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. 11 of 142 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 131 are rent-burdened on this salary.

CityMedian rent% of incomeAffordability
Henderson, NC$972/mo23.3%affordable
Asheboro, NC$1,069/mo25.7%affordable
Kinston, NC$1,076/mo25.8%affordable
Cherryville, NC$1,100/mo26.4%affordable
Shelby, NC$1,108/mo26.6%affordable
Cullowhee, NC$1,171/mo28.1%affordable
Thomasville, NC$1,180/mo28.3%affordable
Lumberton, NC$1,181/mo28.4%affordable
Salisbury, NC$1,206/mo29%affordable
Lenoir, NC$1,218/mo29.2%affordable
Washington, NC$1,225/mo29.4%affordable
Nashville, NC$1,260/mo30.2%stretched
Havelock, NC$1,289/mo30.9%stretched
Burlington, NC$1,298/mo31.2%stretched
Rocky Mount, NC$1,300/mo31.2%stretched
Lincolnton, NC$1,305/mo31.3%stretched
Marion, NC$1,310/mo31.4%stretched
Morganton, NC$1,341/mo32.2%stretched
Greenville, NC$1,346/mo32.3%stretched
Bessemer City, NC$1,375/mo33%stretched
Graham, NC$1,382/mo33.2%stretched
Goldsboro, NC$1,388/mo33.3%stretched
Archdale, NC$1,391/mo33.4%stretched
Jacksonville, NC$1,395/mo33.5%stretched
Fayetteville, NC$1,401/mo33.6%stretched
High Point, NC$1,401/mo33.6%stretched
Greensboro, NC$1,415/mo34%stretched
Newton, NC$1,421/mo34.1%stretched
Spring Lake, NC$1,420/mo34.1%stretched
Mount Airy, NC$1,430/mo34.3%stretched
Hillsborough, NC$1,454/mo34.9%stretched
Wilson, NC$1,458/mo35%stretched
Hickory, NC$1,463/mo35.1%stretched
Midway Park, NC$1,469/mo35.3%stretched
Carrboro, NC$1,480/mo35.5%stretched
Albemarle, NC$1,501/mo36%stretched
Fairfield Harbour, NC$1,500/mo36%stretched
Elon, NC$1,522/mo36.5%stretched
Gastonia, NC$1,524/mo36.6%stretched
Winston-Salem, NC$1,537/mo36.9%stretched
Sylva, NC$1,544/mo37.1%stretched
Arden, NC$1,547/mo37.1%stretched
Hubert, NC$1,554/mo37.3%stretched
Waynesville, NC$1,559/mo37.4%stretched
Browns Summit, NC$1,566/mo37.6%stretched
Raleigh, NC$1,579/mo37.9%stretched
New Bern, NC$1,605/mo38.5%stretched
Elizabeth City, NC$1,607/mo38.6%stretched
Mooresville, NC$1,621/mo38.9%stretched
Advance, NC$1,623/mo39%stretched
Pikeville, NC$1,625/mo39%stretched
Mebane, NC$1,635/mo39.2%stretched
Lexington, NC$1,638/mo39.3%stretched
Winterville, NC$1,638/mo39.3%stretched
Morehead City, NC$1,638/mo39.3%stretched
China Grove, NC$1,640/mo39.4%stretched
Creedmoor, NC$1,650/mo39.6%stretched
Lillington, NC$1,648/mo39.6%stretched
Murphy, NC$1,650/mo39.6%stretched
Kannapolis, NC$1,667/mo40%rent-burdened
Statesville, NC$1,670/mo40.1%rent-burdened
Leland, NC$1,671/mo40.1%rent-burdened
Weaverville, NC$1,685/mo40.4%rent-burdened
Asheville, NC$1,688/mo40.5%rent-burdened
Wilmington, NC$1,694/mo40.7%rent-burdened
Durham, NC$1,700/mo40.8%rent-burdened
Dallas, NC$1,705/mo40.9%rent-burdened
Shallotte, NC$1,704/mo40.9%rent-burdened
Morrisville, NC$1,714/mo41.1%rent-burdened
Hope Mills, NC$1,716/mo41.2%rent-burdened
Hendersonville, NC$1,730/mo41.5%rent-burdened
Charlotte, NC$1,746/mo41.9%rent-burdened
Raeford, NC$1,745/mo41.9%rent-burdened
Rural Hall, NC$1,748/mo42%rent-burdened
Newport, NC$1,754/mo42.1%rent-burdened
Matthews, NC$1,756/mo42.2%rent-burdened
Knightdale, NC$1,759/mo42.2%rent-burdened
Chapel Hill, NC$1,763/mo42.3%rent-burdened
Black Mountain, NC$1,761/mo42.3%rent-burdened
Southern Pines, NC$1,770/mo42.5%rent-burdened
Cary, NC$1,775/mo42.6%rent-burdened
Bolivia, NC$1,774/mo42.6%rent-burdened
Cornelius, NC$1,778/mo42.7%rent-burdened
Richlands, NC$1,779/mo42.7%rent-burdened
Mount Holly, NC$1,789/mo42.9%rent-burdened
Denver, NC$1,788/mo42.9%rent-burdened
Kings Mountain, NC$1,793/mo43%rent-burdened
Kernersville, NC$1,797/mo43.1%rent-burdened
Aberdeen, NC$1,799/mo43.2%rent-burdened
Holly Ridge, NC$1,801/mo43.2%rent-burdened
Concord, NC$1,805/mo43.3%rent-burdened
Belville, NC$1,802/mo43.3%rent-burdened
Wake Forest, NC$1,813/mo43.5%rent-burdened
Sanford, NC$1,812/mo43.5%rent-burdened
Pineville, NC$1,829/mo43.9%rent-burdened
Swannanoa, NC$1,830/mo43.9%rent-burdened
Smithfield, NC$1,832/mo44%rent-burdened
Davidson, NC$1,841/mo44.2%rent-burdened
Clemmons, NC$1,851/mo44.4%rent-burdened
Clayton, NC$1,862/mo44.7%rent-burdened
Mint Hill, NC$1,873/mo45%rent-burdened
Huntersville, NC$1,891/mo45.4%rent-burdened
Candler, NC$1,892/mo45.4%rent-burdened
Garner, NC$1,898/mo45.6%rent-burdened
Holly Springs, NC$1,903/mo45.7%rent-burdened
Hampstead, NC$1,904/mo45.7%rent-burdened
Troutman, NC$1,908/mo45.8%rent-burdened
Brevard, NC$1,912/mo45.9%rent-burdened
Wendell, NC$1,919/mo46.1%rent-burdened
Youngsville, NC$1,921/mo46.1%rent-burdened
Whitsett, NC$1,924/mo46.2%rent-burdened
Ranlo, NC$1,930/mo46.3%rent-burdened
Monroe, NC$1,934/mo46.4%rent-burdened
Angier, NC$1,942/mo46.6%rent-burdened
Gibsonville, NC$1,948/mo46.8%rent-burdened
Conover, NC$1,950/mo46.8%rent-burdened
Belmont, NC$1,959/mo47%rent-burdened
Fuquay Varina, NC$1,963/mo47.1%rent-burdened
Sneads Ferry, NC$1,965/mo47.2%rent-burdened
Zebulon, NC$1,989/mo47.7%rent-burdened
Pittsboro, NC$1,985/mo47.7%rent-burdened
Boone, NC$1,997/mo47.9%rent-burdened
Sherrills Ford, NC$2,006/mo48.2%rent-burdened
Apex, NC$2,017/mo48.4%rent-burdened
Indian Trail, NC$2,021/mo48.5%rent-burdened
Midland, NC$2,030/mo48.7%rent-burdened
Pinehurst, NC$2,040/mo49%rent-burdened
Carthage, NC$2,041/mo49%rent-burdened
Calabash, NC$2,049/mo49.2%rent-burdened
Fletcher, NC$2,084/mo50%severely rent-burdened
Beaufort, NC$2,098/mo50.4%severely rent-burdened
Navassa, NC$2,103/mo50.5%severely rent-burdened
Vass, NC$2,133/mo51.2%severely rent-burdened
Cameron, NC$2,137/mo51.3%severely rent-burdened
Surf City, NC$2,265/mo54.4%severely rent-burdened
Stanley, NC$2,285/mo54.9%severely rent-burdened
Mc Leansville, NC$2,293/mo55%severely rent-burdened
Emerald Isle, NC$2,300/mo55.2%severely rent-burdened
Harrisburg, NC$2,399/mo57.6%severely rent-burdened
Waxhaw, NC$2,438/mo58.5%severely rent-burdened
Kill Devil Hills, NC$2,499/mo60%severely rent-burdened
Carolina Beach, NC$2,691/mo64.6%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).