Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Benson, North Carolina
A $176,000 home here costs
$1,498per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $905. The real number is $593 higher every month — 66% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Benson against Johnston County and North Carolina
| Measure | Benson | Johnston County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $176,000 | $267,600 |
| Median property tax | $2,152 | $1,840 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.223% | 0.688% |
| Median gross rent | $978 | $1,007 |
| Population | 4,144 | 226,623 |
Benson extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Johnston County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Benson sits in Johnston County, which averages a high of 91.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 31.4°F in its coldest, with 49.37" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,871 cooling and 3,078 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Johnston County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Johnston County
Full Johnston County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Benson?
A $176,000 home in Benson, North Carolina costs approximately $1,498 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $905 principal and interest, $179 property tax, $64 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $147 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Benson?
Benson has an effective property tax rate of 1.223%, based on a median home value of $176,000 and median real estate taxes of $2,152. That is higher than the Johnston County average of 0.688%.
What is the average home price in Benson?
The median owner-occupied home value in Benson, North Carolina is $176,000, against $267,600 across Johnston County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Benson?
Median gross rent in Benson is $978 a month, against $1,498 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Benson — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for North Carolina.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.