North Carolina housing market
Statewide listing data for September 2026, the latest month Realtor.com® Economic Research has published, with two years of history. Checked October 26, 2026.
North Carolina at a glance
SoutheastSource: Realtor.com® Economic Research (North Carolina, September 2026). Asking prices and active listings, not closed sales.
What the data says
- There are 11.9% more homes for sale in North Carolina than a year ago.
- The median asking price is down 4.6% from a year ago.
- 23% of active listings have had at least one price reduction.
- The typical listing spends 69 days on the market, 3 days longer than a year ago.
Repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, published quarterly with a lag of about two months.
Two-year trend
Median listing price, North Carolina
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2024-09-01 | $413K |
| 2024-10-01 | $408K |
| 2024-11-01 | $400K |
| 2024-12-01 | $399K |
| 2025-01-01 | $399K |
| 2025-02-01 | $399K |
| 2025-03-01 | $400K |
| 2025-04-01 | $420K |
| 2025-05-01 | $425K |
| 2025-06-01 | $425K |
| 2025-07-01 | $425K |
| 2025-08-01 | $420K |
| 2025-09-01 | $419K |
| 2025-10-01 | $419K |
| 2025-11-01 | $405K |
| 2025-12-01 | $400K |
| 2026-01-01 | $396K |
| 2026-02-01 | $399K |
| 2026-03-01 | $400K |
| 2026-04-01 | $412K |
| 2026-05-01 | $419K |
| 2026-06-01 | $419K |
| 2026-07-01 | $415K |
| 2026-08-01 | $409K |
| 2026-09-01 | $400K |
Homes for sale, North Carolina
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2024-09-01 | 33K |
| 2024-10-01 | 33K |
| 2024-11-01 | 34K |
| 2024-12-01 | 31K |
| 2025-01-01 | 29K |
| 2025-02-01 | 30K |
| 2025-03-01 | 32K |
| 2025-04-01 | 35K |
| 2025-05-01 | 39K |
| 2025-06-01 | 42K |
| 2025-07-01 | 43K |
| 2025-08-01 | 43K |
| 2025-09-01 | 44K |
| 2025-10-01 | 44K |
| 2025-11-01 | 44K |
| 2025-12-01 | 40K |
| 2026-01-01 | 36K |
| 2026-02-01 | 36K |
| 2026-03-01 | 38K |
| 2026-04-01 | 41K |
| 2026-05-01 | 44K |
| 2026-06-01 | 46K |
| 2026-07-01 | 47K |
| 2026-08-01 | 48K |
| 2026-09-01 | 49K |
Listings follow a seasonal pattern each year; compare a month with the same month a year earlier.
North Carolina compared with the U.S.
Compare with another state| Measure | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median listing price | $400,000 (−4.6% y/y) | $419,250 (−1.4% y/y) |
| Homes for sale | 48,917 (+11.9% y/y) | 1,161,615 (+5.4% y/y) |
| Median days on market | 69 days (+3 days y/y) | 61 days (Unchanged y/y) |
| Listings with a price cut | 23.1% (+1.3 pts y/y) | 20.8% (+0.9 pts y/y) |
| Median list price per sq ft | $212 (−2.4% y/y) | $223 (−1.7% y/y) |
Sources: Realtor.com® Economic Research (North Carolina, September 2026); Realtor.com® Economic Research (United States, September 2026). “y/y” is the change from the same month a year earlier.
An affordability illustration
Run your own numbersThe inputs
- Median listing price (September 2026)$400,000
- Down payment20% ($80,000)
- Loan amount$320,000
- Rate: 30-year fixed, national (Week of Oct 22, 2026)7.32%
- Median household income, North Carolina (2025)$80,250
This is an illustration, not a lender calculation. It leaves out property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance and HOA dues, which can add several hundred dollars or more a month. The rate is a national average for strong-credit borrowers; your rate may differ.
Sources: Realtor.com® Economic Research (North Carolina, September 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (United States, Week of Oct 22, 2026); U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (North Carolina, 2025).
Editor’s notes on North Carolina
Written March 2026; conditions may have changedNorth Carolina is the Southeast's success story. The Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) is one of the fastest-growing tech corridors in the country, home to 3 major research universities and a booming biotech ecosystem. Charlotte is a legitimate major financial center. The entire state has benefited from corporate relocations and remains more affordable than comparable markets nationally.
For buyers
Research Triangle is one of the best long-term holds in America. Get in now — appreciation metrics are strong and the economic fundamentals keep improving. Durham's Southside and NE Durham neighborhoods are early-stage gentrification plays.
For sellers
Strong buyer pool from corporate relocations. Stage for relocating executive buyers — they have budgets and move quickly. Price at market and you'll have multiple offers.
These notes are background written by our editors in March 2026, before the data above. Where they differ, the dated figures on this page are more current.