27614, Raleigh, NC

Raleigh, NC is a city that has seen its share of ups and downs in recent years. The city's economy has been bolstered by the growth of the tech industry, but this growth has not been evenly distributed and there have been some areas of the city that have seen their incomes decline while others have seen theirs grow. This disparity in income has led to increased demand for housing in some parts of Raleigh while others remain relatively affordable. In addition, there is a large population of college students who are looking for reasonably priced housing close to campus.

One measure of the affordability of a given area is home equity. Home equity is the value of a homeowner's home minus any outstanding mortgages or other loans on that property. According to Zillow, the median home value in Raleigh was $236,000 as of September 2017. This means that homeowners in Raleigh had an average home equity value of $86,000 as of that date. While this number may seem high compared to some other cities, it should be noted that it is still much lower than what homeowners had at this point four years earlier (in 2015). In fact, according to Zillow's data, the median home equity value nationwide was $217,500 as of September 2017 - meaning that Raleigh's figure was above average nationally at this point in time.

One reason why home values have continued to rise over time in Raleigh may be due to increasing demand from buyers who are able to afford more expensive homes than they were previously able to purchase. Another factor may be related to limited supply - especially when it comes to properties located within desirable neighborhoods near downtown or major universities such as UNC-Chapel Hill or Duke University. As a result, prices for homes within these areas can be quite high relative to those outside these areas (although prices vary significantly depending on location).

Despite these increases in prices over recent years, however, many homeownership opportunities still exist within Raleigh - especially if buyers are willing to look beyond more expensive neighborhoods and consider properties located in less desirable parts of town (although these properties can also be quite affordable). Additionally, there are numerous government programs available which could help low-income families become homeowners (such as through HUD's Section 8 program or VA's Home Loan Guaranty program).