Watauga County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Watauga 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.
-
Median home price 35% above the North Carolina median More expensive than 88% of counties in North Carolina$376,675
-
Median rent 8% below the North Carolina median More expensive than 75% of counties in North Carolina$1,126
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Watauga County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $376,675 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 6.1% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,126 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.0% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Watauga County is about 35% higher than in North Carolina. Rent is about 8% 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 Watauga County, up about 6.1% and 4.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Watauga County rose about 36.6% between 2015 and 2024, from $825 to $1,126. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 7.2 yearly household incomes in Watauga County.
Buying the median-priced home in Watauga County costs roughly 27.9 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 Watauga County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Watauga County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $376,675 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $52,022 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 7.2 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Watauga County rose about 87.2%, while median household income rose about 49.1% 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 | Watauga County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 39.4% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 24.1% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 36.4% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2011 | 2011 |
Watauga County has a homeownership rate of 39.4%, lower than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 36.4%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Watauga County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.29 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1987 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.4 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Watauga County was built around 1987. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.4 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Watauga County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Watauga County, NC is typical in size for this group, 55,114 residents against a local median of 56,703, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. The measure that sets Watauga County, NC apart most is median home price: $376,675, 103% above the local median of $185,807.
Median rent tells the same story from another angle: $1,126 against a local median of $743, 52% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is homeownership, and at 17% below the local median it puts Watauga County, NC at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $124,623 on median home price, so Watauga County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Watauga County, NC has the highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watauga County, NC | 55,114 | $376,675 #1/4 | $1,126 #1/4 | 62.1% #4/4 |
| Avery County, NC | 17,672 | $185,807 | $772 | 83.0% |
| Caldwell County, NC | 80,517 | $269,620 | $743 | 73.5% |
| Carter County, TN | 56,703 | $144,997 | $739 | 75.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Watauga County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Watauga County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Watauga County, North Carolina is $376,675, higher than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Watauga County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Watauga County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $376,675. 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 Watauga County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Watauga County, North Carolina is $1,126 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Watauga County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Watauga County, North Carolina was $925 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Watauga County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Watauga County, North Carolina is about 27.9, meaning it would take roughly 27.9 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 Watauga County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Watauga County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Watauga County, up about 6.1% and 4.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Watauga County, North Carolina?
39.4% of households in Watauga County, North Carolina own their home, lower than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Watauga County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Watauga County, North Carolina is 36.4%, higher than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →