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North Carolina: 2026 income limits & Fair Market Rents
Use this North Carolina reference to find your next housing-help step. The statewide table below is background data, not the income cutoff for your address. Voucher rules use local limits and your family's details.
Check your county before using a statewide number
- Open the county income-limit checker. Choose North Carolina, your county, and your family size.
- Compare the correct local row with your annual income. For example, a family of three should use its county's three-person row, not the statewide four-person figure.
- Ask a North Carolina housing office which limit applies, what income counts, and whether it is accepting applications. Being under a limit does not guarantee a voucher.
Already have a voucher? Ask your housing office for its payment standard and rent-share calculation before signing a lease.
Statewide income reference — not your local eligibility cutoff
State median family income: $97,900. These statewide, unadjusted tiers are reference figures. HUD's local limits include adjustments; do not calculate a personal eligibility limit by multiplying the state median. Source check: 2026-07-20 source
| Household | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $20,550 | $34,300 | $54,850 |
| 2 people | $23,500 | $39,200 | $62,650 |
| 3 people | $26,450 | $44,100 | $70,500 |
| 4 people | $29,350 | $48,950 | $78,300 |
| 5 people | $31,700 | $52,900 | $84,600 |
| 6 people | $34,050 | $56,800 | $90,850 |
| 7 people | $36,400 | $60,700 | $97,100 |
| 8 people | $38,750 | $64,650 | $103,400 |
Actual limits are set per county/metro area and can differ from the statewide figures above — use HUD's official lookup for your county, or ask your local Public Housing Agency.
Fair Market Rents by county (2026)
FMRs are HUD's rent benchmarks by unit size, used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Source check: 2026-07-20 source
| County / area | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance County Burlington, NC MSA |
$992 | $1,230 | $1,348 | $1,670 | $1,972 |
| Alexander County Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA |
$858 | $908 | $1,095 | $1,372 | $1,660 |
| Alleghany County Alleghany County, NC |
$740 | $745 | $978 | $1,173 | $1,470 |
| Anson County Anson County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$785 | $867 | $1,138 | $1,364 | $1,654 |
| Ashe County Ashe County, NC |
$700 | $705 | $925 | $1,220 | $1,225 |
| Avery County Avery County, NC |
$761 | $766 | $1,005 | $1,205 | $1,510 |
| Beaufort County Beaufort County, NC |
$732 | $737 | $925 | $1,220 | $1,552 |
| Bertie County Bertie County, NC |
$790 | $796 | $1,044 | $1,252 | $1,449 |
| Bladen County Bladen County, NC |
$700 | $705 | $925 | $1,258 | $1,298 |
| Brunswick County Brunswick County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,242 | $1,301 | $1,426 | $1,983 | $2,392 |
| Buncombe County Asheville, NC MSA |
$1,436 | $1,674 | $1,835 | $2,231 | $3,078 |
| Burke County Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA |
$858 | $908 | $1,095 | $1,372 | $1,660 |
| Cabarrus County Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,469 | $1,538 | $1,686 | $2,076 | $2,637 |
| Caldwell County Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA |
$858 | $908 | $1,095 | $1,372 | $1,660 |
| Camden County Camden County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,121 | $1,139 | $1,287 | $1,790 | $2,159 |
| Carteret County Carteret County, NC |
$907 | $913 | $1,198 | $1,541 | $1,966 |
| Caswell County Caswell County, NC |
$743 | $748 | $925 | $1,270 | $1,390 |
| Catawba County Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA |
$858 | $908 | $1,095 | $1,372 | $1,660 |
| Chatham County Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,417 | $1,507 | $1,711 | $2,117 | $2,527 |
| Cherokee County Cherokee County, NC |
$645 | $713 | $935 | $1,290 | $1,497 |
| Chowan County Chowan County, NC |
$924 | $930 | $1,220 | $1,463 | $1,615 |
| Clay County Clay County, NC |
$878 | $948 | $1,039 | $1,429 | $1,561 |
| Cleveland County Cleveland County, NC |
$758 | $763 | $925 | $1,286 | $1,322 |
| Columbus County Columbus County, NC |
$718 | $722 | $925 | $1,109 | $1,225 |
| Craven County Craven County, NC |
$897 | $902 | $1,184 | $1,591 | $1,988 |
| Cumberland County Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,090 | $1,113 | $1,251 | $1,667 | $2,068 |
| Currituck County Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,492 | $1,512 | $1,713 | $2,376 | $2,797 |
| Dare County Dare County, NC |
$1,120 | $1,305 | $1,430 | $1,821 | $1,893 |
| Davidson County Davidson County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$816 | $876 | $960 | $1,316 | $1,591 |
| Davie County Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$995 | $1,082 | $1,232 | $1,607 | $1,898 |
| Duplin County Duplin County, NC |
$742 | $747 | $980 | $1,175 | $1,377 |
| Durham County Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,417 | $1,507 | $1,711 | $2,117 | $2,527 |
| Edgecombe County Rocky Mount, NC MSA |
$913 | $918 | $1,143 | $1,550 | $1,812 |
| Forsyth County Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$995 | $1,082 | $1,232 | $1,607 | $1,898 |
| Franklin County Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA |
$1,524 | $1,596 | $1,750 | $2,196 | $2,936 |
| Gaston County Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,469 | $1,538 | $1,686 | $2,076 | $2,637 |
| Gates County Gates County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,489 | $1,513 | $1,709 | $2,364 | $2,794 |
| Graham County Graham County, NC |
$782 | $844 | $925 | $1,199 | $1,390 |
| Granville County Granville County, NC |
$1,026 | $1,084 | $1,200 | $1,571 | $1,700 |
| Greene County Greene County, NC |
$782 | $823 | $925 | $1,189 | $1,390 |
| Guilford County Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,159 | $1,213 | $1,330 | $1,703 | $1,960 |
| Halifax County Halifax County, NC |
$638 | $742 | $925 | $1,190 | $1,367 |
| Harnett County Harnett County, NC |
$805 | $810 | $980 | $1,363 | $1,644 |
| Haywood County Haywood County, NC |
$1,039 | $1,122 | $1,230 | $1,475 | $1,844 |
| Henderson County Asheville, NC MSA |
$1,436 | $1,674 | $1,835 | $2,231 | $3,078 |
| Hertford County Hertford County, NC |
$638 | $705 | $925 | $1,210 | $1,225 |
| Hoke County Hoke County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$756 | $761 | $998 | $1,388 | $1,674 |
| Hyde County Hyde County, NC |
$751 | $756 | $940 | $1,204 | $1,413 |
| Iredell County Iredell County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,167 | $1,222 | $1,340 | $1,809 | $2,248 |
| Jackson County Jackson County, NC |
$840 | $879 | $964 | $1,272 | $1,276 |
| Johnston County Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA |
$1,524 | $1,596 | $1,750 | $2,196 | $2,936 |
| Jones County Jones County, NC |
$748 | $752 | $925 | $1,179 | $1,552 |
| Lee County Lee County, NC |
$874 | $880 | $1,136 | $1,362 | $1,715 |
| Lenoir County Lenoir County, NC |
$727 | $732 | $925 | $1,241 | $1,441 |
| Lincoln County Lincoln County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$917 | $953 | $1,054 | $1,461 | $1,728 |
| Macon County Macon County, NC |
$681 | $830 | $987 | $1,183 | $1,325 |
| Madison County Asheville, NC MSA |
$1,436 | $1,674 | $1,835 | $2,231 | $3,078 |
| Martin County Martin County, NC |
$700 | $705 | $925 | $1,220 | $1,225 |
| McDowell County McDowell County, NC |
$782 | $790 | $925 | $1,180 | $1,225 |
| Mecklenburg County Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,469 | $1,538 | $1,686 | $2,076 | $2,637 |
| Mitchell County Mitchell County, NC |
$700 | $705 | $925 | $1,134 | $1,225 |
| Montgomery County Montgomery County, NC |
$789 | $794 | $925 | $1,252 | $1,552 |
| Moore County Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC MSA |
$1,157 | $1,239 | $1,358 | $1,889 | $2,278 |
| Nash County Rocky Mount, NC MSA |
$913 | $918 | $1,143 | $1,550 | $1,812 |
| New Hanover County Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,144 | $1,513 | $1,659 | $2,178 | $2,319 |
| Northampton County Northampton County, NC |
$736 | $741 | $972 | $1,165 | $1,344 |
| Onslow County Jacksonville, NC MSA |
$929 | $935 | $1,173 | $1,631 | $1,968 |
| Orange County Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,417 | $1,507 | $1,711 | $2,117 | $2,527 |
| Pamlico County Pamlico County, NC |
$861 | $866 | $1,077 | $1,291 | $1,618 |
| Pasquotank County Pasquotank County, NC |
$921 | $927 | $1,216 | $1,640 | $1,899 |
| Pender County Pender County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,016 | $1,064 | $1,166 | $1,622 | $1,956 |
| Perquimans County Perquimans County, NC |
$799 | $804 | $999 | $1,382 | $1,387 |
| Person County Person County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$739 | $744 | $948 | $1,318 | $1,377 |
| Pitt County Greenville, NC MSA |
$891 | $896 | $1,095 | $1,465 | $1,837 |
| Polk County Polk County, NC |
$824 | $829 | $983 | $1,351 | $1,649 |
| Randolph County Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,159 | $1,213 | $1,330 | $1,703 | $1,960 |
| Richmond County Richmond County, NC |
$714 | $814 | $925 | $1,286 | $1,406 |
| Robeson County Robeson County, NC |
$744 | $748 | $925 | $1,187 | $1,389 |
| Rockingham County Rockingham County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$717 | $793 | $1,040 | $1,286 | $1,463 |
| Rowan County Rowan County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$952 | $958 | $1,196 | $1,573 | $2,006 |
| Rutherford County Rutherford County, NC |
$801 | $806 | $925 | $1,275 | $1,332 |
| Sampson County Sampson County, NC |
$663 | $806 | $925 | $1,109 | $1,302 |
| Scotland County Scotland County, NC |
$750 | $755 | $925 | $1,244 | $1,249 |
| Stanly County Stanly County, NC |
$638 | $705 | $925 | $1,281 | $1,466 |
| Stokes County Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$995 | $1,082 | $1,232 | $1,607 | $1,898 |
| Surry County Surry County, NC |
$700 | $705 | $925 | $1,109 | $1,406 |
| Swain County Swain County, NC |
$806 | $813 | $925 | $1,264 | $1,390 |
| Transylvania County Transylvania County, NC |
$1,032 | $1,039 | $1,363 | $1,634 | $2,048 |
| Tyrrell County Tyrrell County, NC |
$739 | $744 | $925 | $1,286 | $1,390 |
| Union County Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$1,469 | $1,538 | $1,686 | $2,076 | $2,637 |
| Vance County Vance County, NC |
$738 | $743 | $975 | $1,197 | $1,318 |
| Wake County Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA |
$1,524 | $1,596 | $1,750 | $2,196 | $2,936 |
| Warren County Warren County, NC |
$700 | $705 | $925 | $1,172 | $1,239 |
| Washington County Washington County, NC |
$739 | $744 | $925 | $1,197 | $1,391 |
| Watauga County Watauga County, NC |
$822 | $988 | $1,177 | $1,504 | $1,974 |
| Wayne County Goldsboro, NC MSA |
$942 | $948 | $1,244 | $1,496 | $2,021 |
| Wilkes County Wilkes County, NC |
$782 | $793 | $925 | $1,233 | $1,538 |
| Wilson County Wilson County, NC |
$789 | $794 | $1,025 | $1,307 | $1,541 |
| Yadkin County Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area |
$995 | $1,082 | $1,232 | $1,607 | $1,898 |
| Yancey County Yancey County, NC |
$708 | $713 | $935 | $1,233 | $1,238 |
See also: how the Housing Choice Voucher program works · North Carolina Public Housing Agencies.