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City · 12,039 residents · Cleveland County, North Carolina

Kings Mountain , North Carolina

In Kings Mountain, a typical home is worth $204,100 and typical rent is $959 a month. Compared with all of Cleveland County, typical household income is 15% lower and the share of households that own their home is 9 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $204,100

    2% above the county

    29% below North Carolina

    • Kings Mountain
    • Cleveland
    • North Carolina

  • Typical rent

    $959a month

    5% above the county

    22% below North Carolina

    • Kings Mountain
    • Cleveland
    • North Carolina

  • Typical household income

    $49,564a year

    15% below the county

    32% below North Carolina

    • Kings Mountain
    • Cleveland
    • North Carolina

  • Households that own their home

    62%

    9 points below the county

    5 points below North Carolina

    • Kings Mountain
    • Cleveland
    • North Carolina

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$245,216
1% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,695 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Kings Mountain is in Cleveland County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Cleveland County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Kings Mountain apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Kings Mountain has the 8th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 136 cities in North Carolina with more than 5,000 people (70%).

  2. The typical household income in Kings Mountain is $49,564, 15% less than in Cleveland County as a whole ($58,534).

  3. 62% of households in Kings Mountain own their home, against 71% in Cleveland County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Kings Mountain

What homes there are in Kings Mountain, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 73% of homes here, against 70% in Cleveland County.

Year built

By age, homes in Kings Mountain look like those in Cleveland County: the typical year built is 1976.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

At least 96% of owner-occupied homes in Kings Mountain are worth less than $500,000, below the FHA loan limit for Cleveland County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,305 a month

Cleveland County: $1,257 a month

Without a mortgage

$472 a month

Cleveland County: $412 a month

Owners with a mortgage

39%

Cleveland County: 51%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Kings Mountain is $1,305 a month, near the figure in Cleveland County ($1,257).

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, home values in Kings Mountain rose at about the same pace as in Cleveland County: 65% against 67%.

The typical rent in Kings Mountain rose 29% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Cleveland County (31%).

While home values in Kings Mountain changed +65% and rent +29%, the typical household income rose 27%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureKings MountainCleveland CountyNorth CarolinaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.3%7.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.1%2.2%3.4%
People per household 2.582.552.442.53
Drive alone 84%82%72%69%
Carpool 7%9%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate7%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Cleveland County, a household in Kings Mountain has 2.58 people on average.

In Kings Mountain, 84% of workers drive alone to work; in Cleveland County, 82%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Kings Mountain?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Kings Mountain, worth $204,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 40% of the typical household income in Kings Mountain, which is $49,564 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $70,289 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Cleveland County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Kings Mountain. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $7,144 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,640

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$200,403
Total interest
$288,333
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,447 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,156 a month

  • Tight

    $1,156 to $1,487 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,487 a month

    Your payment · 40%

Compared with the typical household income in Kings Mountain ($49,564 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,640
Principal & interest$1,358
Property tax$107
Home insurance$85
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$90

You need at least $7,144 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Kings Mountain and Cleveland County

Kings Mountain is in Cleveland County, North Carolina. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Kings Mountain's own numbers

Typical home value
$204,100
Typical monthly rent
$959
Typical yearly household income
$49,564
Households that own their home
62%
Effective property tax rate
0.63%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Cleveland County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,014
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+67%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
0.2%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Cleveland County.

Everything about Cleveland County

Buying

Buying a home in Kings Mountain

A typical home in Kings Mountain is worth $204,100: 2% above the county and 29% below North Carolina. With the typical household income in Kings Mountain ($49,564 a year), a typical home costs 4.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Kings Mountain 4.1 years
  • Cleveland 3.4 years
  • North Carolina 4.0 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Cleveland County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Cleveland County rose 113% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Cleveland County.

Period County North Carolina U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.7% +2.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +67% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +113% +107% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Kings Mountain next to Cleveland County, North Carolina and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Kings Mountain $204,100
  • Cleveland $200,000
  • North Carolina $288,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Kings Mountain $959
  • Cleveland $914
  • North Carolina $1,228
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Kings Mountain $49,564
  • Cleveland $58,534
  • North Carolina $72,388
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Kings Mountain next to Cleveland County and North Carolina
Measure Kings Mountain Cleveland County North Carolina U.S.
Typical home value $204,100 $200,000 $288,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $959 $914 $1,228 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $49,564 $58,534 $72,388 $80,734
Households that own their home 62% 71% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,279 $1,286 $1,896 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.63% 0.64% 0.66% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 70% 50% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Cleveland County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Kings Mountain

For a typical $204,100 home in Kings Mountain, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Kings Mountain's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,640a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,144
    Cash to close
    $13,267
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $90

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,603a month

    Down payment
    $10,205
    Cash to close
    $16,328
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $97

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,298a month

    Down payment
    $40,820
    Cash to close
    $46,943
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,487a month

    Down payment
    $30,615
    Cash to close
    $36,738
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Kings Mountain and for Cleveland County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Kings Mountain

0.63%of the home’s value each year

$1,279 a year for the typical owner in Kings Mountain.

  • Kings Mountain 0.63%
  • Cleveland 0.64%
  • North Carolina 0.66%

What North Carolina publishes Elderly or Disabled Homestead Exclusion (North Carolina General Assembly (statute))

Exemptions and deadlines in North Carolina

Flood risk in Cleveland County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Cleveland County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
0.2%
81
Of those, with NFIP insurance
23%
County North Carolina U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 0.2% 2.8% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 23% 53% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Kings Mountain

Typical rent in Kings Mountain is $959 a month: 5% above the county. In Kings Mountain, 70% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Cleveland County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,014 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.50 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Cleveland County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $854 $16.42 $34,160
1 bedroom $859 $16.52 $34,360
2 bedrooms $1,014 $19.50 $40,560
3 bedrooms $1,404 $27.00 $56,160
4 bedrooms $1,424 $27.38 $56,960

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Kings Mountain

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Kings Mountain is in ZIP code 28086.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,050: $36 more than the fair market rent for Cleveland County ($1,014).

  • 28086 $1,050$1,430

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Kings Mountain when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Kings Mountain

HUD lists 9 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Kings Mountain. These are the largest.

  • Project Unnamed 116 N City St, Kings Mountain 28086 250 homes, 249 low-income · Run by Kings Mountain Redevelopment Commission · Average payment: $466 a month · Average wait: 10 months · Homes at several sites (704) 476-8356
  • Cambridge Oaks II 107 Kings Oak Cir, Kings Mountain 28086 80 low-income homes · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 48 · 3 bd: 24 · For families
  • Kings Row Apartments 1706 Kings Row Dr, Kings Mountain 28086 56 low-income homes · 2 bd: 40 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 2005 · For people with disabilities, families, people experiencing homelessness
  • Cambridge Oaks Apartments 107 Cambridge Oaks Cir, Kings Mountain 28086 56 homes, 52 low-income · 2 bd: 40 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 2015 · For families
  • Cleveland Ridge 327 Cleveland Ridge Dr, Kings Mountain 28086 48 low-income homes · 2 bd: 32 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 2010 · For families

See all 29 buildings in Cleveland County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Kings Mountain

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Cleveland County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair to help a teenage girl with her book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Kings Mountain

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Kings Mountain or Cleveland County. The ones below are statewide in North Carolina: they work in Kings Mountain the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in North Carolina

  • NC Home Advantage Mortgage

    Statewide in North Carolina

    NCHFA fixed-rate mortgage with down payment assistance, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before, in North Carolina. Offered by North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment

    Statewide in North Carolina

    A fixed amount of NCHFA down payment assistance for first-time buyers and veterans in North Carolina. Offered by North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

  • Community Partners Loan Pool (CPLP)

    Statewide in North Carolina

    NCHFA interest-free loan with deferred payments of up to 25% of the price (maximum $50,000) for the down payment of low- and moderate-income buyers in North Carolina; you apply through a member organization. Offered by North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Kings Mountain

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Kings Mountain, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • City of Gastonia

    150 S York St, Gastonia · 10 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • Homebuyer education workshops
    (704) 866-6756

  • Cleveland County Community Development Corporation

    823 W Warren St, Shelby · 12 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 11 more
    (704) 480-7701

  • DreamKey Partners

    4601 Charlotte Park Dr Ste 350, Charlotte · 26 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 5 more
    (704) 342-0933

Every agency in Cleveland County All counseling agencies in North Carolina

Help in Spanish near Kings Mountain

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Kings Mountain

HUD’s record names them for Kings Mountain or Cleveland County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Kings Mountain Redevelopment Commission Public housing (704) 476-8356

One other authority has an office in Cleveland County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Cleveland County

These cities are also in Cleveland County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Cleveland County Housing in North Carolina

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Kings Mountain, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Cleveland County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Kings Mountain.

All guides
A father, a mother and their daughter smile among the avocado trees by their home in Somis, California.

Questions

Housing questions about Kings Mountain

Short answers with the numbers for Kings Mountain and all of Cleveland County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Kings Mountain?

The typical home value in Kings Mountain is $204,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Cleveland County it is $200,000.

How much does it cost to rent in Kings Mountain?

Typical rent in Kings Mountain is $959 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Cleveland County is $1,014.

What is the FHA loan limit in Kings Mountain?

Kings Mountain uses the FHA limit for all of Cleveland County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Kings Mountain?

The typical homeowner in Kings Mountain pays $1,279 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.63% of the home’s value; in Cleveland County, the rate is 0.64%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Kings Mountain?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Cleveland County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).