Market rankings · North Carolina
Real estate agents and brokers in North Carolina
Every metro area, small-town market and county in North Carolina, ranked by the Groundwork market score for real estate agents and brokers, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 12,932
- 407 chain locations (3%)
- Official establishments
- 6,880
- +29.9% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $64.8B
- On rent and homeowner costs
- Listings per 10k households
- 30.2
- In line with the U.S.
- Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)
- 92
- 8% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #38 of 51
- Market score 39 · Lower middle
A site report maps the real estate agents and brokers on map listings around any address in North Carolina by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
North Carolina has 12,932 real estate agents and brokers on map listings as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 3% of them, against 4% across the U.S. That is 30.2 per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 30.6.
Households in North Carolina spend about $64.8B a year on rent and homeowner costs, or $15,139 per household, 9% below the U.S. average. Housing spending per office is 8% below the U.S. figure. The spending figure is all rent and homeowner costs, a measure of housing demand, not money real estate agents and brokers take in.
Official counts show 6,880 businesses with payroll classed as offices of real estate agents and brokers in North Carolina in 2023, up 29.9% from 2019. That is one for every 622 households, against one for every 788 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 20.1% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 23 SBA-backed loans worth $4.8M have gone to businesses classed as offices of real estate agents and brokers in North Carolina.
Among the 50 states and DC, North Carolina ranks #38 for real estate agents and brokers, with a Groundwork market score of 39 (lower middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Goldsboro metro area scores highest (67). Of the 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest (73).
Every market in North Carolina for real estate agents and brokers
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in North Carolina, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100) | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Goldsboro, NC | 67 | 86 | 18.1 | 140 | +3.8% | #52 of 387 |
| 2Rocky Mount, NC | 66 | 86 | 14.7 | 172 | +2.8% | #55 of 387 |
| 3Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 60 | 240 | 16.0 | 160 | +3.2% | #87 of 387 |
| 4Burlington, NC | 58 | 144 | 20.6 | 128 | +8.5% | #105 of 387 |
| 5Winston-Salem, NC | 57 | 581 | 20.6 | 129 | +5.3% | #117 of 387 |
| 6Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 56 | 629 | 25.3 | 118 | +7.5% | #127 of 387 |
| 7Greensboro-High Point, NC | 52 | 691 | 21.8 | 122 | +4.1% | #163 of 387 |
| 8Raleigh-Cary, NC | 40 | 2,447 | 42.6 | 74 | +12.6% | #288 of 387 |
| 9Greenville, NC | 39 | 192 | 25.8 | 99 | +5.4% | #291 of 387 |
| 10Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 39 | 3,741 | 34.8 | 85 | +10.1% | #292 of 387 |
| 11Fayetteville, NC | 36 | 402 | 27.0 | 95 | +1.6% | #324 of 387 |
| 12Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 36 | 191 | 43.4 | 67 | +10.3% | #329 of 387 |
| 13Wilmington, NC | 33 | 946 | 47.5 | 59 | +15.9% | #356 of 387 |
| 14Jacksonville, NC | 32 | 275 | 36.5 | 72 | +6.0% | #360 of 387 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 29 | 2,720 | 38.5 | 75 | +0.9% | #375 of 387 |
| 15Asheville, NC | 26 | 650 | 40.3 | 68 | +3.6% | #382 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100) | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Anderson Creek, NC | 73 | 59 | 11.8 | 226 | +12.3% | #35 of 533 |
| 2Lumberton, NC | 70 | 36 | 8.3 | 271 | +3.4% | #51 of 533 |
| 3Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC | 65 | 49 | 12.6 | 199 | +3.4% | #81 of 533 |
| 4North Wilkesboro, NC | 62 | 26 | 9.6 | 248 | +0.6% | #103 of 533 |
| 5Kinston, NC | 62 | 23 | 9.8 | 236 | +1.4% | #104 of 533 |
| 6Roanoke Rapids, NC | 61 | 14 | 5.0 | 474 | −4.3% | #114 of 533 |
| 7Wilson, NC | 55 | 40 | 12.1 | 206 | +1.7% | #185 of 533 |
| 8Elizabeth City, NC | 53 | 44 | 27.9 | 93 | +4.5% | #228 of 533 |
| 9Laurinburg, NC | 52 | 13 | 10.3 | 227 | −0.3% | #229 of 533 |
| 10Mount Airy, NC | 51 | 52 | 17.4 | 141 | +1.3% | #248 of 533 |
| 11Rockingham, NC | 48 | 18 | 10.6 | 217 | −1.6% | #281 of 533 |
| 12Albemarle, NC | 48 | 51 | 20.2 | 127 | +9.8% | #295 of 533 |
| 13Sanford, NC | 46 | 59 | 23.5 | 111 | +10.8% | #325 of 533 |
| 14Marion, NC | 45 | 33 | 17.7 | 140 | +1.5% | #327 of 533 |
| 15Henderson, NC | 44 | 28 | 17.3 | 139 | +0.2% | #338 of 533 |
| 16Washington, NC | 40 | 36 | 18.6 | 136 | 0.0% | #381 of 533 |
| 17Forest City, NC | 37 | 51 | 19.1 | 126 | +2.1% | #430 of 533 |
| 18New Bern, NC | 36 | 152 | 29.0 | 89 | +3.6% | #451 of 533 |
| 19Waynesville, NC | 35 | 63 | 23.2 | 111 | +1.9% | #458 of 533 |
| 20Morehead City, NC | 33 | 190 | 59.4 | 46 | +4.1% | #484 of 533 |
| 21Kill Devil Hills, NC | 33 | 211 | 125.3 | 24 | +3.3% | #486 of 533 |
| 22Brevard, NC | 32 | 60 | 41.1 | 64 | +2.9% | #490 of 533 |
| 23Boone, NC | 22 | 98 | 46.2 | 54 | +0.6% | #529 of 533 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100) | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Duplin County, NC | 79 | 14 | 6.7 | 361 | +6.0% | #38 of 2,176 |
| 2Franklin County, NC | 76 | 32 | 11.2 | 241 | +18.8% | #73 of 2,176 |
| 3Hoke County, NC | 74 | 18 | 9.3 | 279 | +9.0% | #104 of 2,176 |
| 4Person County, NC | 74 | 16 | 10.0 | 263 | +3.7% | #107 of 2,176 |
| 5Harnett County, NC | 72 | 59 | 11.8 | 226 | +12.3% | #156 of 2,176 |
| 6Sampson County, NC | 71 | 19 | 8.8 | 274 | +4.1% | #174 of 2,176 |
| 7Davidson County, NC | 71 | 76 | 10.9 | 240 | +6.6% | #179 of 2,176 |
| 8Granville County, NC | 68 | 21 | 9.3 | 290 | +2.1% | #261 of 2,176 |
| 9Robeson County, NC | 68 | 36 | 8.3 | 271 | +3.4% | #265 of 2,176 |
| 10Alexander County, NC | 67 | 10 | 7.1 | 359 | +1.5% | #293 of 2,176 |
| 11Rowan County, NC | 66 | 65 | 11.0 | 237 | +5.6% | #323 of 2,176 |
| 12Camden County, NC | 66 | 6 | 15.0 | 194 | +8.8% | #331 of 2,176 |
| 13Columbus County, NC | 65 | 11 | 5.5 | 432 | 0.0% | #342 of 2,176 |
| 14Rockingham County, NC | 65 | 35 | 8.8 | 279 | +3.3% | #345 of 2,176 |
| 15Edgecombe County, NC | 65 | 19 | 9.7 | 249 | +0.7% | #347 of 2,176 |
| 16Randolph County, NC | 64 | 66 | 11.4 | 221 | +3.5% | #384 of 2,176 |
| 17Gaston County, NC | 64 | 137 | 14.6 | 182 | +7.8% | #394 of 2,176 |
| 18Cleveland County, NC | 63 | 49 | 12.6 | 199 | +3.4% | #426 of 2,176 |
| 19Montgomery County, NC | 63 | 14 | 13.2 | 191 | +2.7% | #431 of 2,176 |
| 20Wilkes County, NC | 61 | 26 | 9.6 | 248 | +0.6% | #506 of 2,176 |
| 21Chowan County, NC | 61 | 8 | 13.0 | 197 | +2.8% | #516 of 2,176 |
| 22Lenoir County, NC | 60 | 23 | 9.8 | 236 | +1.4% | #546 of 2,176 |
| 23Caldwell County, NC | 60 | 38 | 11.5 | 215 | +0.7% | #551 of 2,176 |
| 24Bladen County, NC | 60 | 13 | 11.0 | 211 | +1.3% | #552 of 2,176 |
| 25Martin County, NC | 59 | 6 | 6.3 | 375 | −1.6% | #575 of 2,176 |
Show all 100 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100) | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Stokes County, NC | 59 | 29 | 14.8 | 169 | +3.5% | #601 of 2,176 |
| 27Wayne County, NC | 59 | 86 | 18.1 | 140 | +3.8% | #612 of 2,176 |
| 28Halifax County, NC | 58 | 14 | 6.9 | 339 | −3.9% | #627 of 2,176 |
| 29Union County, NC | 57 | 175 | 20.8 | 154 | +11.7% | #693 of 2,176 |
| 30Chatham County, NC | 57 | 73 | 22.1 | 143 | +11.0% | #697 of 2,176 |
| 31Johnston County, NC | 57 | 178 | 20.8 | 137 | +17.9% | #700 of 2,176 |
| 32Burke County, NC | 56 | 42 | 11.6 | 217 | +1.6% | #728 of 2,176 |
| 33Nash County, NC | 56 | 67 | 17.3 | 151 | +3.9% | #750 of 2,176 |
| 34Clay County, NC | 56 | 10 | 19.7 | 128 | +9.9% | #763 of 2,176 |
| 35Anson County, NC | 54 | 7 | 8.2 | 281 | −2.1% | #808 of 2,176 |
| 36Davie County, NC | 54 | 35 | 20.3 | 139 | +6.9% | #837 of 2,176 |
| 37Hertford County, NC | 53 | 6 | 7.2 | 326 | −11.2% | #858 of 2,176 |
| 38Cabarrus County, NC | 53 | 184 | 21.8 | 138 | +9.9% | #899 of 2,176 |
| 39Wilson County, NC | 52 | 40 | 12.1 | 206 | +1.7% | #919 of 2,176 |
| 40Surry County, NC | 52 | 52 | 17.4 | 141 | +1.3% | #944 of 2,176 |
| 41Alamance County, NC | 52 | 144 | 20.6 | 128 | +8.5% | #953 of 2,176 |
| 42Pasquotank County, NC | 52 | 44 | 27.9 | 93 | +4.5% | #967 of 2,176 |
| 43Stanly County, NC | 51 | 51 | 20.2 | 127 | +9.8% | #1,004 of 2,176 |
| 44Durham County, NC | 51 | 332 | 23.4 | 126 | +7.7% | #1,006 of 2,176 |
| 45Richmond County, NC | 49 | 18 | 10.6 | 217 | −1.6% | #1,076 of 2,176 |
| 46Lee County, NC | 49 | 59 | 23.5 | 111 | +10.8% | #1,117 of 2,176 |
| 47Scotland County, NC | 48 | 13 | 10.3 | 227 | −0.3% | #1,135 of 2,176 |
| 48Lincoln County, NC | 47 | 95 | 25.8 | 112 | +13.2% | #1,234 of 2,176 |
| 49McDowell County, NC | 46 | 33 | 17.7 | 140 | +1.5% | #1,272 of 2,176 |
| 50Vance County, NC | 46 | 28 | 17.3 | 139 | +0.2% | #1,273 of 2,176 |
| 51Catawba County, NC | 46 | 150 | 22.6 | 118 | +5.8% | #1,284 of 2,176 |
| 52Beaufort County, NC | 42 | 36 | 18.6 | 136 | 0.0% | #1,463 of 2,176 |
| 53Guilford County, NC | 41 | 590 | 26.9 | 101 | +4.4% | #1,531 of 2,176 |
| 54Forsyth County, NC | 41 | 437 | 27.3 | 98 | +5.0% | #1,537 of 2,176 |
| 55Orange County, NC | 41 | 208 | 36.3 | 86 | +6.1% | #1,544 of 2,176 |
| 56Rutherford County, NC | 40 | 51 | 19.1 | 126 | +2.1% | #1,576 of 2,176 |
| 57Pender County, NC | 40 | 77 | 30.4 | 93 | +19.0% | #1,603 of 2,176 |
| 58Wake County, NC | 40 | 2,237 | 48.6 | 67 | +11.2% | #1,621 of 2,176 |
| 59Yancey County, NC | 39 | 19 | 23.4 | 110 | +3.2% | #1,648 of 2,176 |
| 60Iredell County, NC | 39 | 282 | 36.9 | 79 | +12.9% | #1,663 of 2,176 |
| 61Currituck County, NC | 39 | 60 | 50.7 | 60 | +16.7% | #1,672 of 2,176 |
| 62Pitt County, NC | 38 | 192 | 25.8 | 99 | +5.4% | #1,691 of 2,176 |
| 63Brunswick County, NC | 38 | 284 | 41.1 | 68 | +26.5% | #1,716 of 2,176 |
| 64Moore County, NC | 38 | 191 | 43.4 | 67 | +10.3% | #1,717 of 2,176 |
| 65Henderson County, NC | 37 | 144 | 28.2 | 96 | +5.0% | #1,756 of 2,176 |
| 66Madison County, NC | 36 | 20 | 24.0 | 106 | +5.9% | #1,802 of 2,176 |
| 67Pamlico County, NC | 36 | 14 | 25.7 | 98 | +3.7% | #1,806 of 2,176 |
| 68Mecklenburg County, NC | 36 | 2,386 | 51.1 | 59 | +10.5% | #1,832 of 2,176 |
| 69Ashe County, NC | 35 | 28 | 22.9 | 108 | +3.5% | #1,848 of 2,176 |
| 70Alleghany County, NC | 35 | 12 | 23.2 | 101 | +5.4% | #1,853 of 2,176 |
| 71Onslow County, NC | 35 | 275 | 36.5 | 72 | +6.0% | #1,868 of 2,176 |
| 72Polk County, NC | 35 | 40 | 44.6 | 61 | +6.0% | #1,871 of 2,176 |
| 73Haywood County, NC | 33 | 63 | 23.2 | 111 | +1.9% | #1,933 of 2,176 |
| 74Craven County, NC | 33 | 136 | 31.7 | 82 | +3.5% | #1,945 of 2,176 |
| 75New Hanover County, NC | 33 | 585 | 55.8 | 51 | +8.6% | #1,952 of 2,176 |
| 76Cumberland County, NC | 30 | 384 | 29.6 | 86 | +0.4% | #2,024 of 2,176 |
| 77Warren County, NC | 30 | 29 | 35.6 | 67 | +1.6% | #2,034 of 2,176 |
| 78Jackson County, NC | 29 | 64 | 34.7 | 72 | +6.9% | #2,056 of 2,176 |
| 79Carteret County, NC | 29 | 190 | 59.4 | 46 | +4.1% | #2,068 of 2,176 |
| 80Dare County, NC | 29 | 211 | 125.3 | 24 | +3.3% | #2,071 of 2,176 |
| 81Macon County, NC | 28 | 93 | 50.5 | 51 | +5.8% | #2,087 of 2,176 |
| 82Transylvania County, NC | 27 | 60 | 41.1 | 64 | +2.9% | #2,100 of 2,176 |
| 83Cherokee County, NC | 27 | 51 | 38.5 | 63 | +6.8% | #2,101 of 2,176 |
| 84Buncombe County, NC | 27 | 486 | 47.7 | 59 | +2.9% | #2,103 of 2,176 |
| 85Mitchell County, NC | 25 | 21 | 31.9 | 78 | +1.1% | #2,117 of 2,176 |
| 86Swain County, NC | 21 | 21 | 34.9 | 72 | −0.6% | #2,152 of 2,176 |
| 87Avery County, NC | 20 | 47 | 69.2 | 38 | +1.1% | #2,164 of 2,176 |
| 88Watauga County, NC | 17 | 98 | 46.2 | 54 | +0.6% | #2,174 of 2,176 |
| Yadkin County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | 973 | +2.9% | |
| Caswell County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.3 | 1,085 | +0.4% | |
| Greene County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.9 | 811 | +1.3% | |
| Bertie County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 5.6 | 436 | −3.6% | |
| Northampton County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.4% | |
| Perquimans County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 7.1 | 367 | +3.6% | |
| Washington County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 4.2 | 545 | −3.1% | |
| Gates County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.1% | |
| Jones County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 4.8 | 509 | +4.6% | |
| Graham County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 8.5 | 288 | +1.9% | |
| Hyde County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 10.3 | 227 | +1.0% | |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 19.4 | 117 | +9.3% |
Markets with fewer than 5 real estate agents and brokers on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many real estate agents and brokers are in North Carolina?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 12,932 real estate agents and brokers in North Carolina. 407 of them (3%) are chain locations. The listings count real estate agents and brokerages, commercial brokers included. Official counts show 6,880 businesses with payroll classed as offices of real estate agents and brokers in 2023, up 29.9% from 2019.
How much do households in North Carolina spend on rent and homeowner costs?
About $64.8B a year, or $15,139 per household. That is 9% below the U.S. average (an index of 91, where 100 is the U.S. average). For the 12,932 real estate agents and brokers on map listings, housing spending per office is 8% below the U.S. figure. That figure is all rent and homeowner costs, used as a measure of housing demand; it is not money real estate agents and brokers take in. It is estimated from the incomes of the 4,282,345 households in North Carolina and national spending patterns by income.
How does North Carolina compare with the U.S. for real estate agents and brokers?
North Carolina has 30.2 real estate agents and brokers per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 30.6. The index of housing spending per office is 92, where 100 is the U.S. At the U.S. ratio of real estate agents and brokers to household spending, North Carolina would have about 11,891, against 12,932 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 622 households, against one for every 788 across the U.S. The official count rose 29.9% from 2019 to 2023, against +20.1% for the U.S.
Which market in North Carolina has the highest market score for real estate agents and brokers?
Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Goldsboro metro area scores highest, at 67 (upper middle). Among 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest, at 73 (upper middle). Among 88 scored counties in North Carolina, Duplin County scores highest, at 79 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. North Carolina scores 39 for real estate agents and brokers (lower middle), #38 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in North Carolina. It maps the real estate agents and brokers on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Top markets for real estate agents and brokers across the U.S. · All business types in North Carolina
Related business types in North Carolina
- Real estate16,180 listings
- Property management1,257 listings
- Mortgage brokers and lenders1,750 listings
- Home inspectors241 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in North Carolina?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.