Rent Affordability for A Paramedic in North Carolina

A typical paramedic in North Carolina earns about $49,989 a year, which supports approximately $1,250 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. 8 of 142 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 134 are rent-burdened on this salary.

City↕Median rent↕% of income↑Affordability
Henderson, NC$984/mo23.6%affordable
Asheboro, NC$1,038/mo24.9%affordable
Cherryville, NC$1,075/mo25.8%affordable
Mount Airy, NC$1,134/mo27.2%affordable
Lumberton, NC$1,147/mo27.5%affordable
Shelby, NC$1,160/mo27.8%affordable
Cullowhee, NC$1,171/mo28.1%affordable
Kinston, NC$1,181/mo28.4%affordable
Rocky Mount, NC$1,259/mo30.2%stretched
Albemarle, NC$1,260/mo30.2%stretched
Sylva, NC$1,275/mo30.6%stretched
Washington, NC$1,285/mo30.8%stretched
Burlington, NC$1,310/mo31.4%stretched
Thomasville, NC$1,314/mo31.5%stretched
Marion, NC$1,317/mo31.6%stretched
Lenoir, NC$1,329/mo31.9%stretched
Archdale, NC$1,343/mo32.2%stretched
Newton, NC$1,348/mo32.4%stretched
Fayetteville, NC$1,362/mo32.7%stretched
Lincolnton, NC$1,376/mo33%stretched
Browns Summit, NC$1,389/mo33.3%stretched
Salisbury, NC$1,393/mo33.4%stretched
Greensboro, NC$1,395/mo33.5%stretched
Midway Park, NC$1,396/mo33.5%stretched
High Point, NC$1,418/mo34%stretched
Bessemer City, NC$1,415/mo34%stretched
Jacksonville, NC$1,421/mo34.1%stretched
Spring Lake, NC$1,430/mo34.3%stretched
Morganton, NC$1,436/mo34.5%stretched
Nashville, NC$1,448/mo34.8%stretched
Greenville, NC$1,460/mo35%stretched
Elizabeth City, NC$1,457/mo35%stretched
Graham, NC$1,476/mo35.4%stretched
Winston-Salem, NC$1,478/mo35.5%stretched
Lexington, NC$1,480/mo35.5%stretched
Gastonia, NC$1,483/mo35.6%stretched
Mebane, NC$1,493/mo35.8%stretched
Wilson, NC$1,494/mo35.9%stretched
Hubert, NC$1,499/mo36%stretched
Goldsboro, NC$1,503/mo36.1%stretched
Hillsborough, NC$1,509/mo36.2%stretched
China Grove, NC$1,510/mo36.2%stretched
Hickory, NC$1,522/mo36.5%stretched
Elon, NC$1,522/mo36.5%stretched
Arden, NC$1,527/mo36.7%stretched
Pineville, NC$1,534/mo36.8%stretched
Havelock, NC$1,542/mo37%stretched
Winterville, NC$1,544/mo37.1%stretched
New Bern, NC$1,555/mo37.3%stretched
Carrboro, NC$1,564/mo37.5%stretched
Raleigh, NC$1,572/mo37.7%stretched
Kannapolis, NC$1,578/mo37.9%stretched
Murphy, NC$1,583/mo38%stretched
Durham, NC$1,626/mo39%stretched
Pikeville, NC$1,625/mo39%stretched
Waynesville, NC$1,628/mo39.1%stretched
Smithfield, NC$1,640/mo39.4%stretched
Morrisville, NC$1,650/mo39.6%stretched
Mint Hill, NC$1,650/mo39.6%stretched
Lillington, NC$1,663/mo39.9%stretched
Richlands, NC$1,663/mo39.9%stretched
Weaverville, NC$1,668/mo40%rent-burdened
Mooresville, NC$1,675/mo40.2%rent-burdened
Hope Mills, NC$1,673/mo40.2%rent-burdened
Hendersonville, NC$1,674/mo40.2%rent-burdened
Leland, NC$1,697/mo40.7%rent-burdened
Kings Mountain, NC$1,695/mo40.7%rent-burdened
Newport, NC$1,696/mo40.7%rent-burdened
Knightdale, NC$1,698/mo40.8%rent-burdened
Creedmoor, NC$1,700/mo40.8%rent-burdened
Kernersville, NC$1,706/mo41%rent-burdened
Rural Hall, NC$1,708/mo41%rent-burdened
Wilmington, NC$1,713/mo41.1%rent-burdened
Belville, NC$1,714/mo41.1%rent-burdened
Asheville, NC$1,726/mo41.4%rent-burdened
Chapel Hill, NC$1,723/mo41.4%rent-burdened
Raeford, NC$1,725/mo41.4%rent-burdened
Charlotte, NC$1,729/mo41.5%rent-burdened
Sanford, NC$1,734/mo41.6%rent-burdened
Matthews, NC$1,736/mo41.7%rent-burdened
Shallotte, NC$1,748/mo42%rent-burdened
Southern Pines, NC$1,753/mo42.1%rent-burdened
Dallas, NC$1,752/mo42.1%rent-burdened
Aberdeen, NC$1,760/mo42.2%rent-burdened
Cary, NC$1,768/mo42.4%rent-burdened
Statesville, NC$1,765/mo42.4%rent-burdened
Mount Holly, NC$1,772/mo42.5%rent-burdened
Whitsett, NC$1,769/mo42.5%rent-burdened
Concord, NC$1,784/mo42.8%rent-burdened
Clemmons, NC$1,785/mo42.8%rent-burdened
Fairfield Harbour, NC$1,788/mo42.9%rent-burdened
Cornelius, NC$1,796/mo43.1%rent-burdened
Clayton, NC$1,797/mo43.1%rent-burdened
Wake Forest, NC$1,798/mo43.2%rent-burdened
Beaufort, NC$1,800/mo43.2%rent-burdened
Wendell, NC$1,802/mo43.3%rent-burdened
Stanley, NC$1,807/mo43.4%rent-burdened
Carthage, NC$1,812/mo43.5%rent-burdened
Candler, NC$1,817/mo43.6%rent-burdened
Belmont, NC$1,819/mo43.7%rent-burdened
Holly Ridge, NC$1,826/mo43.8%rent-burdened
Angier, NC$1,830/mo43.9%rent-burdened
Garner, NC$1,853/mo44.5%rent-burdened
Morehead City, NC$1,858/mo44.6%rent-burdened
Sneads Ferry, NC$1,868/mo44.8%rent-burdened
Pittsboro, NC$1,872/mo44.9%rent-burdened
Fuquay Varina, NC$1,875/mo45%rent-burdened
Black Mountain, NC$1,873/mo45%rent-burdened
Gibsonville, NC$1,882/mo45.2%rent-burdened
Youngsville, NC$1,884/mo45.2%rent-burdened
Holly Springs, NC$1,890/mo45.4%rent-burdened
Monroe, NC$1,896/mo45.5%rent-burdened
Huntersville, NC$1,903/mo45.7%rent-burdened
Swannanoa, NC$1,917/mo46%rent-burdened
Sherrills Ford, NC$1,927/mo46.3%rent-burdened
Apex, NC$1,947/mo46.7%rent-burdened
Zebulon, NC$1,951/mo46.8%rent-burdened
Conover, NC$1,950/mo46.8%rent-burdened
Denver, NC$1,956/mo47%rent-burdened
Calabash, NC$1,969/mo47.3%rent-burdened
Hampstead, NC$1,985/mo47.7%rent-burdened
Advance, NC$1,986/mo47.7%rent-burdened
Bolivia, NC$1,991/mo47.8%rent-burdened
Brevard, NC$1,998/mo48%rent-burdened
Indian Trail, NC$2,004/mo48.1%rent-burdened
Surf City, NC$2,005/mo48.1%rent-burdened
Troutman, NC$2,005/mo48.1%rent-burdened
Ranlo, NC$2,006/mo48.2%rent-burdened
Cameron, NC$2,008/mo48.2%rent-burdened
Pinehurst, NC$2,012/mo48.3%rent-burdened
Vass, NC$2,092/mo50.2%severely rent-burdened
Navassa, NC$2,103/mo50.5%severely rent-burdened
Davidson, NC$2,107/mo50.6%severely rent-burdened
Fletcher, NC$2,110/mo50.7%severely rent-burdened
Kill Devil Hills, NC$2,113/mo50.7%severely rent-burdened
Midland, NC$2,232/mo53.6%severely rent-burdened
Boone, NC$2,259/mo54.2%severely rent-burdened
Emerald Isle, NC$2,300/mo55.2%severely rent-burdened
Carolina Beach, NC$2,347/mo56.3%severely rent-burdened
Mc Leansville, NC$2,399/mo57.6%severely rent-burdened
Harrisburg, NC$2,520/mo60.5%severely rent-burdened
Waxhaw, NC$2,626/mo63%severely rent-burdened
Methodology: Salary is the BLS-derived state estimate for North Carolina. Rent is the latest ZORI monthly value for each city. Affordability uses the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income).