Wilson, North Carolina Housing Market

What stands out in Wilson?

• The median household earns $54,123 a year: among the lowest incomes of 763 tracked cities. Rents are capped by what local households earn.
• Population is down 3.9% over five years: among the steepest population decline of 763 tracked cities. A shrinking population thins demand over time.
• Asking price per square foot is down 6.0% on the year: among the fastest-falling asking prices per square foot of 763 tracked cities. Falling asking prices give you room to offer below list.

What does a shrinking population mean for Wilson landlords?

The population in Wilson's ZIP codes fell 3.9% over five years. 11.2% of homes are vacant, higher than 79% of tracked cities. Households still grew 3.2% while the housing stock grew 3.8%. Fewer people living in more households means rental demand has held up better than the population suggests. Check vacancy by ZIP before you buy.

What is the fair market rent in Wilson?

HUD sets one fair market rent for Wilson County. For fiscal year 2026:

• 1 bedroom: $794 a month. Down 1% on last year, up 47% since FY2016.
• 2 bedrooms: $1,025 a month. Up 2% on last year, up 42% since FY2016.
• 3 bedrooms: $1,307 a month. Up 0% on last year, up 33% since FY2016.
• 4 bedrooms: $1,541 a month. Up 3% on last year, up 55% since FY2016.

The figures include tenant-paid utilities and apply to all of Wilson County, so one home's rent can sit well above or below them. See fair market rent by city.

Who will rent from you in Wilson?

In Wilson, 46 out of every 100 households rent. That is nearly half. That share has held steady for five years. Renter households average 2.2 people. Two and three bedrooms fit the typical renter.

The median Wilson household earns $54,123 a year. Incomes here have grown 3.6% a year since 2019. Home prices have outrun incomes. Locals are being priced out. A typical home costs 4.8 times the median income. That is the national middle. Neither cash flow nor appreciation is free here. At 30% of income, a tenant on the median income can pay about $1,353 a month.

To see what one Wilson address would rent for and cash flow, run it through the app.

Is now a good time to buy in Wilson?

The median asking price is 14.8% below its Jan 2024 peak. You are not buying at the top. Prices are still falling. Waiting has paid off so far. Let listings age, then come back lower. Wilson prices have risen in 91 of the last 112 months. Drops here have been short and shallow. Buying in a slow month has rarely hurt a long hold.

This market is turning. Which way is not settled yet. Check the monthly numbers above before you commit.

How does Wilson compare with other North Carolina markets?

Ranked among the 21 North Carolina markets we track:

• Asking price: 3rd cheapest of 21. Wilson is at $259,979. Closest: Fayetteville and Greenville.
• Buyer competition: 10th most competitive of 21. Wilson is at 0.36 buyers per home. Closest: Gastonia and Wilmington.
• Time on market: 5th longest time on market of 21. Wilson is at a median of 69 days on market. Closest: Raleigh and Rocky Mount.
• Price cuts: 3rd fewest price cuts of 21. Wilson is at 20% of sellers cutting. Closest: Jacksonville and Burlington.

What numbers should you underwrite a Wilson deal with?

• Price growth to assume — +6.3%/yr. Wilson has grown about 6.3% a year for five years and for ten. That pace held before and after the 2020–2021 boom, so it is a fair long-run input. Prices fell 6.0% over the last year. Use it for timing. The five-year rate is the better guide.
• Months of carrying cost — 3. Budget at least 69 days of holding costs, the current median time on market, when you exit or refinance.
• Competition when you exit — +5%. Homes for sale in Wilson are up 5% on last year, so your resale faces more competition than today's comps did.

Read how population change affects rentals and how we read these numbers, then run the numbers on a deal.

What is the median home price in Wilson?

The median asking price in Wilson is about $260,000 as of Oct 2026, about the same as a year ago. The typical listing is 7% larger than a year ago, and asking price per square foot is down 6.0%. So the size of homes on the market explains much of the rise. This is the asking price on homes listed for sale. Sites that report sold prices or estimated home values will show a different number. Our Wilson figures cover the 4 ZIP codes with a Wilson mailing address, which can reach past city limits.

Is Wilson a buyer's or seller's market in 2026?

Neither side has the upper hand in Wilson right now. We compare Wilson with 2017–2019 at this time of year: 20% of sellers have cut their price, against 14% then; there are 27% more homes for sale; listings spend 19% fewer days on the market.

Are Wilson home prices going up or down?

The median asking price is 14.8% below its Jan 2024 peak. You are not buying at the top. Prices are still falling. Waiting has paid off so far. Let listings age, then come back lower.

What is the best month to buy a house in Wilson?

Across 9 full years, Wilson asking prices ran lowest in January, about 5.6% below the year's average. They peaked in October. The most homes for sale show up in November, about 8% above the yearly average.

What price growth should I assume for Wilson?

Assume +6.3% a year. Wilson has grown about 6.3% a year for five years and for ten. That pace held before and after the 2020–2021 boom, so it is a fair long-run input. Prices fell 6.0% over the last year. Use it for timing. The five-year rate is the better guide.

What is the fair market rent in Wilson?

HUD's fiscal year 2026 fair market rent for Wilson County is $1,025 a month for 2 bedrooms and $1,307 for 3 bedrooms. The figures include tenant-paid utilities and cover the whole county.