Department of Numbers

Forsyth County North Carolina Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Forsyth County NC was $843 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Forsyth County was $850 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Forsyth County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Forsyth County rental vacancy rates, Forsyth County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Forsyth County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Forsyth County North Carolina (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
North Carolina Median Gross Rent $931 +1.64% +5.92%
Forsyth County NC Median Gross Rent $843 +4.98% +9.06%

Forsyth County NC Real Gross Rent Trends

At $843, real median gross rent in Forsyth County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $850, real average gross rent in Forsyth County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.

Real Gross Rent: Forsyth County NC Median, Forsyth County NC Average, North Carolina Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Forsyth County

Date US
Median
North Carolina
Median
Forsyth County NC
Median
Forsyth County NC
Average
2019 $1,097 $931 $843 $850
2018 $1,077 $916 $803 $823
2017 $1,043 $888 $800 $809
2016 $1,027 $879 $773 $808
2015 $1,017 $877 $797 $813
2014 $986 $848 $781 $796
2013 $953 $819 $752 $762
2012 $940 $804 $739 $761
2011 $941 $805 $750 $779
2010 $955 $817 $762 $782
2009 $960 $821 $736 $754

more history ...

Forsyth County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Forsyth County North Carolina was 9.05% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Forsyth County North Carolina

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
North Carolina 6.60% -0.43% -0.39%
Forsyth County NC 9.05% -0.03% -1.96%

Trends in Forsyth County NC Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Forsyth County peaked in 2008 at 18.61%. Since then it has fallen by 9.56% to 9.05%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2014 post peak low of 7.59%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 1.46%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Forsyth County NC, North Carolina, US

Rental vacancy rate in North Carolina

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Forsyth County

Date US North Carolina Forsyth County NC
2019 5.97% 6.60% 9.05%
2018 6.15% 7.03% 9.08%
2017 6.18% 6.77% 11.81%
2016 5.89% 6.99% 11.01%
2015 5.85% 7.02% 10.89%
2014 6.32% 7.29% 7.59%
2013 6.49% 7.46% 9.84%
2012 6.77% 8.00% 9.18%
2011 7.40% 9.31% 15.26%
2010 8.17% 9.97% 16.72%
2009 8.43% 10.10% 13.61%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Forsyth County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Forsyth County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 19.45% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Forsyth County North Carolina Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
North Carolina 19.48% -0.57% -0.42%
Forsyth County NC 19.45% +0.19% +1.10%

Trends in Forsyth County NC Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Forsyth County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 19.64%. Since then it has fallen by 0.19% to 19.45%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Forsyth County NC, North Carolina, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Forsyth County North Carolina

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Forsyth County North Carolina

Date US North Carolina Forsyth County NC
2019 20.03% 19.48% 19.45%
2018 20.50% 20.05% 19.26%
2017 20.13% 19.59% 18.56%
2016 20.43% 19.90% 18.35%
2015 20.63% 20.75% 19.39%
2014 20.89% 20.70% 19.64%
2013 20.78% 20.34% 18.80%
2012 20.65% 20.09% 19.63%
2011 20.70% 20.36% 19.41%
2010 20.50% 20.25% 18.80%
2009 20.12% 19.78% 17.01%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Forsyth County North Carolina

You can calculate the renter fraction in Forsyth County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Forsyth County as a fraction of total Forsyth County households. In 2019 38.54% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Forsyth County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
North Carolina 34.69% -0.17% -1.09%
Forsyth County NC 38.54% -3.09% +0.73%

Trends in the Forsyth County NC Renter Fraction

The Forsyth County household renter fraction peaked in in 2018 at 41.63% and is now 3.09% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Forsyth County NC, North Carolina, US

Fraction of renters in Forsyth County

History of Forsyth County Renter Fraction

Date US North Carolina Forsyth County NC
2019 35.89% 34.69% 38.54%
2018 36.05% 34.86% 41.63%
2017 36.13% 34.60% 38.00%
2016 36.88% 35.78% 37.81%
2015 36.97% 36.13% 38.97%
2014 36.90% 35.75% 39.54%
2013 36.50% 35.74% 37.83%
2012 36.09% 34.56% 39.29%
2011 35.42% 33.49% 35.11%
2010 34.65% 32.83% 34.82%
2009 34.13% 32.81% 34.02%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.