | affordable |
| Mount Airy, NC | $1,430/mo | 27.2% | affordable |
| Wilson, NC | $1,458/mo | 27.7% | affordable |
| Hillsborough, NC | $1,454/mo | 27.7% | affordable |
| Hickory, NC | $1,463/mo | 27.8% | affordable |
| Midway Park, NC | $1,469/mo | 28% | affordable |
| Carrboro, NC | $1,480/mo | 28.2% | affordable |
| Fairfield Harbour, NC | $1,500/mo | 28.5% | affordable |
| Albemarle, NC | $1,501/mo | 28.6% | affordable |
| Gastonia, NC | $1,524/mo | 29% | affordable |
| Elon, NC | $1,522/mo | 29% | affordable |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $1,537/mo | 29.3% | affordable |
| Sylva, NC | $1,544/mo | 29.4% | affordable |
| Arden, NC | $1,547/mo | 29.4% | affordable |
| Hubert, NC | $1,554/mo | 29.6% | affordable |
| Waynesville, NC | $1,559/mo | 29.7% | affordable |
| Browns Summit, NC | $1,566/mo | 29.8% | affordable |
| Raleigh, NC | $1,579/mo | 30% | stretched |
| New Bern, NC | $1,605/mo | 30.5% | stretched |
| Elizabeth City, NC | $1,607/mo | 30.6% | stretched |
| Mooresville, NC | $1,621/mo | 30.8% | stretched |
| Advance, NC | $1,623/mo | 30.9% | stretched |
| Pikeville, NC | $1,625/mo | 30.9% | stretched |
| Mebane, NC | $1,635/mo | 31.1% | stretched |
| Lexington, NC | $1,638/mo | 31.2% | stretched |
| Winterville, NC | $1,638/mo | 31.2% | stretched |
| Morehead City, NC | $1,638/mo | 31.2% | stretched |
| China Grove, NC | $1,640/mo | 31.2% | stretched |
| Creedmoor, NC | $1,650/mo | 31.4% | stretched |
| Lillington, NC | $1,648/mo | 31.4% | stretched |
| Murphy, NC | $1,650/mo | 31.4% | stretched |
| Kannapolis, NC | $1,667/mo | 31.7% | stretched |
| Statesville, NC | $1,670/mo | 31.8% | stretched |
| Leland, NC | $1,671/mo | 31.8% | stretched |
| Asheville, NC | $1,688/mo | 32.1% | stretched |
| Weaverville, NC | $1,685/mo | 32.1% | stretched |
| Wilmington, NC | $1,694/mo | 32.2% | stretched |
| Durham, NC | $1,700/mo | 32.4% | stretched |
| Dallas, NC | $1,705/mo | 32.4% | stretched |
| Shallotte, NC | $1,704/mo | 32.4% | stretched |
| Morrisville, NC | $1,714/mo | 32.6% | stretched |
| Hope Mills, NC | $1,716/mo | 32.7% | stretched |
| Hendersonville, NC | $1,730/mo | 32.9% | stretched |
| Charlotte, NC | $1,746/mo | 33.2% | stretched |
| Raeford, NC | $1,745/mo | 33.2% | stretched |
| Rural Hall, NC | $1,748/mo | 33.3% | stretched |
| Matthews, NC | $1,756/mo | 33.4% | stretched |
| Newport, NC | $1,754/mo | 33.4% | stretched |
| Knightdale, NC | $1,759/mo | 33.5% | stretched |
| Black Mountain, NC | $1,761/mo | 33.5% | stretched |
| Chapel Hill, NC | $1,763/mo | 33.6% | stretched |
| Southern Pines, NC | $1,770/mo | 33.7% | stretched |
| Cary, NC | $1,775/mo | 33.8% | stretched |
| Cornelius, NC | $1,778/mo | 33.8% | stretched |
| Bolivia, NC | $1,774/mo | 33.8% | stretched |
| Richlands, NC | $1,779/mo | 33.9% | stretched |
| Mount Holly, NC | $1,789/mo | 34% | stretched |
| Denver, NC | $1,788/mo | 34% | stretched |
| Kings Mountain, NC | $1,793/mo | 34.1% | stretched |
| Kernersville, NC | $1,797/mo | 34.2% | stretched |
| Aberdeen, NC | $1,799/mo | 34.2% | stretched |
| Holly Ridge, NC | $1,801/mo | 34.3% | stretched |
| Belville, NC | $1,802/mo | 34.3% | stretched |
| Concord, NC | $1,805/mo | 34.4% | stretched |
| Wake Forest, NC | $1,813/mo | 34.5% | stretched |
| Sanford, NC | $1,812/mo | 34.5% | stretched |
| Pineville, NC | $1,829/mo | 34.8% | stretched |
| Swannanoa, NC | $1,830/mo | 34.8% | stretched |
| Smithfield, NC | $1,832/mo | 34.9% | stretched |
| Davidson, NC | $1,841/mo | 35% | stretched |
| Clemmons, NC | $1,851/mo | 35.2% | stretched |
| Clayton, NC | $1,862/mo | 35.4% | stretched |
| Mint Hill, NC | $1,873/mo | 35.6% | stretched |
| Huntersville, NC | $1,891/mo | 36% | stretched |
| Candler, NC | $1,892/mo | 36% | stretched |
| Garner, NC | $1,898/mo | 36.1% | stretched |
| Holly Springs, NC | $1,903/mo | 36.2% | stretched |
| Hampstead, NC | $1,904/mo | 36.2% | stretched |
| Troutman, NC | $1,908/mo | 36.3% | stretched |
| Brevard, NC | $1,912/mo | 36.4% | stretched |
| Wendell, NC | $1,919/mo | 36.5% | stretched |
| Youngsville, NC | $1,921/mo | 36.6% | stretched |
| Whitsett, NC | $1,924/mo | 36.6% | stretched |
| Ranlo, NC | $1,930/mo | 36.7% | stretched |
| Monroe, NC | $1,934/mo | 36.8% | stretched |
| Angier, NC | $1,942/mo | 37% | stretched |
| Gibsonville, NC | $1,948/mo | 37.1% | stretched |
| Conover, NC | $1,950/mo | 37.1% | stretched |
| Belmont, NC | $1,959/mo | 37.3% | stretched |
| Fuquay Varina, NC | $1,963/mo | 37.4% | stretched |
| Sneads Ferry, NC | $1,965/mo | 37.4% | stretched |
| Pittsboro, NC | $1,985/mo | 37.8% | stretched |
| Zebulon, NC | $1,989/mo | 37.9% | stretched |
| Boone, NC | $1,997/mo | 38% | stretched |
| Sherrills Ford, NC | $2,006/mo | 38.2% | stretched |
| Apex, NC | $2,017/mo | 38.4% | stretched |
| Indian Trail, NC | $2,021/mo | 38.5% | stretched |
| Midland, NC | $2,030/mo | 38.6% | stretched |
| Pinehurst, NC | $2,040/mo | 38.8% | stretched |
| Carthage, NC | $2,041/mo | 38.8% | stretched |
| Calabash, NC | $2,049/mo | 39% | stretched |
| Fletcher, NC | $2,084/mo | 39.7% | stretched |
| Beaufort, NC | $2,098/mo | 39.9% | stretched |
| Navassa, NC | $2,103/mo | 40% | rent-burdened |
| Vass, NC | $2,133/mo | 40.6% | rent-burdened |
| Cameron, NC | $2,137/mo | 40.7% | rent-burdened |
| Surf City, NC | $2,265/mo | 43.1% | rent-burdened |
| Stanley, NC | $2,285/mo | 43.5% | rent-burdened |
| Mc Leansville, NC | $2,293/mo | 43.6% | rent-burdened |
| Emerald Isle, NC | $2,300/mo | 43.8% | rent-burdened |
| Harrisburg, NC | $2,399/mo | 45.7% | rent-burdened |
| Waxhaw, NC | $2,438/mo | 46.4% | rent-burdened |
| Kill Devil Hills, NC | $2,499/mo | 47.6% | rent-burdened |
| Carolina Beach, NC | $2,691/mo | 51.2% | severely rent-burdened |