Lincoln County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Lincoln 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 40% below the North Carolina median$165,739
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Median rent 17% below the North Carolina median$1,015
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Lincoln County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $165,739 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 10.0% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,015 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Lincoln County is about 40% lower 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 Lincoln County, up about 10.0% and 5.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Lincoln County rose about 51.3% between 2015 and 2024, from $671 to $1,015. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.1 yearly household incomes in Lincoln County.
Buying the median-priced home in Lincoln County costs roughly 13.6 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Lincoln County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Lincoln County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $165,739 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $78,296 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.1 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Lincoln County rose about 71.2%, while median household income rose about 46.1% 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 | Lincoln County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 73.5% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 19.6% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 6.8% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
Lincoln County has a homeownership rate of 73.5%, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 6.8%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Lincoln County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.50 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1992 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.9 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Lincoln County was built around 1992. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 5.9 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Lincoln County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Lincoln County, NC is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 92,729 residents against a local median of 163,556. Where Lincoln County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 26% below the local median of $224,804 at $165,739.
The counties themselves spread $232,014 on median home price, so Lincoln County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lincoln County, NC has the 5th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County, NC | 92,729 | $165,739 #5/6 | $1,015 #3/6 | 78.9% #2/6 |
| Catawba County, NC | 163,556 | $224,804 | $965 | 72.2% |
| Gaston County, NC | 234,809 | $208,491 | $1,152 | 66.9% |
| Cleveland County, NC | 100,962 | $104,677 | $913 | 70.9% |
| Alexander County, NC | 36,412 | $270,833 | $764 | 80.7% |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | 1,154,528 | $336,691 | $1,627 | 55.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Lincoln County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Lincoln County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Lincoln County, North Carolina is $165,739, lower than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Lincoln County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Lincoln County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $165,739. 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 Lincoln County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Lincoln County, North Carolina is $1,015 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Lincoln County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Lincoln County, North Carolina was $776 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Lincoln County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Lincoln County, North Carolina is about 13.6, meaning it would take roughly 13.6 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Lincoln County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Lincoln County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Lincoln County, up about 10.0% and 5.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Lincoln County, North Carolina?
73.5% of households in Lincoln County, North Carolina own their home, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Lincoln County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Lincoln County, North Carolina is 6.8%, lower than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
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