Northwest, NC housing market
The median sale price was $325,000 in May 2026.
Home values, sales, trends and how Northwest compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Northwest at a glance
Only 2 sales in May 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value above is the steadier guide.
Home prices up 64% in 5 years
The federal house price index for the ZIP codes around Northwest rose 64% over the past 5 years, faster than across North Carolina (60%). Last year prices rose 2.1%.
Show as a table
| Year | Change that year | Since 2000 | North Carolina since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | +2.1% | +153% | +159% |
| 2024 | +5.9% | +148% | +153% |
| 2023 | +9.7% | +134% | +141% |
| 2022 | +18% | +113% | +121% |
| 2021 | +17% | +81% | +83% |
| 2020 | +2.4% | +54% | +62% |
| 2019 | +7.5% | +51% | +56% |
| 2018 | +6.3% | +40% | +47% |
| 2017 | +0.8% | +32% | +39% |
| 2016 | +10% | +31% | +31% |
| 2015 | +0.8% | +19% | +26% |
| 2014 | +0.7% | +18% | +21% |
| 2013 | +3.6% | +17% | +18% |
| 2012 | −5.6% | +13% | +17% |
| 2011 | −8.6% | +20% | +20% |
| 2010 | −8.1% | +31% | +25% |
| 2009 | −6.2% | +43% | +32% |
| 2008 | −2.4% | +52% | +36% |
| 2007 | +7.9% | +56% | +34% |
| 2006 | +15% | +45% | +28% |
| 2005 | +13% | +25% | +19% |
| 2004 | +4.1% | +11% | +12% |
| 2003 | +1.5% | +6.7% | +8.3% |
| 2002 | −0.6% | +5.1% | +6.7% |
| 2001 | +5.8% | +5.8% | +4.2% |
| 2000 | — | — | — |
Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (annual, developmental) for ZIP codes 28451, 28456, covering 84% of Northwest’s land, weighted by land area. It tracks repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, so it shows how prices changed, not what homes cost.
20 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 20 new homes in Northwest in 2025, all single-family houses, worth about $3.1 million to build. Over the past 10 years, Northwest has permitted 225 homes in all.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | 20 | 0 | $3.1 million |
| 2024 | 36 | 36 | 0 | $6 million |
| 2023 | 33 | 33 | 0 | $5.2 million |
| 2022 | 40 | 40 | 0 | $7.6 million |
| 2021 | 61 | 61 | 0 | $14.6 million |
| 2020 | 31 | 31 | 0 | $5.5 million |
| 2019 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $165,000 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Northwest's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey.
Northwest and its neighbors
| Town | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest | +2.1%† | $1,550 | 20 | $53,214 |
| Sandy Creek | +2.1%† | $1,620 | 0 | $61,250 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 · figures for a place this size carry wide margins of error.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,550
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Northwest is $1,550 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Northwest pay a median of $825, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Studio $1,340 · 4 bedrooms $2,590
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (28451, 28456; Brunswick County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Price trend: Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.