The cost of country living.

• Position: Statewide - Statistical data

It's no surprise: Rents are rising in North Carolina. What might come as a shock is where they're increasing most.

Fueled by lack of inventory and a booming population, the average monthly median rent for a two-bedroom housing unit in North Carolina increased 4.8%, to $715.96, from 2009 to 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In the 15 urban counties, which have experienced the highest concentration of growth, rent has risen just 2.8%, to $787.87. But rent in rural counties has skyrocketed 5.0%, to $701.51

That's tough news for rural renters. Despite rural North Carolina's population growing 15%, there were fewer people employed there in 2010 than a decade earlier. The median rural household income was $40,957-$4,300 less than at the turn of the century. And though urban households earn about $10,000 more a year than rural ones, they pay only about $1,000 more in annual rent.

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Largest increases in median rent 2013 2009 % change Onslow County $892 $668 33.5% Swain County 766 605 26.6 Harnett County 808 639 26.4 Camden County 886 711 24.6 Macon County 792 658 20.4 Carteret County 790 662 19.3 Bladen County 687 577 19.1 Craven County 797 672 18.6 Vance County 706 599 17.9 Currituck County 1,136 969 17.2 Largest decreases 2013 2009 % change Tyrrell County $499 $711 (29.8) % Mitchell County 533 701 (24.0) Gates County 632 711 (11.1) Transylvania County 706 794 (11.1) Cleveland County 634 711 (10.8) McDowell County 580 648 (10.5) Moore County 664 731 (9.2) Polk County 679 727 (6.6) Alamance County 749 795 (5.8) Catawba County 626 662 (5.4) Median rent 2013 Highest Currituck County $1,136 Dare County 985 Franklin County 927 Johnston County 927 Wake County 927 Chatham County 894 Durham County 894 Orange County 894 Onslow County 892 Camden County 886 Lowest Tyrrell County 549 Mitchell County 53 Sampson County 5 Montgomery County 5 Cherokee County 5 Graham County 57 McDowell County 58 Northampton...