The Town of Aberdeen took a deeper look at the region’s housing needs Aug. 11, reviewing a newly released Moore County housing report that shows the county faces a shortage of 7,724 housing units.
Affordable and workforce housing has been an ongoing topic of discussion in Aberdeen. On Tuesday, Aberdeen Town Manager Paul Sabiston presented a comprehensive report that outlined recent findings regarding the state of the housing market in Moore County.
“Affordable and Workforce Housing is a vital need in our community, and the BOC has recognized this challenge,” said Sabiston. “The purpose of presenting this information is to revisit the issue of Affordable and Workforce Housing in the Town of Aberdeen and what its role, if any, should be to support this effort.”
After crunching the numbers with a Bowen National Research County Overview, Sabiston was able to present facts and figures to the board.
Findings from the 2025 Moore County Housing Report
“In June 2024, Bowen National Research completed a 21-county Housing Needs Assessment of the Carolina Core Region in the state of North Carolina,” explains Sabiston in his official report. “In conjunction with the regional Housing Needs Assessment, individual housing overviews were also prepared for select counties within the region. This housing overview includes a summary of demographic, economic and housing metrics specific to Moore County.”
The report indicates that Moore County has experienced a population increase of 15,638 people, or 17.7%, since 2010, outpacing both the regional (11%) and state (12.9%) growth rates. The number of households grew by 16.8% over the same period. Projections show an additional 3.4% population growth and 4.2% household growth in the next five years, both higher than regional and state averages.
Despite this growth, the for-sale housing market has low availability, and multifamily and nonconventional rental markets have low vacancy rates. A survey of 24 apartment properties, totaling 2,395 units, found a 95.4% overall occupancy rate, with just 111 vacancies.
Government-subsidized units had an even higher occupancy rate of 99.2%.
The 2025 report projects a countywide gap of 1,916 rental units and 5,808 for-sale units based on household growth projections for 2024–2029 and a field survey of available housing. The analysis accounted for demand from household growth, the replacement of substandard housing, commuter and external market support, cost-burdened households, and anticipated job growth.
“The county has a total housing gap of 7,724 units and nearly 20,000 commuters coming into the county daily for employment,” writes Sabiston. “This represents a significant development opportunity, which will contribute to positive household growth in the area and support a growing local economy.”
Cost burdens and market pressures
The report notes that Moore County’s estimated median home value of $345,609 is 57.4% higher than the regional median and 31.4% higher than the statewide figure. Median gross rent stands at $1,084, slightly higher than the region and roughly in line with the state.
About 37.7% of renter households and 19.3% of owner households in Moore County are considered housing cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing. More than 1,100 households, both renters and owners, are severely cost-burdened, spending more than half of their income on housing.
“A large percentage of low-income renters in NC spend a disproportionate amount of their income on housing costs, leading to severe cost burdens,” explains Sabiston. “North Carolina faces a substantial shortage of affordable and available rental homes, with a particular gap for extremely low-income renters.”
Aberdeen’s “STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS (SWOT)” figure from Sabiston’s report.
Policy options under consideration
The statewide findings presented to the board echoed the local report, highlighting both the shortage of affordable and available rental homes and the high percentage of low-income renters facing severe cost burdens.
Potential policy tools outlined in the meeting materials included:
• Inclusionary zoning, requiring a percentage of new developments to be designated as affordable housing.
• Funding programs to support the creation and preservation of affordable units.
• Zoning reform to relax restrictions on affordable housing development.
• Incentives for developers to include affordable housing in projects.
• Housing First initiatives aimed at individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Expanded rental assistance programs, such as Section 8 vouchers.
• Preservation efforts to prevent the loss of existing affordable units.
Sabiston suggested that Aberdeen could consider changes to its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to allow density bonuses if developers set aside a portion of units for affordable or workforce housing on a long-term basis.
The report, Sabiston said, did not require any votes or immediate action, but instead represents a foundation for shaping future policy and deciding whether the town should play a direct role in creating incentives.
Moore County’s low vacancy rates, rising costs, and projected growth point to what Sabiston believes to be a development opportunity for the area. Without action, he warned, more households may be forced to relocate or avoid the area, taking workers and potential residents away from not just the economy of Aberdeen, but from all of Moore County.
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~ Article by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021. Photo via Town of Aberdeen meeting video.
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