Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bryson City, North Carolina
A $247,000 home here costs
$1,956per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $84,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,347. The real number is $609 higher every month, 45% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Swain County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Bryson City from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,676 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Swain County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Bryson City against Swain County and North Carolina
| Measure | Bryson City | Swain County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $246,700 | $209,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,130 | $844 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.458% | 0.402% |
| Median gross rent | $721 | $715 |
| Population | 1,676 | 14,065 |
The weather behind that power bill
Bryson City sits in Swain County, which averages a high of 73.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.2°F in its coldest, with 73.86" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 143 cooling and 6,020 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Swain County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Swain County
No other places of this size are published in Swain County.
Full Swain County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Bryson City averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Bryson City every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Bryson City I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Bryson City?
A $247,000 home in Bryson City, North Carolina costs approximately $1,956 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,347 principal and interest, $94 property tax, $90 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $206 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bryson City?
Bryson City has an effective property tax rate of 0.458%, based on a median home value of $246,700 and median real estate taxes of $1,130. That is higher than the Swain County average of 0.402%.
What is the average home price in Bryson City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bryson City, North Carolina is $246,700, against $209,800 across Swain County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bryson City?
Median gross rent in Bryson City is $721 a month, against $1,956 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Bryson City?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Bryson City, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $84,000 a year. That covers the full $1,956 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Bryson 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.