Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$256,108−2.5% YoY · prices are falling
Market right nowBuyer's marketMore homes for sale than last year, 18% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$55,519About 1.0× the local median income ($57,124): affordable for a typical household
Days on market85 daysSlower than a year ago: buyers have time to negotiate
The typical home in McDowell County, NC is worth $256,108, down 2.5% from a year ago. That is slightly above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $255,350, so the area is 0.3% overvalued. It is a buyer's market: homes take about 85 days to sell, listings are up 15% from a year ago, 18% of listings have had a price cut. A household needs about $55,519 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 $57,124. Typical rent is $1,425 a month. In the latest IRS figures, 132 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
$256,108
Change in 1 year
−2.5%
Overvalued %
+0.3%
Show 6 more
Fair home value
$255,350
Change in 5 years
+10.9%
Home value to income
4.5×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$1,388
Income needed to afford it
$55,519
Property tax rate
0.53%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$1,425
Price-to-rent ratio
15.0×
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,012
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Gross rental yield
6.68%
Cap rate (estimate)
4.34%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+15.4%
Days on market
85
Listings with a price cut
17.9%
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Homes for sale
262
Pending sales per 100 listings
21
Asking price per sq ft
$266
People and jobs
Median household income
$57,124
Population change (1 year)
−0.2%
Unemployment rate
4.1%
Show 4 more
Population
45,198
Income adjusted for cost of living
$64,620
Net moves in (IRS)
+132
Cost of living (US = 100)
88.4
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
6.3
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
59.2
Unhealthy air days a year
0
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
72.5
Wildfire risk score
59.4
Walkability (1 to 20)
5.4
Road, rail and air noise
55 dB
Questions people ask
Is McDowell County, NC overvalued?
Home prices in McDowell County, NC are slightly above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $255,350, so the area is 0.3% overvalued.
Is McDowell County, NC a buyer's or seller's market?
McDowell County, NC is a buyer's market: homes take about 85 days to sell, listings are up 15% from a year ago, 18% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in McDowell County, NC?
Home values in McDowell County, NC are down 2.5% over the last year.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in McDowell County, NC?
A household needs about $55,519 a year to afford the typical home in McDowell County, NC at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $57,124.