Fayetteville, NC
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
moderate
Price to income
3.16×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs North Carolina
- 3.36×-0.20
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.27
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
moderate
Rent to income
25.5%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs North Carolina
- 25.2%
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
5.25%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs North Carolina
- 4.41%+0.84
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+0.90
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.11%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs North Carolina
- 0.20%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.08
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
strong
Permit pipeline
6.98
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs North Carolina
- 7.51
- vs U.S.
- 3.52+3.46
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
softening
Unemployment
4.3%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs North Carolina
- 3.5%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+62.6%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+2.7%
Median home value
$185,900
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $1,113 | $13,356 | 22.7% |
| 2 BR | $1,251 | $15,012 | 25.5% |
| 3 BR | $1,667 | $20,004 | 34.0% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
4.3%
Median household income
$58,909
What's being built
Total TTM
3,648
+41.0% YoY
Single-family
3,224
2–4 unit
20
5+ unit
404
All 3 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | 335,207 | $183,700 | $58,780 | 1,216 | -4.1% |
| Harnett County | 134,718 | $220,700 | $69,012 | 1,873 | +83.1% |
| Hoke County | 52,612 | $196,000 | $60,095 | 559 | -1.8% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Fayetteville | 522,537 | $58,909 | 3.16× | 5.25% | +62.6% | 6.98 | 4.3% |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 540,328 | $55,357 | — | — | +63.2% | — | 4.9% |
| Lafayette, LA | 479,865 | $60,910 | — | — | +24.9% | — | 3.6% |
| Springfield, MO | 477,056 | $61,488 | — | — | +60.3% | — | 2.9% |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 496,299 | $64,623 | — | — | +65.0% | — | 5.9% |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | 567,287 | $63,656 | — | — | +59.8% | — | 4.3% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+586
+0.11% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Cumberland County, NC | 1,772 |
| Wake County, NC | 1,743 |
| Harnett County, NC | 865 |
| Hoke County, NC | 794 |
| Robeson County, NC | 551 |
| Johnston County, NC | 504 |
Who lives in Fayetteville
- Median age
- 32
- Bachelor's+
- 26.4%
- Owner-occupancy
- 56.0%
- Vacancy rate
- 10.3%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 46.5%
- Median household income
- $58,909
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.