The city of Winterville tops list for most affordable place to live in NC

A 2020 study, performed by SmartAsset, found Winterville to be the most affordable place in North Carolina.

The study analyzed all cities in North Carolina with a population of 5,000 residents or greater and measured them based on cost-of-living style metrics that factored taxes, homeowners’ insurance, and home costs relative to the local median income.

Landing at number one, Winterville boasts low property taxes, low homeowner’s insurance, and a low average annual mortgage payment relative to a high median income. Many of the cities within the top 10 are located around the Charlotte or Triad areas.

Winterville remains one of only three cities in the top 10 list east of the Triad.

This study does not mean that Winterville is the least expensive place in North Carolina. However, the high-quality jobs and abundance of amenities combined with superior community safety contribute to the high desirability of living in Winterville.

Year after year, Winterville ranks as one of the top 10 safest cities in North Carolina. The newest study, released only months ago by HomeStacks, once again ranked Winterville as one of the 10 safest cities in 2020. These and other factors have led to the steady growth and ever-increasing appeal of Winterville.

Winterville’s housing market is “Very Hot” as described by Zillow’s most recent Market Temperature Index. In fact, Zillow’s Home Value Index calculated that homes in Winterville have gone up by 4.3% over the past year, higher than the national average of 3.8%. Furthermore, Zillow is forecasting that home values will continue to rise by 4% over the next year in Winterville.

The US Census’s American Community Survey contains further evidence of Winterville’s strong housing market and high desirability. The latest American Community Survey report shows a 99.2% home occupancy rate within Winterville. Compared to Pitt County’s occupancy rate of 90.1%, the North Carolina rate of 85.7% and the National rate of 87.8%- such numbers support the evidence of Winterville’s attractiveness to homeowners.

Though Winterville is experiencing a short-lived deficit of houses for sale, there is excellent news on the horizon!

In 2018 alone, the Town of Winterville permitted 426 new single-family lots. Some of these lots have already begun to hit the market, with many under construction, and others soon to be available.