Caldwell County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Caldwell County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 3% below the North Carolina median$269,620
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Median rent 39% below the North Carolina median Cheaper than 91% of counties in North Carolina$743
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Caldwell County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $269,620 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 14.5% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $743 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.4% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Caldwell County is about 3% lower than in North Carolina. Rent is about 39% lower than the North Carolina average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Caldwell County, up about 14.5% and 2.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Caldwell County rose about 23.2% between 2015 and 2024, from $603 to $743. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.8 yearly household incomes in Caldwell County.
Buying the median-priced home in Caldwell County costs roughly 30.2 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Caldwell County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Caldwell County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $269,620 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $56,350 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.8 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Caldwell County rose about 101.0%, while median household income rose about 43.0% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Caldwell County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 23.3% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 12.0% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 18.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2008 | 2011 | 2011 |
Caldwell County has a homeownership rate of 64.8%, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 12.0%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Caldwell County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.42 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1979 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.4 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Caldwell County was built around 1979. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.4 rooms, staying for about 18.0 years on average.
Caldwell County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Caldwell County, NC is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 80,517 residents against a local median of 55,114. Caldwell County, NC's median home price, at $269,620, runs 20% above the $224,804 typical of the counties around it.
Median rent tells the same story from another angle: $743 against a local median of $883, 16% below it. The counties themselves spread $296,755 on median home price, so Caldwell County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Caldwell County, NC has the 3rd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caldwell County, NC | 80,517 | $269,620 #3/6 | $743 #6/6 | 73.5% #4/6 |
| Burke County, NC | 87,684 | $79,920 | $883 | 74.5% |
| Watauga County, NC | 55,114 | $376,675 | $1,126 | 62.1% |
| Alexander County, NC | 36,412 | $270,833 | $764 | 80.7% |
| Avery County, NC | 17,672 | $185,807 | $772 | 83.0% |
| Catawba County, NC | 163,556 | $224,804 | $965 | 72.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Caldwell County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Caldwell County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Caldwell County, North Carolina is $269,620, lower than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Caldwell County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Caldwell County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $269,620. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Caldwell County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Caldwell County, North Carolina is $743 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Caldwell County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Caldwell County, North Carolina was $646 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Caldwell County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Caldwell County, North Carolina is about 30.2, meaning it would take roughly 30.2 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Caldwell County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Caldwell County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Caldwell County, up about 14.5% and 2.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Caldwell County, North Carolina?
64.8% of households in Caldwell County, North Carolina own their home, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Caldwell County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Caldwell County, North Carolina is 12.0%, lower than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
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