ZIP 28216
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
February. Asking rents in ZIP 28216 usually run 1.2% below trend in February and 1.1% above it in August, about $41 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 28216 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in ZIP 28216 changed +2.6% 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 28216 rose 41.4% while median household income rose 33% ($49,465 to $65,795). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 28216 is 45.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($65,795) is $1,645 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,620); a 2-bedroom is $1,780.
13th cheapest of 23 ZIP codes in Charlotte.
ZIP 28206, 5 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,573/mo), about $2,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 28216. 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 28216 (Charlotte, NC) is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 33.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 28216 in Charlotte, NC has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in ZIP 28216 in Charlotte, NC paid around $1,353 a month. That figure now sits near $1,761, up 30.2% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 28216 in Charlotte, NC now reports about $65,795, up from $53,462 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 28216 in Charlotte, NC adding about 6,030 residents over the five-year window, up 11.7% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 36.6% to 33.4% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and ZIP 28216 in Charlotte, NC reflects that arc in its own way.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 28216
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 28216 covers Charlotte, NC. The median rent here is $1,761/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,620/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,780/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($65,795/yr), ZIP 28216 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 28216 compare to other ZIPs in North Carolina?
How does ZIP 28216 compare to the rest of Charlotte?
At $1,761/mo, rent takes ~32% of ZIP 28216's median household income ($65,795/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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