Best In North Carolina Real Estate™: The Triangle

Carrboro leads North Carolina in home affordability pressure, with homes costing 6.3 years of local income—according to the latest ALEX Intelligence data. This metric, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, shows that Carrboro ranks #1 in both the Triangle metro and across North Carolina. The data reveals that affordability is not just a financial issue but a cultural one: Carrboro’s high home value-to-income ratio reflects sustained demand from a knowledge-based economy, not speculation. This is not a bubble—it’s a premium on place, identity, and community. How does this dynamic shape investment and development in the Triangle? https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-11-13-triangle-value-to-income-place-mkt Home Value to Income Ratio, top 10 (ALEX Intelligence — U.S. Census Bureau 2024) #1 Carrboro — 6.3x #2 Smithfield — 5.6x #3 Hillsborough — 4.7x #4 Oxford — 4.6x #5 Garner — 4.5x #6 Roxboro — 4.3x #7 Selma — 4.1x #8 Apex — 4.0x #9 Holly Springs — 4.0x #10 Knightdale — 3.7x Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Slide 1: Pithon314 (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=100496945; Slide 2: James Willamor (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=57353631; Slide 3: Ke4roh (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=93722159; Slide 4: Pithon314 (CC0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=180930837 Source: https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-11-13-triangle-value-to-income-place-mkt View and join any or all of our communities — AI, quantum, and real estate: https://alex-companies.com/reports/linkedin-groups If there's an AI, quantum, or real estate community you'd like to see us convene, tell us — this portfolio grows by request. Real Estate Strategy & Intelligence Leader. Democratized Blue Ocean Strategist & Operator. Diane Hart Alexander, MBA, MHA Chair & CEO, ALEX Companies Designated Broker, Alexander Tiffany Southwest, LLC dba ALEX.realestate, et.al. Texas License #574877-B · Broker License #565194-BB [email protected] · +1 713.591.9902