This directory lists 118 North Carolina and South Carolina cities, 17 metro areas and 28 counties with their own personal loan guide. Each page combines Census Bureau figures for that place with local context written for it, then explains how to compare written offers and verify a lender's license.
Find your place
Pick your city, or start with the metro or county overview. Guides are added as we verify more local detail.
North Carolina
Charlotte area
- Charlotte metro overview
- Charlotte
- Concord
- Gastonia
- Rock Hill
- Huntersville
- Kannapolis
- Mooresville
- Indian Trail
- Monroe
- Salisbury
- Cornelius
- Fort Mill
- Matthews
- Statesville
- Mint Hill
- Waxhaw
- Harrisburg
- Mount Holly
- Stallings
- Davidson
- Belmont
- Weddington
- Tega Cay
Raleigh area
- Raleigh metro overview
- Raleigh
- Cary
- Apex
- Wake Forest
- Holly Springs
- Fuquay-Varina
- Garner
- Morrisville
- Clayton
- Knightdale
- Wendell
- Smithfield
Greensboro area
Durham area
Winston area
Fayetteville area
Wilmington area
Asheville area
Burlington area
Hickory area
Pinehurst area
Other North Carolina places
- Albemarle
- Boone
- Elizabeth City
- Goldsboro
- Greenville
- Havelock
- Henderson
- Jacksonville
- Kings Mountain
- Kinston
- Laurinburg
- Lumberton
- New Bern
- Roanoke Rapids
- Rocky Mount
- Sanford
- Shelby
- Wilson
North Carolina county guides
- Alamance County
- Cabarrus County
- Catawba County
- Cleveland County
- Craven County
- Cumberland County
- Davidson County
- Forsyth County
- Gaston County
- Guilford County
- Iredell County
- Johnston County
- Mecklenburg County
- Moore County
- Orange County
- Randolph County
- Rockingham County
- Union County
- Wake County
South Carolina
Charleston area
- Charleston metro overview
- Charleston
- North Charleston
- Mount Pleasant
- Summerville
- Goose Creek
- Hanahan
- Moncks Corner
- James Island
Greenville area
Columbia area
Hilton Head Island area
Myrtle Beach area
Augusta area
Other South Carolina places
South Carolina county guides
- Aiken County
- Beaufort County
- Berkeley County
- Charleston County
- Greenville County
- Horry County
- Lexington County
- Pickens County
- York County
How to use these guides
Each local guide shows Census figures for income, rent, home values, commute times, age, education and job mix, the unemployment rate for the county, and a comparison with neighbors. Use it to check your own budget against local conditions.
How we chose places
We publish guides for every metro area in the Carolinas and its suburbs, and for larger towns beyond them. We publish first where public data shows stronger household incomes, so some pages go live earlier than others. That is a decision about writing order. It does not affect who can use the form: anyone in North Carolina or South Carolina can submit a request, and the fit check uses only your own answers.
Summary by state
| State | Places with a guide | County guides | Median household income range | Median gross rent range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 80 | 19 | $30,065 to $190,766 | $658 to $2,640 |
| South Carolina | 38 | 9 | $38,635 to $142,000 | $839 to $2,256 |
Where the data comes from
Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 estimates for places and counties, Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics for counties and the Census Bureau's July 2023 metropolitan area definitions.
Why metro pages exist
Many Carolinians live in one county and work in another, so a metro overview shows the surrounding counties together. Each metro page has a county table with the latest unemployment rate, income, rent and commute data, plus notes on each place. Use it with your own city page.
Sources
Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020 to 2024, Bureau of Labor Statistics LAUS, Census Bureau metropolitan area definitions of July 2023.
How to read a metro page and a city page together
Start with the metro page to see the whole labor market: which counties have higher unemployment, which have longer commutes and where rent takes the biggest share of income. Then open your city page for the place-level snapshot, the neighbor comparison and the local context. If you live in a smaller town that is not listed, use the closest city and county for a sense of local costs.
What the guides do not do
They do not rank who deserves credit, predict what a lender will offer you or replace a lender's disclosure. They are a data-backed way to check a budget. Everything you do on the form depends only on your own answers.
Suggest a place
If your town is missing, tell us on the contact page. We add places in batches and check each against the same public sources before publishing it.
A note on privacy
Browsing local guides does not require you to share anything. The only page that collects personal information is the fit check, and it asks for a name, email and phone number only if your answers fit.
Tips for small towns
If your town is not listed, use the county page, which blends nearby places, and compare it with the nearest listed city. Rents and commutes in small towns often differ from the county average, so check your own budget.
Frequently asked questions
Why are some places missing?
We add places in batches and check each against public sources before publishing.
Is my county covered?
Search the state list above or open your metro page. If it is missing, tell us on the contact page.
Do these pages predict what I will be offered?
No. They describe a place, not you.
Where do the numbers come from?
Census Bureau ACS 2020 to 2024 estimates and Bureau of Labor Statistics county unemployment data.