Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$507,749+1.2% YoY · prices are rising
Market right nowBuyer's marketMore homes for sale than last year, 20% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$110,069About 1.9× the local median income ($58,832): hard to afford
Days on market102 daysSlower than a year ago: buyers have time to negotiate
The typical home in Watauga County, NC is worth $507,749, up 1.2% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $402,655, so the area is 26.1% overvalued. It is a buyer's market: homes take about 102 days to sell, listings are up 20% from a year ago, 20% of listings have had a price cut. A household needs about $110,069 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 $58,832. Typical rent is $2,198 a month. In the latest IRS figures, 291 more people moved out than in.
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
$507,749
Change in 1 year
+1.2%
Overvalued %
+26.1%
Show 6 more
Fair home value
$402,655
Change in 5 years
+28.4%
Home value to income
8.6×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$2,752
Income needed to afford it
$110,069
Property tax rate
0.39%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$2,198
Price-to-rent ratio
19.2×
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,311
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Gross rental yield
5.20%
Cap rate (estimate)
3.38%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+19.5%
Days on market
102
Listings with a price cut
19.5%
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Homes for sale
557
Pending sales per 100 listings
19
Asking price per sq ft
$347
People and jobs
Median household income
$58,832
Population change (1 year)
−0.2%
Unemployment rate
7.9%
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Population
54,786
Income adjusted for cost of living
$66,552
Net moves in (IRS)
−291
Cost of living (US = 100)
88.4
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
9.0
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
71.9
Unhealthy air days a year
0
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Flood risk score
80.3
Wildfire risk score
40.9
Walkability (1 to 20)
7.6
Road, rail and air noise
55 dB
Questions people ask
Is Watauga County, NC overvalued?
Home prices in Watauga County, NC are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $402,655, so the area is 26.1% overvalued.
Is Watauga County, NC a buyer's or seller's market?
Watauga County, NC is a buyer's market: homes take about 102 days to sell, listings are up 20% from a year ago, 20% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Watauga County, NC?
Home values in Watauga County, NC are up 1.2% over the last year.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Watauga County, NC?
A household needs about $110,069 a year to afford the typical home in Watauga County, NC at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $58,832.