Is Lenoir County, NC good for real estate investing?

Lenoir County has an investment score of 80/100, rated as "Strong Buy". The county ranks #6 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Lenoir?

The rent-to-price ratio in Lenoir County is 8.33% annually, which ranks in the 92th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Lenoir?

The median home price in Lenoir County is $157,762. This ranks #189 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Lenoir?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Lenoir County would generate negative cash flow of $115/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Lenoir County

North CarolinaPopulation: 55,071

/100

Buy for appreciation

#6 of 1,000 counties

#1 in North Carolina (100 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated July 20, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$157,762

Median Home Price

31% below national median

$1,095/mo

Median Rent

24% below national median

8.33%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 8% nationally

-$115

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,095/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$118,322	+$91/mo	7.2%	+4.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$157,762	-$115/mo	5.4%	-3.8%
125% of median newer / premium	$197,203	-$322/mo	4.3%	-8.5%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$157,762

Down Payment (20%)$31,552

Loan Amount$126,210

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,095

Monthly P&I-$827

Est. Expenses (35%)-$383

Net Cash Flow-$115/mo

5.4%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-3.8%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.33%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.4% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

80/100

Cash Flow(30%)

83/100

Based on 8.33% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

93/100

Based on 7.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

96/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Above-average rent-to-price ratio (8.33%)
+Strong price appreciation (+7.2% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative leverage (cap rate 5.4% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

55,071

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentLenoirNC	80	$157,762	$1,095	8.33%	Strong Buy
NorthamptonNC	78	$115,952	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
PerquimansNC	68	$264,692	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
DavidsonNC	65	$264,061	$1,446	6.57%	Buy	View
CherokeeNC	62	$274,117	$1,625	7.11%	Buy	View
CumberlandNC	61	$227,591	$1,422	7.50%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Buy for appreciationLenoir scores strongly overall, but a leveraged buy-and-hold loses $115/mo at current rates. Best fit for appreciation-focused buyers, all-cash operators, or value-add deals below median.

Lenoir County in North Carolina scores 80/100, ranking #6 of 1,000 US counties (top 1%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $115/month; the 8.33% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-115/mo

Cap Rate

5.4%

Cash-on-Cash

-3.8%

Related markets

Markets like Lenoir with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Lenoir

Northampton County, lower entry price

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in North Carolina →

Rent vs buy in North Carolina cities

Rent vs buy in Charlotte, NCMedian $416,475 · rent $1,737/mo Rent vs buy in Raleigh, NCMedian $474,088 · rent $1,668/mo Rent vs buy in Greensboro, NCMedian $270,247 · rent $1,424/mo Rent vs buy in Durham, NCMedian $394,861 · rent $1,628/mo Rent vs buy in Winston-Salem, NCMedian $277,643 · rent $1,545/mo All North Carolina citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Lenoir?

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,095/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$118,322	+$91/mo	7.2%	+4.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$157,762	-$115/mo	5.4%	-3.8%
125% of median newer / premium	$197,203	-$322/mo	4.3%	-8.5%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$157,762

Down Payment (20%)$31,552

Loan Amount$126,210

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,095

Monthly P&I-$827

Est. Expenses (35%)-$383

Net Cash Flow-$115/mo

5.4%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-3.8%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.33%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.4% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

80/100

Cash Flow(30%)

83/100

Based on 8.33% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

93/100

Based on 7.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

96/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentLenoirNC	80	$157,762	$1,095	8.33%	Strong Buy
NorthamptonNC	78	$115,952	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
PerquimansNC	68	$264,692	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
DavidsonNC	65	$264,061	$1,446	6.57%	Buy	View
CherokeeNC	62	$274,117	$1,625	7.11%	Buy	View
CumberlandNC	61	$227,591	$1,422	7.50%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-115/mo

Cap Rate

5.4%

Cash-on-Cash

-3.8%