Lee County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Lee 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 12% above the North Carolina median More expensive than 81% of counties in North Carolina$312,150
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Median rent 17% below the North Carolina median$1,017
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Lee County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $312,150 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 12.0% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,017 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.0% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Lee County is about 12% higher than in North Carolina. Rent is about 17% 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 Lee County, up about 12.0% and 5.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Lee County rose about 43.0% between 2015 and 2024, from $711 to $1,017. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.7 yearly household incomes in Lee County.
Buying the median-priced home in Lee County costs roughly 25.6 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 Lee County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Lee County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $312,150 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $66,701 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.7 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Lee County rose about 224.8%, while median household income rose about 46.7% 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 | Lee County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 62.3% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 30.3% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 7.4% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
Lee County has a homeownership rate of 62.3%, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 7.4%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Lee County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.58 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1987 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Lee County was built around 1987. On average, 2.6 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Lee County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Lee County, NC is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 65,807 residents against a local median of 104,876. The measure that sets Lee County, NC apart most is median home price: $312,150, 60% above the local median of $194,860.
The counties themselves spread $149,031 on median home price, so Lee County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lee County, NC has the highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, NC | 65,807 | $312,150 #1/6 | $1,017 #6/6 | 67.3% #5/6 |
| Chatham County, NC | 80,150 | $194,860 | $1,179 | 80.6% |
| Harnett County, NC | 139,132 | $173,335 | $1,112 | 71.0% |
| Moore County, NC | 104,876 | $265,450 | $1,254 | 76.4% |
| Hoke County, NC | 53,784 | $197,321 | $1,089 | 73.0% |
| Cumberland County, NC | 338,542 | $116,419 | $1,221 | 55.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Lee County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Lee County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Lee County, North Carolina is $312,150, higher than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Lee County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Lee County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $312,150. 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 Lee County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Lee County, North Carolina is $1,017 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Lee County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Lee County, North Carolina was $799 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Lee County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Lee County, North Carolina is about 25.6, meaning it would take roughly 25.6 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 Lee County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Lee County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Lee County, up about 12.0% and 5.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Lee County, North Carolina?
62.3% of households in Lee County, North Carolina own their home, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Lee County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Lee County, North Carolina is 7.4%, lower than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
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