Real Estate Investing in Fayetteville, North Carolina (28303)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Cumberland County • Population: 30,220 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 28303 (Fayetteville, NC)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (70/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 10.1% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Fayetteville, NC (28303)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $209,892
Avg Monthly Rent $1,357
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $50,620
% Renters 55.9%

Market Analysis: 28303 Fayetteville

Stepping back, ZIP 28303 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $210K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 28303 posts the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Regionally, 28303 sits on the difficult end of the NC spectrum. The a viable market for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Resident income in 28303 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

Distressed ZIPs reward experience. durable returns are possible in 28303, but they flow to investors who already understand how to operate in soft markets.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Fayetteville:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 75/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.1× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,357/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Fayetteville, NC Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
53 days
Average time to sell
Average
10.8%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Fayetteville, NC metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 28303

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
6.4% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+15.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$67,360/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $141,622 $1,260 6.4% +15.8% $70,811
3BR $202,081 $1,680 6.0% +9.7% $67,360
4BR $295,551 $2,080 5.1% +6.8% $73,888
5BR $510,873 +5.0% $102,175

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$223K$199K$174K$150K$125K$100KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,523$1,429$1,335$1,241$1,146$1,052Oct 2021Mar 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 28303 Compare?

Metric 28303 Fayetteville Fayetteville, NC North Carolina
Home Value $209,892 $196,250 N/A $330,565
5-Year CAGR 6.5% 6.9% N/A 7.8%
Avg Rent $1,357 $1,327 N/A -
Cap Rate 5.0% 4.6% - -
💡 Why Invest in 28303? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

56% of households rent in this area, creating consistent tenant demand for landlords.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 28303 (Fayetteville, NC). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
5.0%
Fair
5yr Growth
+6.5%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Fayetteville, NC metro

1/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
42%
Days Pending
1/2
53 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $209,892
Monthly Rent $1,357
Price-to-Rent 12.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 7.8%
Cap Rate 5.0%
5-Year IRR 11.5%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.5% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.8% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -5.9% ▼
3-Year CAGR -0.2% ▼
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 5.0%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (5.0%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
10.1%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.5%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 28303

Population: 30,220

💰 Median Household Income
$50,620
This area
$50,620
State
$63,256
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
55.9%
This area
55.9%
State
27.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.0%
This area
3.0%
State
-19.3%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
28.5%
This area
28.5%
State
0.5%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
33.9 years
This area
33.9 years
State
6.5 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
10.1%
This area
10.1%
State
19.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 43.9%
Black/African American 36.3%
Other/Mixed 15.3%
Hispanic/Latino 5.7%
Asian 4.6%
👶 Under 18
22.7%
This area
22.7%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.8%
This area
17.8%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
15.1%
This area
15.1%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 28303

B Avg School Grade
9 Schools
16.2:1 Avg Class Size
$12,982 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Benjamin J Martin Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
484 Students
👨‍🏫
11.8:1 Class Size
💰
$12,982 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Morganton Road Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
498 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$12,982 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Ponderosa Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
391 Students
👨‍🏫
13.5:1 Class Size
💰
$12,982 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Vanstory Hills Elementary

📚 02 – 05 Elementary
👥
480 Students
👨‍🏫
14.4:1 Class Size
💰
$12,982 Per Student
B Good

Alger B. Wilkins High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
130 Students
👨‍🏫
10.0:1 Class Size
💰
$12,982 Per Student
B Good

Westover Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
778 Students
👨‍🏫
18.8:1 Class Size
💰
$12,982 Per Student
C+ Average

Cumberland Polytechnic

📚 09 – 13 High School
👥
304 Students
👨‍🏫
24.0:1 Class Size
💰
$12,982 Per Student
C+ Average

Terry Sanford High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,213 Students
👨‍🏫
19.2:1 Class Size
💰
$12,982 Per Student
C+ Average

Westover High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,244 Students
👨‍🏫
19.6:1 Class Size
💰
$12,982 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 3,650 Off-Campus Students
C
Paul Mitchell the School-Fayetteville
179 students · 1.0 mi
C
Manna University
230 students · 1.8 mi
C
Fayetteville Technical Community College
10,877 students · 2.1 mi
D
Carolina College of Biblical Studies
173 students · 2.6 mi
C+
Fayetteville State University
6,847 students · 3.8 mi
C
Miller-Motte College-Fayetteville
169 students · 4.7 mi
C
Methodist University
1,768 students · 5.9 mi
D
One Stop Academy
19 students · 6.2 mi

Investor Insight: With 3,650 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly do rentals get leased in Fayetteville, NC?

Fayetteville, NC vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

What is it like being a landlord in Fayetteville, NC?

Fayetteville, NC operates under NC law, which is landlord-friendly overall for landlords. Expect even-keeled treatment in typical lease and eviction cases.

How strong are rents in Fayetteville, NC?

Fayetteville, NC rentals go for roughly $1,357/mo a month. That puts gross yield in solid territory relative to $210K acquisition costs.

What is the renter demographic in Fayetteville, NC?

The tenant pool in Fayetteville, NC is solid, supported by local employment and population fundamentals. Rents of $1,357/mo are well-absorbed by the market.

Is Fayetteville, NC a good market for buy-and-hold investors?

The 3.0/5 investability rating in Fayetteville, NC reflects its $210K prices and $1,357/mo rents. Investors generally consider it a solid option within NC.

You know 28303 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 28303 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 28303 ranks in Fayetteville, NC

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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