Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaGaston CountyBessemer City Population 5,508 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Bessemer City, North Carolina

A $173,000 home here costs

$1,424

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $889. The real number is $534 higher every month — 60% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Bessemer City median: $173,000
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $138,400 borrowed $889
Property tax0.858% effective rate for Bessemer City itself $124
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $63
Electricity15.09¢/kWh — North Carolina residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $144
Total monthly $1,424

Bessemer City against Gaston County and North Carolina

MeasureBessemer CityGaston County
Median home value$173,000$235,000
Median property tax$1,484$1,872
Effective tax rate0.858%0.797%
Median gross rent$942$1,085
Population5,508231,485

The weather behind that power bill

Bessemer City sits in Gaston County, which averages a high of 90.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 31.4°F in its coldest, with 43.95" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,854 cooling and 3,004 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Gaston County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Gaston County

Full Gaston County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Bessemer City?

A $173,000 home in Bessemer City, North Carolina costs approximately $1,424 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $889 principal and interest, $124 property tax, $63 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $144 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Bessemer City?

Bessemer City has an effective property tax rate of 0.858%, based on a median home value of $173,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,484. That is higher than the Gaston County average of 0.797%.

What is the average home price in Bessemer City?

The median owner-occupied home value in Bessemer City, North Carolina is $173,000, against $235,000 across Gaston County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bessemer City?

Median gross rent in Bessemer City is $942 a month, against $1,424 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 Bessemer City — 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.

Full methodology