Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$445,851+0.7% YoY · prices are rising
Market right nowBalanced, leaning buyersMore homes for sale than last year, 24% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$96,651About 1.3× the local median income ($77,098): a stretch for a typical household
Days on market67 daysAbout the same pace as a year ago
Next 12 months+1.8%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly
The typical home in New Hanover County, NC is worth $445,851, up 0.7% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $405,035, so the area is 10.1% overvalued. It is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 67 days to sell, listings are up 8% from a year ago, 24% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 1.8% over the next year. A household needs about $96,651 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 $77,098. Typical rent is $1,719 a month, or $2,135 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 1,667 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
$445,851
Change in 1 year
+0.7%
Overvalued %
+10.1%
Show 7 more
Fair home value
$405,035
Change in 5 years
+29.4%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+1.8%
Home value to income
5.8×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$2,416
Income needed to afford it
$96,651
Property tax rate
0.54%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$1,719
Typical rent for houses
$2,135
Price-to-rent ratio
21.6×
Show 3 more
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,705
Gross rental yield
4.63%
Cap rate (estimate)
3.01%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+7.5%
Days on market
67
Listings with a price cut
23.8%
Show 3 more
Homes for sale
1,298
Pending sales per 100 listings
33
Asking price per sq ft
$282
People and jobs
Median household income
$77,098
Population change (1 year)
+1.1%
Unemployment rate
4.5%
Show 4 more
Population
245,959
Income adjusted for cost of living
$79,977
Net moves in (IRS)
+1,667
Cost of living (US = 100)
96.4
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
5.2
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
96.1
Unhealthy air days a year
2
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
89.9
Wildfire risk score
83.0
Walkability (1 to 20)
10.6
Road, rail and air noise
55 dB
Questions people ask
Is New Hanover County, NC overvalued?
Home prices in New Hanover County, NC are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $405,035, so the area is 10.1% overvalued.
Is New Hanover County, NC a buyer's or seller's market?
New Hanover County, NC is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 67 days to sell, listings are up 8% from a year ago, 24% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in New Hanover County, NC?
Home values in New Hanover County, NC are up 0.7% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +1.8%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in New Hanover County, NC?
A household needs about $96,651 a year to afford the typical home in New Hanover County, NC at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $77,098.