Rental markets / Charlotte

Charlotte fair market rents

Explore rent benchmarks by bedroom and ZIP, compare local rental households, then test a property using your own costs.

HUD rent dataCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area

3-bedroom gross-rent benchmark

$2,076 / month

-7.7% from FY2025.

FY2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025

Includes tenant-paid utilities. A benchmark, not an approved rent or property-specific estimate.

Published rent benchmarks

FY2025
$2,250
FY2026
$2,076
FY2027
$2,179

Published schedules for the selected bedroom count. Benchmark changes are not a forecast.

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area · Monthly gross rents
Bedroom countFY2025FY2026 · currentFY2027 · upcoming
Studio$1,586$1,469$1,574
1 bedroom$1,647$1,538$1,640
2 bedrooms$1,824$1,686$1,785
3 bedrooms$2,250$2,076$2,179
4 bedrooms$2,852$2,637$2,773

FY2026 HUD area coverage: Cabarrus County, NC; Gaston County, NC; Mecklenburg County, NC; Union County, NC; York County, SC. ZIP schedules may cover portions of this area.

Compare rents by ZIP code

Monthly HUD gross-rent benchmarks, including tenant-paid utilities. Choose 2–4 ZIPs to compare.

129 ZIP codes across published schedules

ZIP rent table
FY2026 monthly gross rents by ZIP. Missing observations are unavailable.
ZIPStudio1 bedroom2 bedrooms3 bedrooms4 bedrooms
$1,080$1,130$1,240$1,640$2,020
$1,290$1,350$1,480$1,820$2,310
$920$960$1,060$1,300$1,650
$890$930$1,030$1,320$1,610
$1,250$1,310$1,440$1,770$2,250
$1,320$1,380$1,510$1,860$2,360
$1,450$1,510$1,660$2,040$2,600
$1,650$1,720$1,890$2,330$2,960
$1,160$1,200$1,330$1,630$2,070
$840$880$960$1,270$1,570
$910$950$1,050$1,290$1,630
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,690$1,770$1,940$2,410$3,050
$1,110$1,160$1,270$1,560$1,990
$1,120$1,180$1,290$1,590$2,020
$1,310$1,370$1,500$1,850$2,350
$1,120$1,180$1,290$1,590$2,020
$1,130$1,190$1,300$1,600$2,030
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$900$940$1,160$1,540$1,870
$2,200$2,310$2,530$3,120$3,960
$810$840$930$1,140$1,450
$1,820$1,910$2,090$2,570$3,270
$1,930$2,030$2,220$2,730$3,470
$1,120$1,160$1,280$1,780$2,110
$1,050$1,080$1,250$1,580$2,010
$1,320$1,380$1,510$1,860$2,360
$1,140$1,180$1,330$1,670$2,130
$800$820$970$1,320$1,410
$890$920$1,010$1,400$1,680
$800$810$950$1,290$1,520
$1,240$1,300$1,420$1,750$2,220
$1,180$1,230$1,350$1,660$2,110
$1,050$1,090$1,200$1,480$1,880
$1,780$1,860$2,040$2,510$3,190
$1,640$1,720$1,880$2,320$2,940
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,130$1,180$1,300$1,610$2,040
$1,620$1,700$1,860$2,290$2,910
$1,350$1,410$1,550$1,910$2,420
$1,430$1,500$1,640$2,020$2,560
$1,120$1,170$1,280$1,580$2,000
$1,190$1,250$1,370$1,690$2,140
$1,080$1,140$1,260$1,570$1,970
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$850$930$1,200$1,440$1,760
$1,650$1,720$1,890$2,330$2,960
$850$940$1,230$1,470$1,790
$990$1,000$1,240$1,620$2,070
$1,100$1,150$1,260$1,620$2,020
$1,730$1,820$1,990$2,450$3,110
$1,080$1,130$1,250$1,530$1,950
$2,200$2,310$2,530$3,120$3,960
$2,200$2,310$2,530$3,120$3,960
$2,020$2,120$2,320$2,860$3,630
$1,410$1,480$1,620$2,000$2,530
$1,280$1,340$1,470$1,810$2,300
$1,600$1,680$1,840$2,270$2,880
$1,280$1,340$1,470$1,810$2,300
$1,630$1,710$1,870$2,300$2,920
$1,640$1,720$1,880$2,320$2,940
$1,730$1,820$1,990$2,450$3,110
$1,480$1,550$1,700$2,090$2,660
$1,380$1,440$1,580$1,950$2,470
$1,580$1,650$1,810$2,230$2,830
$1,510$1,580$1,730$2,130$2,710
$1,550$1,620$1,780$2,190$2,780
$1,710$1,790$1,960$2,410$3,070
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,610$1,690$1,850$2,280$2,890
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,500$1,570$1,720$2,120$2,690
$1,590$1,660$1,820$2,240$2,850
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,730$1,820$1,990$2,450$3,110
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,730$1,820$1,990$2,450$3,110
$1,770$1,850$2,030$2,500$3,170
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,860$1,940$2,130$2,620$3,330
$1,600$1,680$1,840$2,270$2,880
$2,030$2,130$2,330$2,870$3,640
$1,810$1,900$2,080$2,560$3,250
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$780$820$930$1,160$1,390
$1,330$1,400$1,530$1,880$2,390
$970$1,000$1,120$1,400$1,740
$760$760$990$1,380$1,450
$1,630$1,710$1,870$2,300$2,920
$1,400$1,470$1,610$1,980$2,520
$1,090$1,120$1,330$1,730$2,010
$1,560$1,630$1,790$2,200$2,800
$1,330$1,400$1,530$1,880$2,390
$1,110$1,160$1,270$1,560$1,990
$950$990$1,090$1,340$1,700
$1,310$1,380$1,510$1,860$2,360
$1,330$1,400$1,530$1,880$2,390
$1,320$1,380$1,510$1,860$2,360
$1,310$1,380$1,510$1,860$2,360
$1,330$1,400$1,530$1,880$2,390
$1,140$1,190$1,330$1,650$2,060
$820$850$970$1,200$1,490
$970$1,010$1,110$1,370$1,740

Choose up to four ZIPs.

Local rental households

2020–2024 ACS 5-year. County figures describe the named county, not the entire HUD rental area. County choices follow the current HUD area.

Cabarrus County, North Carolina

Rental households

Rental households
24,288
Share of occupied homes rented
28.8%

Rent burden

Spend 30%+ of income on rent
50.0%
Spend 50%+ of income on rent
22.4%

Among renter households with a calculated rent-to-income ratio.

Rental housing types

Single-unit homes
48.6%
Buildings with 2–4 units
9.5%
Buildings with 5+ units
33.8%
Other rental homes
8.0%
Estimates & uncertainty
Cabarrus County, North Carolina · 2020–2024 ACS 5-year · 90% margins of error
MeasureEstimateMargin of error
Rental households24,288±1,180
Share of occupied homes rented28.8%±1.4 percentage points
Spend 30%+ of income on rent50.0%±3.9 percentage points
Spend 50%+ of income on rent22.4%±2.7 percentage points
Single-unit homes48.6%±3.2 percentage points
Buildings with 2–4 units9.5%±1.5 percentage points
Buildings with 5+ units33.8%±2.9 percentage points
Other rental homes8.0%±2.1 percentage points

Sampling estimates, not exact counts. Margins of error for derived percentages follow Census guidance. Small differences may not be meaningful.

Gaston County, North Carolina

Rental households

Rental households
31,022
Share of occupied homes rented
33.2%

Rent burden

Spend 30%+ of income on rent
50.6%
Spend 50%+ of income on rent
26.8%

Among renter households with a calculated rent-to-income ratio.

Rental housing types

Single-unit homes
48.4%
Buildings with 2–4 units
13.9%
Buildings with 5+ units
29.1%
Other rental homes
8.6%
Estimates & uncertainty
Gaston County, North Carolina · 2020–2024 ACS 5-year · 90% margins of error
MeasureEstimateMargin of error
Rental households31,022±1,028
Share of occupied homes rented33.2%±1.1 percentage points
Spend 30%+ of income on rent50.6%±3.0 percentage points
Spend 50%+ of income on rent26.8%±2.2 percentage points
Single-unit homes48.4%±2.5 percentage points
Buildings with 2–4 units13.9%±1.7 percentage points
Buildings with 5+ units29.1%±2.2 percentage points
Other rental homes8.6%±1.4 percentage points

Sampling estimates, not exact counts. Margins of error for derived percentages follow Census guidance. Small differences may not be meaningful.

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

Rental households

Rental households
209,360
Share of occupied homes rented
44.9%

Rent burden

Spend 30%+ of income on rent
49.4%
Spend 50%+ of income on rent
23.4%

Among renter households with a calculated rent-to-income ratio.

Rental housing types

Single-unit homes
29.8%
Buildings with 2–4 units
6.6%
Buildings with 5+ units
62.0%
Other rental homes
1.6%
Estimates & uncertainty
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina · 2020–2024 ACS 5-year · 90% margins of error
MeasureEstimateMargin of error
Rental households209,360±2,911
Share of occupied homes rented44.9%±0.6 percentage points
Spend 30%+ of income on rent49.4%±1.2 percentage points
Spend 50%+ of income on rent23.4%±0.9 percentage points
Single-unit homes29.8%±1.0 percentage points
Buildings with 2–4 units6.6%±0.5 percentage points
Buildings with 5+ units62.0%±1.4 percentage points
Other rental homes1.6%±0.3 percentage points

Sampling estimates, not exact counts. Margins of error for derived percentages follow Census guidance. Small differences may not be meaningful.

Union County, North Carolina

Rental households

Rental households
15,459
Share of occupied homes rented
18.4%

Rent burden

Spend 30%+ of income on rent
43.2%
Spend 50%+ of income on rent
19.7%

Among renter households with a calculated rent-to-income ratio.

Rental housing types

Single-unit homes
66.2%
Buildings with 2–4 units
10.4%
Buildings with 5+ units
17.1%
Other rental homes
6.4%
Estimates & uncertainty
Union County, North Carolina · 2020–2024 ACS 5-year · 90% margins of error
MeasureEstimateMargin of error
Rental households15,459±958
Share of occupied homes rented18.4%±1.1 percentage points
Spend 30%+ of income on rent43.2%±3.3 percentage points
Spend 50%+ of income on rent19.7%±2.4 percentage points
Single-unit homes66.2%±4.3 percentage points
Buildings with 2–4 units10.4%±2.4 percentage points
Buildings with 5+ units17.1%±2.8 percentage points
Other rental homes6.4%±1.8 percentage points

Sampling estimates, not exact counts. Margins of error for derived percentages follow Census guidance. Small differences may not be meaningful.

York County, South Carolina

Rental households

Rental households
28,979
Share of occupied homes rented
25.5%

Rent burden

Spend 30%+ of income on rent
50.6%
Spend 50%+ of income on rent
23.1%

Among renter households with a calculated rent-to-income ratio.

Rental housing types

Single-unit homes
29.4%
Buildings with 2–4 units
8.9%
Buildings with 5+ units
50.3%
Other rental homes
11.4%
Estimates & uncertainty
York County, South Carolina · 2020–2024 ACS 5-year · 90% margins of error
MeasureEstimateMargin of error
Rental households28,979±1,278
Share of occupied homes rented25.5%±1.1 percentage points
Spend 30%+ of income on rent50.6%±3.5 percentage points
Spend 50%+ of income on rent23.1%±2.7 percentage points
Single-unit homes29.4%±2.5 percentage points
Buildings with 2–4 units8.9%±1.5 percentage points
Buildings with 5+ units50.3%±3.7 percentage points
Other rental homes11.4%±2.4 percentage points

Sampling estimates, not exact counts. Margins of error for derived percentages follow Census guidance. Small differences may not be meaningful.

Census sources & definitions

2020–2024 ACS 5-year combines five years of survey responses. These are period estimates, not current asking rents. Rental households include renter-occupied units; building types describe the building containing the rental. The other category includes mobile homes, boats, RVs and similar housing.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, tables B25003, B25070 and B25032. Statistical guidance. Data checked Sep 22, 2026. Rental Wire is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Census Bureau.

Download county data & margins of error

Does a property work at that rent?

Use the benchmark as a starting point or enter the lease rent you expect. Price and cost inputs below are editable examples, not local estimates.

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Ownership costs & reserves

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Monthly cash flow before income tax

$215

Illustrative price and costs. Edit the assumptions to analyze your property.

Lease rent used
$1,926
Upfront cash
$53,500
Sources, dates & coverage

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. HUD area ID: METRO16740M16740. Coverage: Cabarrus County, NC; Gaston County, NC; Mecklenburg County, NC; Union County, NC; York County, SC.

HUD gross-rent benchmarks include tenant-paid basic utilities, excluding phone, cable and internet. They are not asking-rent quotes, approved Section 8 rents or housing-authority payment standards.

FY2025 area source (effective Oct 1, 2024; source version Apr 28, 2025) · FY2026 area source (effective Oct 1, 2025; source version May 21, 2026) · FY2027 area source (effective Oct 1, 2026).

ZIP schedules: FY2025 · FY2026 · FY2027. SAFMR methodology.

HUD data checked Sep 22, 2026. Changes can reflect methodology and geographic coverage as well as rents. Missing or non-comparable observations remain unavailable. Future schedules are labelled upcoming.

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD public-domain reuse policy, section 1.D. Rental Wire is not affiliated with or endorsed by HUD. Retain the source, geography and fiscal year when sharing data.

Calculation assumptions

Cash flow is rent less vacancy, operating costs, replacement reserves and a fixed-rate amortizing mortgage. Mortgage principal is included in cash outflow. Tax deductions, sale proceeds and appreciation are outside this first-year calculation. A target price holds the entered rent, expense amounts, mortgage rate and percentage down payment/closing costs fixed as the price changes. Property taxes and lender terms may change with the actual purchase price.

The benchmark-based input subtracts tenant-paid utilities once to estimate a lease-rent assumption. It does not calculate a voucher subsidy or determine a housing authority's approved rent. In custom-rent mode, the lease rent is used directly. Owner-paid utilities belong in operating costs.

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