North Carolina Section 538 income limits for FY2026
A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In North Carolina that limit for a family of four runs from $68,200 in Robeson County, NC to $152,600 in Raleigh-Cary, NC. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.
| Area | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC metro area | 82,400 | 94,200 | 105,950 | 117,750 | 127,150 | 136,600 | 146,000 | 155,400 |
| Burlington, NC metro area | 71,350 | 81,500 | 91,700 | 101,900 | 110,050 | 118,200 | 126,350 | 134,500 |
| Anson County, NC part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area | 56,100 | 64,100 | 72,150 | 80,150 | 86,550 | 92,950 | 99,400 | 105,800 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area | 94,500 | 108,000 | 121,500 | 135,000 | 145,800 | 156,600 | 167,400 | 178,200 |
| Iredell County, NC part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area | 86,400 | 98,700 | 111,050 | 123,400 | 133,250 | 143,150 | 153,000 | 162,900 |
| Lincoln County, NC part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area | 85,000 | 97,150 | 109,300 | 121,450 | 131,150 | 140,900 | 150,600 | 160,300 |
| Rowan County, NC part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area | 70,600 | 80,700 | 90,750 | 100,850 | 108,950 | 117,000 | 125,050 | 133,150 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area | 104,600 | 119,500 | 134,450 | 149,400 | 161,350 | 173,300 | 185,250 | 197,200 |
| Person County, NC part of the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area | 68,750 | 78,550 | 88,400 | 98,200 | 106,050 | 113,900 | 121,750 | 129,600 |
| Fayetteville, NC metro area | 65,950 | 75,350 | 84,800 | 94,200 | 101,750 | 109,250 | 116,800 | 124,350 |
| Hoke County, NC part of the Fayetteville, NC metro area | 63,550 | 72,600 | 81,700 | 90,750 | 98,000 | 105,250 | 112,550 | 119,800 |
| Goldsboro, NC metro area | 58,450 | 66,800 | 75,150 | 83,500 | 90,200 | 96,850 | 103,550 | 110,200 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area | 73,700 | 84,200 | 94,750 | 105,250 | 113,650 | 122,100 | 130,500 | 138,950 |
| Rockingham County, NC part of the Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area | 61,800 | 70,650 | 79,450 | 88,300 | 95,350 | 102,450 | 109,500 | 116,500 |
| Greenville, NC metro area | 71,450 | 81,700 | 91,900 | 102,100 | 110,250 | 118,450 | 126,600 | 134,750 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area | 68,600 | 78,400 | 88,200 | 98,000 | 105,850 | 113,700 | 121,500 | 129,350 |
| Jacksonville, NC metro area | 68,750 | 78,550 | 88,400 | 98,200 | 106,050 | 113,900 | 121,750 | 129,600 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC metro area | 87,750 | 100,300 | 112,800 | 125,350 | 135,400 | 145,400 | 155,450 | 165,450 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area | 106,800 | 122,100 | 137,350 | 152,600 | 164,800 | 177,000 | 189,200 | 201,450 |
| Rocky Mount, NC metro area | 64,600 | 73,800 | 83,050 | 92,250 | 99,650 | 107,000 | 114,400 | 121,750 |
| Camden County, NC part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area | 84,950 | 97,100 | 109,200 | 121,350 | 131,050 | 140,750 | 150,450 | 160,200 |
| Gates County, NC metro area | 67,550 | 77,200 | 86,850 | 96,500 | 104,200 | 111,950 | 119,650 | 127,400 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Are | 86,700 | 99,100 | 111,450 | 123,850 | 133,750 | 143,650 | 153,550 | 163,500 |
| Brunswick County, NC part of the Wilmington, NC metro area | 79,850 | 91,300 | 102,700 | 114,100 | 123,250 | 132,350 | 141,500 | 150,600 |
| Pender County, NC part of the Wilmington, NC metro area | 89,050 | 101,750 | 114,500 | 127,200 | 137,400 | 147,550 | 157,750 | 167,900 |
| Wilmington, NC metro area | 89,300 | 102,050 | 114,800 | 127,550 | 137,750 | 147,950 | 158,150 | 168,350 |
| Davidson County, NC part of the Winston-Salem, NC metro area | 69,250 | 79,100 | 89,000 | 98,900 | 106,800 | 114,700 | 122,650 | 130,550 |
| Winston-Salem, NC metro area | 76,750 | 87,700 | 98,700 | 109,650 | 118,450 | 127,200 | 136,000 | 144,750 |
| Alleghany County, NC | 56,400 | 64,450 | 72,500 | 80,550 | 87,000 | 93,400 | 99,900 | 106,350 |
| Ashe County, NC | 62,000 | 70,850 | 79,700 | 88,550 | 95,650 | 102,700 | 109,800 | 116,900 |
| Avery County, NC | 70,700 | 80,850 | 90,900 | 101,050 | 109,100 | 117,250 | 125,250 | 133,450 |
| Beaufort County, NC | 62,950 | 71,950 | 80,950 | 89,950 | 97,150 | 104,350 | 111,550 | 118,750 |
| Bertie County, NC | 55,700 | 63,700 | 71,650 | 79,600 | 85,950 | 92,350 | 98,700 | 105,050 |
| Bladen County, NC | 52,800 | 60,400 | 67,900 | 75,450 | 81,500 | 87,500 | 93,600 | 99,600 |
| Carteret County, NC | 83,350 | 95,250 | 107,150 | 119,050 | 128,550 | 138,100 | 147,600 | 157,150 |
| Caswell County, NC | 62,750 | 71,750 | 80,700 | 89,650 | 96,800 | 104,000 | 111,150 | 118,350 |
| Cherokee County, NC | 59,500 | 68,000 | 76,500 | 85,000 | 91,800 | 98,600 | 105,400 | 112,200 |
| Chowan County, NC | 61,900 | 70,750 | 79,600 | 88,450 | 95,550 | 102,600 | 109,700 | 116,750 |
| Clay County, NC | 69,500 | 79,400 | 89,350 | 99,250 | 107,200 | 115,150 | 123,050 | 131,000 |
| Cleveland County, NC | 66,050 | 75,500 | 84,900 | 94,350 | 101,900 | 109,450 | 116,950 | 124,550 |
| Columbus County, NC | 54,200 | 61,900 | 69,650 | 77,400 | 83,600 | 89,800 | 96,000 | 102,150 |
| Craven County, NC | 71,100 | 81,250 | 91,400 | 101,550 | 109,650 | 117,800 | 125,900 | 134,050 |
| Dare County, NC | 94,100 | 107,550 | 121,000 | 134,450 | 145,200 | 155,950 | 166,700 | 177,450 |
| Duplin County, NC | 59,350 | 67,800 | 76,300 | 84,750 | 91,550 | 98,300 | 105,100 | 111,850 |
| Graham County, NC | 54,250 | 62,000 | 69,750 | 77,500 | 83,700 | 89,900 | 96,100 | 102,300 |
| Granville County, NC | 73,350 | 83,800 | 94,300 | 104,750 | 113,150 | 121,500 | 129,900 | 138,250 |
| Greene County, NC | 52,400 | 59,900 | 67,350 | 74,850 | 80,850 | 86,850 | 92,800 | 98,800 |
| Halifax County, NC | 51,200 | 58,500 | 65,850 | 73,150 | 79,000 | 84,850 | 90,700 | 96,550 |
| Harnett County, NC | 72,650 | 83,100 | 93,500 | 103,850 | 112,150 | 120,450 | 128,750 | 137,100 |
| Haywood County, NC | 71,250 | 81,450 | 91,600 | 101,800 | 109,950 | 118,100 | 126,250 | 134,400 |
| Hertford County, NC | 55,950 | 63,950 | 71,950 | 79,950 | 86,350 | 92,750 | 99,150 | 105,550 |
| Hyde County, NC | 50,450 | 57,700 | 64,900 | 72,100 | 77,850 | 83,650 | 89,400 | 95,150 |
| Jackson County, NC | 65,050 | 74,300 | 83,600 | 92,900 | 100,350 | 107,750 | 115,200 | 122,650 |
| Jones County, NC | 61,100 | 69,850 | 78,550 | 87,300 | 94,300 | 101,250 | 108,250 | 115,250 |
| Lee County, NC | 65,450 | 74,800 | 84,150 | 93,500 | 100,950 | 108,450 | 115,900 | 123,400 |
| Lenoir County, NC | 52,950 | 60,500 | 68,100 | 75,600 | 81,700 | 87,750 | 93,750 | 99,800 |
| Macon County, NC | 63,650 | 72,750 | 81,850 | 90,950 | 98,250 | 105,500 | 112,800 | 120,050 |
| Martin County, NC | 55,850 | 63,850 | 71,800 | 79,800 | 86,200 | 92,550 | 98,950 | 105,350 |
| McDowell County, NC | 60,950 | 69,650 | 78,350 | 87,050 | 94,000 | 101,000 | 107,950 | 114,900 |
| Mitchell County, NC | 62,850 | 71,850 | 80,800 | 89,800 | 97,000 | 104,150 | 111,350 | 118,550 |
| Montgomery County, NC | 55,850 | 63,850 | 71,800 | 79,800 | 86,200 | 92,550 | 98,950 | 105,350 |
| Northampton County, NC | 55,250 | 63,100 | 71,000 | 78,900 | 85,200 | 91,500 | 97,850 | 104,150 |
| Pamlico County, NC | 73,450 | 83,900 | 94,400 | 104,900 | 113,300 | 121,650 | 130,050 | 138,500 |
| Pasquotank County, NC | 68,450 | 78,200 | 88,000 | 97,750 | 105,550 | 113,400 | 121,200 | 129,050 |
| Perquimans County, NC | 72,750 | 83,150 | 93,550 | 103,950 | 112,250 | 120,600 | 128,900 | 137,200 |
| Polk County, NC | 75,500 | 86,300 | 97,050 | 107,850 | 116,500 | 125,100 | 133,750 | 142,350 |
| Richmond County, NC | 50,900 | 58,150 | 65,450 | 72,700 | 78,500 | 84,350 | 90,150 | 95,950 |
| Robeson County, NC | 47,750 | 54,550 | 61,400 | 68,200 | 73,650 | 79,100 | 84,550 | 90,000 |
| Rutherford County, NC | 58,750 | 67,200 | 75,550 | 83,950 | 90,650 | 97,400 | 104,100 | 110,850 |
| Sampson County, NC | 59,100 | 67,500 | 75,950 | 84,400 | 91,150 | 97,900 | 104,650 | 111,400 |
| Scotland County, NC | 49,750 | 56,850 | 64,000 | 71,100 | 76,750 | 82,500 | 88,150 | 93,850 |
| Stanly County, NC | 71,350 | 81,500 | 91,700 | 101,900 | 110,050 | 118,200 | 126,350 | 134,500 |
| Surry County, NC | 60,050 | 68,650 | 77,200 | 85,800 | 92,650 | 99,500 | 106,350 | 113,250 |
| Swain County, NC | 66,200 | 75,650 | 85,100 | 94,550 | 102,100 | 109,700 | 117,250 | 124,800 |
| Transylvania County, NC | 71,650 | 81,900 | 92,100 | 102,350 | 110,550 | 118,750 | 126,900 | 135,100 |
| Tyrrell County, NC | 53,950 | 61,650 | 69,350 | 77,050 | 83,200 | 89,400 | 95,550 | 101,700 |
| Vance County, NC | 54,550 | 62,350 | 70,150 | 77,950 | 84,200 | 90,400 | 96,650 | 102,900 |
| Warren County, NC | 50,400 | 57,600 | 64,800 | 72,000 | 77,750 | 83,500 | 89,300 | 95,050 |
| Washington County, NC | 55,950 | 63,950 | 71,950 | 79,950 | 86,350 | 92,750 | 99,150 | 105,550 |
| Watauga County, NC | 75,900 | 86,750 | 97,600 | 108,450 | 117,150 | 125,800 | 134,500 | 143,150 |
| Wilkes County, NC | 54,250 | 62,000 | 69,750 | 77,500 | 83,700 | 89,900 | 96,100 | 102,300 |
| Wilson County, NC | 62,300 | 71,150 | 80,100 | 88,950 | 96,100 | 103,250 | 110,400 | 117,450 |
| Yancey County, NC | 68,650 | 78,500 | 88,300 | 98,100 | 105,950 | 113,800 | 121,650 | 129,500 |
From income limit to rent cap
Two rent rules apply under 7 CFR 3565.203. Each unit's rent, counting tenant-paid utilities, can't exceed 30% of 115% of area median income adjusted for family size, which is 30% of the figure in the table for the household size you assume, divided by 12. And across the whole project, the average rent can't exceed 30% of 100% of area median income each year.
Worked example for Asheville, NC: the four-person limit is $117,750, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $2,943 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $2,559 a month at the four-person size. Which household size applies to each bedroom count is set in USDA's program handbook; confirm it with your lender.
Income is tested only at move-in. A tenant whose income later rises above the limit can stay (7 CFR 3565.202(a)). Want to see what those rents support in debt? Run them through the 538 loan sizer.
All 83 North Carolina areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.