How much is rent in Raleigh, NC?

The median 2-bedroom in Raleigh rents for $1,673 a month with utilities, $110 more than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,475 and a 3-bedroom $2,015.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$1,6732-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,4751-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$66,920Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
20%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Raleigh by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$1,596/mo
Raleigh
$1,596
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $63,840²
1 bedroom$1,475/mo
Raleigh
$1,475
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $59,000²
2 bedrooms$1,673/mo
Raleigh
$1,673
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $66,920²
3 bedrooms$2,015/mo
Raleigh
$2,015
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $80,600²
4 bedrooms$2,330/mo
Raleigh
$2,330
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $93,200²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Raleigh

Where rent costs less than Raleigh

40 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Raleigh
Paducah, KY	$886	$787/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$772/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$754/mo
Boise, ID	$1,652	$21/mo
Wilmington, NC	$1,658	$15/mo
Nashville, TN	$1,666	$7/mo

Rent in Raleigh: questions people ask

How much is rent in Raleigh?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $1,713 a month. By size: studio $1,596, 1 bedroom $1,475, 2 bedrooms $1,673, 3 bedrooms $2,015, 4 bedrooms $2,330 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Raleigh?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $66,920 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $59,000.

What share of income goes to rent in Raleigh?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 20% of the median household income of $101,695 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Raleigh?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

Rent elsewhere in North Carolina

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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