Appreciation Velocity — North Carolina Cities
Cities of North Carolina ranked by 1Y / 3Y / 5Y home-price appreciation.
Public Record
Top 10 — 3Y appreciation (Countys)
#1 · Bertie, NC
+186.5%
#2 · McDowell, NC
+184.5%
#3 · Gates, NC
+176.2%
#4 · Columbus, NC
+140.3%
#5 · Greene, NC
+108.5%
#6 · Union, NC
+107.4%
#7 · Warren, NC
+96.5%
#8 · Pender, NC
+95.8%
#9 · Orange, NC
+93.3%
#10 · Dare, NC
+92.8%
County ranking — 3Y appreciation (highest first)
| # | County | State | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Current median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bertie, NC | NC | +121.3% | +186.5% | +89.5% | +173.9% | $279K |
| 2 | McDowell, NC | NC | +38.7% | +184.5% | +11.7% | +119.6% | $282.9K |
| 3 | Gates, NC | NC | -14.0% | +176.2% | -4.1% | +26.4% | $250.3K |
| 4 | Columbus, NC | NC | +158.4% | +140.3% | +203.6% | +331.5% | $466.1K |
| 5 | Greene, NC | NC | +42.8% | +108.5% | +107.7% | +179.8% | $300.2K |
| 6 | Union, NC | NC | +28.4% | +107.4% | +79.2% | +127.3% | $908.2K |
| 7 | Warren, NC | NC | -1.2% | +96.5% | -10.4% | -18.2% | $208.1K |
| 8 | Pender, NC | NC | +21.7% | +95.8% | +67.3% | +201.3% | $653.5K |
| 9 | Orange, NC | NC | +33.7% | +93.3% | +71.0% | +163.0% | $762.5K |
| 10 | Dare, NC | NC | +25.2% | +92.8% | +90.9% | +165.0% | $925.4K |
| 11 | Anson, NC | NC | +143.7% | +92.4% | +364.8% | +235.5% | $372.6K |
| 12 | Cleveland, NC | NC | -5.1% | +81.9% | +59.5% | +182.3% | $291.2K |
| 13 | Mitchell, NC | NC | +65.1% | +77.9% | +89.9% | +377.0% | $453.1K |
| 14 | Watauga, NC | NC | +69.6% | +77.0% | +133.1% | +285.5% | $892.3K |
| 15 | Randolph, NC | NC | +9.6% | +75.6% | +48.0% | +145.1% | $322.6K |
| 16 | Polk, NC | NC | +41.2% | +74.6% | +86.5% | +153.0% | $576.3K |
| 17 | Harnett, NC | NC | -12.7% | +72.0% | -31.6% | +76.9% | $310.6K |
| 18 | Stanly, NC | NC | +12.2% | +71.5% | +114.5% | +254.5% | $435K |
| 19 | Wake, NC | NC | +87.2% | +70.7% | +38.0% | +217.9% | $1.24M |
| 20 | Chatham, NC | NC | -8.3% | +69.5% | +141.3% | +112.8% | $734.2K |
| 21 | Buncombe, NC | NC | +18.1% | +66.0% | +56.3% | +146.6% | $682K |
| 22 | Rowan, NC | NC | -8.1% | +64.3% | +71.3% | +121.5% | $321.9K |
| 23 | Granville, NC | NC | +48.9% | +64.3% | +140.8% | +176.7% | $505K |
| 24 | Gaston, NC | NC | -5.6% | +61.8% | -56.4% | +131.7% | $370.4K |
| 25 | Cherokee, NC | NC | +36.5% | +61.6% | +67.2% | +167.0% | $372.4K |
| 26 | Pasquotank, NC | NC | -1.8% | +60.0% | +58.7% | +126.1% | $320.1K |
| 27 | Currituck, NC | NC | +7.8% | +59.6% | +32.5% | +168.8% | $710.3K |
| 28 | Person, NC | NC | +16.3% | +57.5% | +132.3% | +158.6% | $390.7K |
| 29 | Mecklenburg, NC | NC | +10.7% | +55.7% | +59.4% | +148.1% | $747.5K |
| 30 | Johnston, NC | NC | -3.9% | +55.4% | +35.4% | +125.5% | $416.9K |
| 31 | Carteret, NC | NC | +2.7% | +55.1% | +95.0% | +120.2% | $567.1K |
| 32 | Cumberland, NC | NC | +0.0% | +53.0% | +67.8% | +60.5% | $292.6K |
| 33 | Beaufort, NC | NC | +52.8% | +52.5% | +64.9% | +151.6% | $310.6K |
| 34 | Stokes, NC | NC | -16.7% | +51.1% | +29.7% | +72.7% | $210.7K |
| 35 | Franklin, NC | NC | +13.6% | +51.1% | +8.5% | +146.3% | $483.9K |
| 36 | Jackson, NC | NC | -19.4% | +50.4% | +90.1% | +182.9% | $821.3K |
| 37 | Rockingham, NC | NC | +10.6% | +46.0% | +10.0% | +139.0% | $265.6K |
| 38 | Lee, NC | NC | -5.3% | +44.5% | +51.3% | +107.6% | $320.9K |
| 39 | Davidson, NC | NC | -26.7% | +43.5% | +9.2% | +94.0% | $268.1K |
| 40 | Moore, NC | NC | -25.3% | +42.3% | +79.9% | +95.6% | $432.6K |
| 41 | Wayne, NC | NC | -0.9% | +42.3% | +45.2% | +72.2% | $278.2K |
| 42 | Alexander, NC | NC | +18.3% | +41.6% | +84.1% | +106.0% | $359.3K |
| 43 | Wilkes, NC | NC | -15.2% | +41.6% | +24.1% | +21.3% | $249.6K |
| 44 | Yancey, NC | NC | -5.7% | +40.8% | +22.9% | +64.3% | $412.9K |
| 45 | Montgomery, NC | NC | -25.6% | +40.1% | +17.7% | +20.2% | $234.7K |
| 46 | Forsyth, NC | NC | -5.3% | +40.0% | +56.9% | +101.1% | $368.3K |
| 47 | Lenoir, NC | NC | +30.3% | +39.3% | +3.5% | +172.8% | $261.3K |
| 48 | Wilson, NC | NC | +19.6% | +38.5% | +89.8% | +142.4% | $302K |
| 49 | Burke, NC | NC | -1.6% | +36.7% | +67.4% | +43.9% | $252.8K |
| 50 | Lincoln, NC | NC | +12.6% | +31.4% | +51.2% | +124.5% | $565.9K |
| 51 | Clay, NC | NC | +27.7% | +31.4% | +16.0% | +96.7% | $336.4K |
| 52 | Macon, NC | NC | +28.0% | +31.3% | +87.5% | +60.5% | $861.8K |
| 53 | Sampson, NC | NC | -5.6% | +29.0% | +85.6% | +33.0% | $247.7K |
| 54 | Hoke, NC | NC | -2.6% | +28.9% | +54.0% | +83.0% | $303.3K |
| 55 | Richmond, NC | NC | +27.5% | +28.6% | +84.7% | +70.5% | $234.1K |
| 56 | Halifax, NC | NC | -6.9% | +28.4% | +10.5% | +99.4% | $206.5K |
| 57 | Duplin, NC | NC | +24.8% | +24.1% | +24.1% | +259.2% | $273.4K |
| 58 | Graham, NC | NC | -6.0% | +24.0% | +103.4% | +75.3% | $416.1K |
| 59 | Nash, NC | NC | +7.4% | +23.6% | +50.2% | +107.3% | $277.5K |
| 60 | Durham, NC | NC | -29.1% | +23.5% | +51.7% | +102.6% | $497.7K |
| 61 | Caldwell, NC | NC | -1.5% | +23.1% | +89.3% | +107.2% | $299.9K |
| 62 | Hertford, NC | NC | -24.2% | +18.7% | +20.0% | +109.1% | $137.3K |
| 63 | Cabarrus, NC | NC | +6.7% | +18.2% | +48.7% | +105.2% | $431.1K |
| 64 | Swain, NC | NC | -48.3% | +15.7% | -5.1% | +28.3% | $261.6K |
| 65 | New Hanover, NC | NC | -2.9% | +14.4% | +71.2% | +110.7% | $665K |
| 66 | Alamance, NC | NC | -37.0% | +14.2% | +11.5% | +58.6% | $283.6K |
| 67 | Onslow, NC | NC | +4.0% | +11.4% | +67.7% | +116.9% | $349.2K |
| 68 | Robeson, NC | NC | -5.2% | +10.7% | -1.8% | +22.5% | $157.2K |
| 69 | Transylvania, NC | NC | -5.8% | +8.3% | +47.6% | +94.8% | $493.3K |
| 70 | Greenville, NC | NC | -10.6% | +7.2% | +29.4% | -44.1% | $388.3K |
| 71 | Yadkin, NC | NC | +189.2% | +6.0% | +168.6% | +177.4% | $347K |
| 72 | Pitt, NC | NC | -8.4% | +3.9% | +12.7% | +101.6% | $311.9K |
| 73 | Guilford, NC | NC | -7.5% | +3.4% | +25.4% | +89.4% | $395.4K |
| 74 | Jones, NC | NC | +31.7% | +3.3% | +66.6% | +93.9% | $242.3K |
| 75 | Duval, NC | NC | -26.8% | -0.4% | +2.6% | +55.6% | $603.3K |
| 76 | Brunswick, NC | NC | +0.6% | -1.5% | +70.0% | +30.1% | $549.9K |
| 77 | Camden, NC | NC | -17.8% | -1.7% | +74.2% | +83.3% | $360K |
| 78 | Ashe, NC | NC | +11.4% | -3.0% | +49.5% | +101.2% | $397.8K |
| 79 | Vance, NC | NC | -45.6% | -3.1% | -12.9% | +37.1% | $140.5K |
| 80 | Pamlico, NC | NC | +66.6% | -5.2% | +100.6% | +211.7% | $358.2K |
| 81 | Catawba, NC | NC | +1.9% | -6.4% | +51.3% | +158.1% | $420.1K |
| 82 | Northampton, NC | NC | +0.2% | -6.6% | +62.1% | +161.5% | $425K |
| 83 | Rutherford, NC | NC | +16.6% | -6.7% | +31.3% | +106.5% | $267.3K |
| 84 | Perquimans, NC | NC | -30.5% | -11.8% | +47.5% | +48.2% | $223.5K |
| 85 | Edgecombe, NC | NC | -18.5% | -14.3% | -65.7% | +162.4% | $165.3K |
| 86 | Chowan, NC | NC | +16.2% | -17.7% | +19.2% | +51.4% | $275.8K |
| 87 | Surry, NC | NC | -6.1% | -20.2% | +53.2% | +101.2% | $252.5K |
| 88 | Scotland, NC | NC | -7.4% | -21.5% | -27.3% | +8.7% | $121.9K |
| 89 | Henderson, NC | NC | -23.0% | -21.9% | +10.2% | +40.4% | $332.4K |
| 90 | Madison, NC | NC | +5.4% | -23.7% | +5.1% | +97.5% | $355.2K |
| 91 | Alleghany, NC | NC | -35.0% | -28.3% | +33.5% | +29.0% | $214.7K |
| 92 | Bladen, NC | NC | -47.6% | -28.5% | -57.3% | -35.4% | $77.9K |
| 93 | Craven, NC | NC | -9.9% | -29.8% | +37.1% | +72.9% | $296.2K |
| 94 | Martin, NC | NC | -53.9% | -35.7% | -26.9% | +2.6% | $75.3K |
| 95 | Iredell, NC | NC | -15.8% | -38.5% | +26.3% | +64.0% | $545K |
| 96 | Davie, NC | NC | -51.9% | -43.5% | -20.0% | -9.1% | $183.6K |
| 97 | Haywood, NC | NC | -81.0% | -76.7% | -75.8% | -66.3% | $65.3K |
| 98 | Washington, NC | NC | -39.2% | -79.5% | +34.3% | +57.1% | $157.5K |
How to read these numbers
Velocity vs. level
A market with 25% one-year appreciation is moving fast — but a market with steady 6% over ten years has compounded much further. Use 10Y as the long-run signal, 1Y as the momentum signal.
Mean-reversion risk
Markets that posted huge 1Y and 3Y gains often cool over the next cycle. Compare 1Y to 5Y: if 1Y is far above 5Y, the trend is accelerating; if far below, it is decelerating — often the more important signal.
Sample sanity
We require a minimum current median price (default $50K) to filter out tiny ZIPs with noisy data. Raise that threshold for serious investment markets; lower it to find emerging niches. Source: public record.