1st Advantage MortgageIn Person County, North Carolina, the typical household earns $63,300 a year and the typical rent is $864. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in North Carolina before sharing details.
On this page
- Person County at a glance
- Rent, home values and ownership in Person County
- Income in Person County compared with North Carolina
- The Person County job picture
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Places inside Person County
- Debt-to-income at Person County's medians
- Person County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Before borrowing in Person County
- Before you sign
- Lender oversight for Person County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Person County at a glance
With an estimated 39,542 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Person County ranks 63rd of 100 in North Carolina for population. Packed into 392 square miles, that is close to 101 residents for every square mile of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan area. Roxboro is the biggest of its 2 Census places, at roughly 8,182 people (21% of the county total).
Rent, home values and ownership in Person County
Renters in Person County pay a median of $864 a month, 30% below the North Carolina figure of $1,228. 60% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 38% spend half or more. With a median value of $213,900, a typical Person County house costs 3.4 times what the median household earns in a year. 77% of Person County households own their home and 23% rent. The median year built is 1983.
| Cost | Person County | North Carolina figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $864/mo | $1,228/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $213,900 | $288,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 60% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 25% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 18.4% | 11.0% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 14% | 13% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare). Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
Income in Person County compared with North Carolina
The median household income in Person County is $63,300; statewide it is $72,388, so Person County runs 13% below North Carolina as a whole. That places it 42nd among North Carolina's 100 county-level areas.
| Household income | Person County | vs North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 29.4% | +6.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.6% | -1.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.9% | -1.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.1% | -3.3 pts |
Some 29% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 31% have six-figure incomes. 17.5% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.0%). A household earning below the $63,300 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
The Person County job picture
Education and health care employs 25% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 14%. Compared with North Carolina, the county leans toward education and health care (25% against 23%). The survey's unemployment rate for Person County averages 5.6% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.7%). Long commutes are common here: 28% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 4.9% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Person County share | +/- vs North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.3% | +2.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.1% | +2.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.1% | -1.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.4% | -3.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.7% | +0.3 pts |
| Construction | 7.7% | +0.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Neighboring counties at a glance
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Person County's, from 18 to 28 miles away. Orange County leads the group on income ($90,089), Danville city trails ($44,423), and Person County out-earns 3 of the six. Some neighbors are in Virginia. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Person County resident follows North Carolina rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Person County | - | $63,300 | $864/mo | 77% |
| Granville County, NC | 18 mi | $71,111 | $1,008/mo | 77% |
| Caswell County, NC | 21 mi | $59,755 | $727/mo | 75% |
| Orange County, NC | 24 mi | $90,089 | $1,496/mo | 64% |
| Durham County, NC | 25 mi | $82,316 | $1,508/mo | 55% |
| Halifax County, VA | 26 mi | $52,013 | $790/mo | 75% |
| Danville city, VA | 28 mi | $44,423 | $836/mo | 48% |
Places inside Person County
The table lists the 2 largest of 2 Census places in Person County, by population. Together all 2 hold about 8,885 people, so roughly 78% of residents live outside any named place. Live in one of these Person County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roxboro | city | 8,182 | $36,553 | $860 | 1 mi |
| Rougemont | CDP | 703 | $104,327 | n/a | 12 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Debt-to-income at Person County's medians
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Person County's medians:
- $5,275 a month: gross income for a household at the Person County median
- Housing at the median rent of $864 uses 16%
- Under a 43% cap, $2,268 total minus rent leaves $1,404
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Person County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 19% of the adult population. 9.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Person County | North Carolina statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.3% | 35.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 11.1% | 9.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.4% | 9.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.9% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 12.9% | 16.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% | 13.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.6% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 24.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 26.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 15.4% |
| 60+ min | 12.4% |
Before borrowing in Person County
Where the Person County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Long drives. With 28% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Person County budgets.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 18% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Rent squeeze. 60% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
Before you sign
Quick steps for Person County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Only work with lenders licensed for North Carolina borrowers.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Lender oversight for Person County
The North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks is the place to verify any lender's North Carolina license. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. Statewide data and rules: North Carolina guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
The North Carolina guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Person County earn?
The median is $63,300; 31% earn $100,000 or more and 29% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Person County rent compare with North Carolina?
$864 locally versus $1,228 for the state, 30% below.
Should Person County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 77% of Person County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Which towns does the Person County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 2 Census places: Roxboro, Rougemont.
Does living in Person County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Person County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.