The means test in North Carolina: median income

The official median income for North Carolina, a quick first-step check and what happens if your income is above it.

Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.

Short answer

Official medians for North Carolina from the U.S. Trustee Program. Below the median for your household size means you pass the first step.

1 person
$67,117
2 people
$84,384
3 people
$101,535
4 people
$116,737
Each extra person
+$11,100
Medians apply to cases filed on or after
April 1, 2026

Check the first step in North Carolina

Official Form 122A-1 compares your household's yearly income with the median income in North Carolina. Here are the official medians:

  • 1 person$67,117
  • 2 people$84,384
  • 3 people$101,535
  • 4 people$116,737
  • Each extra person+$11,100

Applies to cases filed on or after April 1, 2026. 1 = one earner; 2, 3, 4 = people in the household; add = amount added for each person over 4

The numbers are worked out in your browser. Nothing you enter here is saved or sent.

Before taxes. Add up all income for the last 6 months and divide by 6.

Enter your household size and income

The bankruptcy courts in North Carolina

You file in the district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the last 180 days. North Carolina has three districts: Eastern, Middle and Western. The Middle District court lists which counties belong to each district: https://www.ncmb.uscourts.gov/north-carolina-counties. Division maps: https://www.nceb.uscourts.gov/divisional-maps (Eastern) and https://www.ncwb.uscourts.gov/western-district-north-carolina-divisional-map (Western).

Law: 28 U.S.C. 1408

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina

Divisions: Raleigh (clerk's office), with hearings in Fayetteville, Greenville, New Bern and Wilmington

Clerk's phone: 919-856-4752

Court's self-help page

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of North Carolina

Divisions: Greensboro, Winston-Salem

Clerk's phone: 336-358-4000

Court's self-help page

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina

Divisions: Charlotte, Asheville, Shelby, Statesville

Clerk's phone: (704) 350-7500

Court's self-help page

What you can keep in North Carolina

In North Carolina you use state exemptions only (exemptions are the property the law lets you keep).

Home (homestead): $35,000 in equity in real or personal property that you or a dependent use as a residence (including a co-op or a mobile home) or in a burial plot.

Car or other vehicle: $3,500 in equity in one motor vehicle, per debtor.

Wildcard (any property): Up to $5,000 of your unused homestead exemption, applied to any property.

Exemptions in North Carolina

In nearby states

  • Virginia: 1 person $78,491 · 2 people $101,171 · 3 people $123,159 · 4 people $144,826
  • South Carolina: 1 person $64,808 · 2 people $83,761 · 3 people $95,672 · 4 people $116,314
  • West Virginia: 1 person $63,908 · 2 people $68,592 · 3 people $92,050 · 4 people $93,672
  • District of Columbia: 1 person $85,391 · 2 people $161,397 · 3 people $161,397 · 4 people $166,598
  • Maryland: 1 person $86,928 · 2 people $114,611 · 3 people $135,949 · 4 people $166,173
  • Georgia: 1 person $68,478 · 2 people $84,965 · 3 people $101,479 · 4 people $123,481

Steps for the means test in North Carolina

  1. Total your income

    Add every source of household income for the last 6 months.

  2. Do the official first step

    The official first step is Official Form 122A-1.

  3. When income is higher

    Next comes the expense calculation on Official Form 122A-2.

  4. Find your court

    You file the forms in Eastern District, Middle District and Western District.

Where to get free help in North Carolina

Questions about the means test in North Carolina

What is the homestead exemption in North Carolina?

$35,000 in equity in real or personal property that you or a dependent use as a residence (including a co-op or a mobile home) or in a burial plot. $60,000 if you are unmarried, 65 or older, and you owned the home with a now-deceased co-owner as tenants by the entirety or joint tenants with right of survivorship.

How do I find my bankruptcy court in North Carolina?

You file in the district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the last 180 days. North Carolina has three districts: Eastern, Middle and Western. The Middle District court lists which counties belong to each district: https://www.ncmb.uscourts.gov/north-carolina-counties. Division maps: https://www.nceb.uscourts.gov/divisional-maps (Eastern) and https://www.ncwb.uscourts.gov/western-district-north-carolina-divisional-map (Western).

What is the median income for the means test in North Carolina?

For cases filed on or after April 1, 2026: 1 person: $67,117; 2 people: $84,384; 3 people: $101,535; 4 people: $116,737; Each extra person: +$11,100.

Where can I get free help with bankruptcy in North Carolina?

Legal Aid of North Carolina (statewide free civil legal aid), North Carolina Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (listed by the Eastern District court) and Middle District bankruptcy court — Pro Bono and Mentoring Programs.

Related North Carolina pages