Rutherford County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Rutherford 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 5% above the North Carolina median More expensive than 75% of counties in North Carolina$290,943
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Median rent 36% below the North Carolina median Cheaper than 77% of counties in North Carolina$783
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Rutherford County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $290,943 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 19.7% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $783 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.3% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Rutherford County is about 5% higher than in North Carolina. Rent is about 36% 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 Rutherford County, up about 19.7% and 3.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Rutherford County rose about 32.0% between 2015 and 2024, from $593 to $783. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 5.6 yearly household incomes in Rutherford County.
Buying the median-priced home in Rutherford County costs roughly 31.0 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 Rutherford County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Rutherford County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $290,943 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $51,879 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 5.6 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Rutherford County rose about 204.3%, while median household income rose about 37.3% 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 | Rutherford County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 60.1% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 21.2% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 18.7% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 17.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2009 | 2011 | 2011 |
Rutherford County has a homeownership rate of 60.1%, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 18.7%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Rutherford County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.39 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1982 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Rutherford County was built around 1982. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.
Rutherford County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Rutherford County, NC is typical in size for this group, 64,922 residents against a local median of 56,649, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. The measure that sets Rutherford County, NC apart most is median home price: $290,943, 43% above the local median of $202,989.
The counties themselves spread $349,105 on median home price, so Rutherford County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Rutherford County, NC has the 3rd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherford County, NC | 64,922 | $290,943 #3/6 | $783 #6/6 | 73.9% #4/6 |
| Polk County, NC | 19,891 | $425,296 | $1,177 | 76.9% |
| McDowell County, NC | 44,809 | $202,989 | $806 | 75.6% |
| Cleveland County, NC | 100,962 | $104,677 | $913 | 70.9% |
| Burke County, NC | 87,684 | $79,920 | $883 | 74.5% |
| Cherokee County, SC | 56,649 | $429,025 | $868 | 73.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Rutherford County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Rutherford County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Rutherford County, North Carolina is $290,943, higher than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Rutherford County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Rutherford County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $290,943. 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 Rutherford County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Rutherford County, North Carolina is $783 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Rutherford County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Rutherford County, North Carolina was $655 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Rutherford County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Rutherford County, North Carolina is about 31.0, meaning it would take roughly 31.0 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 Rutherford County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Rutherford County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Rutherford County, up about 19.7% and 3.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Rutherford County, North Carolina?
60.1% of households in Rutherford County, North Carolina own their home, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Rutherford County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Rutherford County, North Carolina is 18.7%, higher than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
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