How much house can I afford on $120,000 in North Carolina?
About $437,000 with 20% down ($347,000 with an FHA loan), using North Carolina's 0.64% property tax rate.
That is $104,599 more than the typical North Carolina home ($332,159), so a $120,000 salary can buy a typical home here. The payment of $2,800 covers $2,350 principal and interest, $231 property tax and $218 insurance.
Counties in North Carolina you can afford on $120,000
88 of 100 counties have a typical home value at or below $437,000. The 25 priciest of them:
| County | Typical home | 1-yr change | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pender County | $435,927 | +0.7% | 0.63% |
| Henderson County | $422,515 | -1.7% | 0.52% |
| Mecklenburg County | $414,531 | -0.9% | 0.71% |
| Moore County | $410,202 | +0.9% | 0.53% |
| Brunswick County | $404,357 | +0.5% | 0.54% |
| Lincoln County | $402,332 | +1.5% | 0.58% |
| Camden County | $394,319 | +2.2% | 0.58% |
| Madison County | $388,117 | -0.8% | 0.48% |
| Durham County | $384,848 | -3.7% | 0.79% |
| Avery County | $384,253 | -1.1% | 0.38% |
| Iredell County | $383,806 | +0.4% | 0.61% |
| Cabarrus County | $380,437 | -0.3% | 0.73% |
| Macon County | $359,927 | +1.9% | 0.43% |
| Franklin County | $355,924 | -0.3% | 0.65% |
| Ashe County | $351,357 | +3.6% | 0.49% |
| Johnston County | $339,986 | -0.6% | 0.62% |
| Haywood County | $338,535 | -3.0% | 0.57% |
| Clay County | $338,459 | -0.6% | 0.43% |
| Davie County | $325,287 | +3.2% | 0.63% |
| Swain County | $321,857 | +0.5% | 0.41% |
| Granville County | $315,433 | -0.6% | 0.67% |
| Yancey County | $313,735 | +0.4% | 0.48% |
| Polk County | $306,649 | -3.0% | 0.54% |
| Stanly County | $302,546 | +2.3% | 0.57% |
| Gaston County | $295,114 | -0.2% | 0.75% |
Affordable metro areas
Assumes a 30-year fixed loan at 7.11%, property tax of 0.64% of the home value a year, homeowners insurance of 0.6% a year, PMI of 0.5% of the loan a year when the down payment is under 20%, and FHA mortgage insurance of 0.55% a year plus a 1.75% upfront premium added to the loan. Your rate, taxes and insurance will differ.
Other salaries in North Carolina
Frequently asked questions
How much house can I afford on $120,000 in North Carolina?
About $437,000 with 20% down at 7.11%, keeping the payment (with North Carolina's 0.64% property tax and insurance) under $2,800 a month.
Is $120,000 enough to buy a house in North Carolina?
Yes: the typical North Carolina home is worth $332,159 (Zillow, September 2026) and $120,000 supports about $437,000. 88 of 100 counties are within budget.