ZIP Code · NC

ZIP 28212

Part of Charlotte, NC

Pop. 42,440·Mecklenburg County·198th most expensive ZIP in North Carolina

Median rent (all units)

$1,340/mo

Year-over-Year

-0.7%

Month-over-Month

+0.3%

vs US Median

-$592

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 28212 · $1,340

More affordable than 84% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,077

1 BR

$1,128

2 BR

$1,237

3 BR

$1,521

4 BR+

$1,936

Research median

$1,237/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

November. Asking rents in ZIP 28212 usually run 1% below trend in November and 0.5% above it in February, about $20 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 28212 is 2.6% below its high of $1,376 in March 2025, at $1,340 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of North Carolina

Rent in ZIP 28212 changed -0.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 4 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($52,723) is $1,318 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($1,480).

Rank in Charlotte

1st cheapest of 23 ZIP codes in Charlotte.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 28212. 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.

Annual cost

$16,080/yr

At $1,340/mo median

Location

CityCharlotte

StateNC

CountyMecklenburg County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (-0.7% YoY, +0.3% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 28212 (Charlotte, NC) is majority renter-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 23.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

42,440

Median income

$52,723

Median age

32.3

Renters

62%

Age distribution

29%

25.8%

28.5%

Under 1829%

18–3425.8%

35–5428.5%

55–647.1%

65+9.5%

Gender

50%

Male50%

Female50%

Race & ethnicity

21%

35.8%

36%

White21%

Black35.8%

Hispanic36%

Asian8.2%

Education (25+)

24%

26.2%

26.8%

23.1%

No HS diploma24%

HS diploma26.2%

Some college26.8%

Bachelor's+23.1%

Housing tenure

38%

62%

Owner38%

Renter62%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 28212 in Charlotte, NC has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,022 → $1,340

up 31.1%

Income

$44,747 → $52,723

up 17.8%

Population

45,180 → 42,440

down 6.1%

Renter share

62.7% → 62%

-0.7 pts

Bachelor's+

23.2% → 23.1%

-0.1 pts

Five years ago, renters in ZIP 28212 in Charlotte, NC paid around $1,022 a month. That figure now sits near $1,340, up 31.1% from the 2021 baseline. Median household income climbed from $44,747 to $52,723 between 2021 and 2024, a 17.8% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 28212 in Charlotte, NC losing about 2,740 residents over the five-year window, down 6.1% on net. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 28212 in Charlotte, NC reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

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About renting in ZIP 28212

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 28212 covers Charlotte, NC. The median rent here is $1,340/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,128/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,237/mo.

At 30% of local median household income ($52,723/yr), ZIP 28212 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.7% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 28212?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $54,000/year (about $26/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,340/mo in ZIP 28212. The local median household income is $52,723/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 28212?

Rent in ZIP 28212 has fallen 0.7% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 2.6% below its high of $1,376 in March 2025.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 28212?

Asking rents in ZIP 28212 are usually lowest in November, about 1% below their yearly trend, and highest in February, about 0.5% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $20 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 28212 compare to other ZIPs in North Carolina?

ZIP 28212 is one of the more affordable among North Carolina ZIP codes for rent, ranking #198 of 230 at $1,340/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 28212 changed -0.7%, against a typical +2.6% across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks.