ZIP 28209
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
November. Asking rents in ZIP 28209 usually run 0.6% below trend in November and 1.2% above it in July, about $30 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 28209 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in ZIP 28209 changed +2.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 28209 rose 31.2% while median household income rose 34% ($76,022 to $101,873). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 28209 is 32.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($101,873) is $2,547 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,300); a 4-bedroom is $2,920.
12th cheapest of 23 ZIP codes in Charlotte.
ZIP 28210, 3 miles away, rents for 17% less ($1,406/mo), about $3,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 28209. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Who lives here
ZIP 28209 (Charlotte, NC) is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 70.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 28209 in Charlotte, NC has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in ZIP 28209 in Charlotte, NC paid around $1,342 a month. That figure now sits near $1,685, up 25.6% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $101,873 today, compared with $84,113 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 28209 in Charlotte, NC adding about 992 residents over the five-year window, up 4.3% on net. The renter share has risen from 47.2% to 52%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 68.8% to 70.9% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 28209
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 28209 covers Charlotte, NC. The median rent here is $1,685/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,710/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,870/mo.
At 20% of local median household income ($101,873/yr), ZIP 28209 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 28209 compare to the rest of Charlotte?
At $1,685/mo, rent takes ~20% of ZIP 28209's median household income ($101,873/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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