Rocky Mount, 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.
affordable
Price to income
2.66×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs North Carolina
- 3.36×-0.70
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.77
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
23.9%
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%-1.3
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
5.83%
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%+1.42
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+1.48
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.16%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs North Carolina
- 0.20%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.13
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
3.62
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+0.09
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
softening
Unemployment
4.8%
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
+52.7%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+0.8%
Median home value
$153,000
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $918 | $11,016 | 19.2% |
| 2 BR | $1,143 | $13,716 | 23.9% |
| 3 BR | $1,550 | $18,600 | 32.4% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
4.8%
Median household income
$57,437
What's being built
Total TTM
521
+7.6% YoY
Single-family
519
2–4 unit
2
5+ unit
0
All 2 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nash County | 95,015 | $171,100 | $60,704 | 469 | +4.0% |
| Edgecombe County | 49,067 | $116,800 | $48,480 | 52 | +40.5% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Rocky Mount | 144,082 | $57,437 | 2.66× | 5.83% | +52.7% | 3.62 | 4.8% |
| Morristown, TN | 143,196 | $58,130 | — | — | +70.2% | — | 3.3% |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 139,287 | $58,705 | — | — | +35.3% | — | 4.5% |
| Dothan, AL | 150,969 | $56,772 | — | — | +49.1% | — | 2.3% |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 147,453 | $55,046 | — | — | +47.2% | — | 4.2% |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 151,599 | $58,049 | — | — | +64.6% | — | 2.5% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+228
+0.16% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Wake County, NC | 641 |
| Edgecombe County, NC | 455 |
| Nash County, NC | 433 |
| Wilson County, NC | 351 |
| Halifax County, NC | 198 |
| Pitt County, NC | 192 |
Who lives in Rocky Mount
- Median age
- 42
- Bachelor's+
- 20.0%
- Owner-occupancy
- 62.2%
- Vacancy rate
- 13.7%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 39.9%
- Median household income
- $57,437
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.