Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$291,519+1.1% YoY · prices are rising
Market right nowBalanced, leaning buyersMore homes for sale than last year, 21% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$63,195About 0.9× the local median income ($70,879): affordable for a typical household
Days on market66 daysAbout the same pace as a year ago
Next 12 months+2.3%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly
The typical home in Catawba County, NC is worth $291,519, up 1.1% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $250,724, so the area is 16.3% overvalued. It is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 66 days to sell, listings are up 23% from a year ago, 21% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 2.3% over the next year. A household needs about $63,195 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $70,879. Typical rent is $1,638 a month, or $1,817 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 1,564 more people moved in than out.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$291,519
Change in 1 year
+1.1%
Overvalued %
+16.3%
Show 7 more
Fair home value
$250,724
Change in 5 years
+31.0%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+2.3%
Home value to income
4.1×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$1,580
Income needed to afford it
$63,195
Property tax rate
0.58%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$1,638
Typical rent for houses
$1,817
Price-to-rent ratio
14.8×
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HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,147
Gross rental yield
6.74%
Cap rate (estimate)
4.38%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+22.8%
Days on market
66
Listings with a price cut
21.3%
Show 3 more
Homes for sale
696
Pending sales per 100 listings
46
Asking price per sq ft
$193
People and jobs
Median household income
$70,879
Population change (1 year)
+1.8%
Unemployment rate
3.7%
Show 4 more
Population
170,172
Income adjusted for cost of living
$80,089
Net moves in (IRS)
+1,564
Cost of living (US = 100)
88.5
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
7.0
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
80.6
Unhealthy air days a year
0
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
85.1
Wildfire risk score
36.6
Walkability (1 to 20)
6.5
Road, rail and air noise
55 dB
Questions people ask
Is Catawba County, NC overvalued?
Home prices in Catawba County, NC are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $250,724, so the area is 16.3% overvalued.
Is Catawba County, NC a buyer's or seller's market?
Catawba County, NC is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 66 days to sell, listings are up 23% from a year ago, 21% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Catawba County, NC?
Home values in Catawba County, NC are up 1.1% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +2.3%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Catawba County, NC?
A household needs about $63,195 a year to afford the typical home in Catawba County, NC at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $70,879.