Low Income Apartments and Affordable Housing For Rent in Watauga County, NC

Discover affordable housing in Watauga County where there are 6+ housing opportunities based on income and household needs like accessible units for seniors or persons with disabilities. Find and apply to these low income apartments now.

Meadow Hill Apartments II

219 Meadow Hill Dr, Boone, North Carolina 28607

Ivy Terrace Apartments

206 Ivy Terrace Dr, Boone, North Carolina 28607

Watauga Green Apartments

170 Clawson St, Boone, North Carolina 28607

Watauga Village Apartments

165 Robin Ln, Boone, North Carolina 28607

White Laurel

127 Westwood Ln, Boone, North Carolina 28607

Arc Hds Watauga County Group Home

364 Kellwood Dr, Boone, North Carolina 28607

The Hourly Wage Needed to Afford A Safe, Modest 2 Bed Apartment In Watauga County, North Carolina
$21.59/hour
$14.34 (+198%) more than North Carolina minimum wage and $14.34 (+198%) more than the Federal minimum wage.
Learn More About Watauga County, North Carolina Affordable Housing ↓

How many renters live in Watauga County, North Carolina?

The County of Watauga County has 54,540 people living in 21,194 households.

There are 19,215 renters living in 8,272 renter households in this County. Renters make up 35.23 percent of the population living in Watauga County.

What is the rental market like in Watauga County, North Carolina?

There are an estimated 32,783 housing units in the Watauga County area. Of these, 9,086 units are rental homes, making up 28 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Watauga County, North Carolina, there are 1 rental units.

What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Watauga County?

The rental vacancy rate in Watauga County is 3 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.

How many rental units are in Watauga County for each bedroom size?

Occupied Rental Units by Size in Watauga County
Studio One-Bedroom Two-Bedroom Three-Bedroom Four+ Bedrooms
342 1,401 3,856 1,754 763
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Watauga County

A large number of apartments in Watauga County have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.

How many renter households in Watauga County are overburdened by housing costs?

Among renter households in this market, 60 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 42 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.

The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.

How Much Is Rent in Watauga County

Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $777 to $1,935. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.

Bed Size 2024 Fair Market Rents
Studio $777
One BR $906
Two BR $1,140
Three BR $1,392
Four BR $1,935
2024 Fair Market Rents in Watauga County, North Carolina

How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Watauga County?

Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.

These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:

Unit Size Count of Units Below FMR Percentage of Total Units Below FMR
Studio 232 68 percent
One BR 702 50 percent
Two BR 1,989 52 percent
Rental Units Below FMR in Watauga County, North Carolina

How many affordable rental units are in Watauga County?

There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Watauga County, North Carolina including the following:

Federal Program Unit Count
Low Income Housing Tax Credit 161
Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance 38
Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities 10
USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing 139
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Watauga County, North Carolina

Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.

Income Based Apartments in Watauga County, North Carolina

Watauga County features 122 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.

Low Rent Apartments in Watauga County, North Carolina

There are 114 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Watauga County.

Housing Choice Vouchers in Watauga County, North Carolina

On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Watauga County landlords $600 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Watauga County.

The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Watauga County, North Carolina for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,026 and $1,254.

Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.