Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaSwain CountyBryson City Population 1,676 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Bryson City, North Carolina

A $247,000 home here costs

$1,863

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,270. The real number is $593 higher every month — 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Bryson City median: $246,700
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, $197,600 borrowed $1,270
Property tax0.458% effective rate for Bryson City itself $94
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $90
Electricity15.09¢/kWh — North Carolina residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $206
Total monthly $1,863

Bryson City against Swain County and North Carolina

MeasureBryson CitySwain County
Median home value$246,700$209,800
Median property tax$1,130$844
Effective tax rate0.458%0.402%
Median gross rent$721$715
Population1,67614,065

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 $136 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

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 $1,863 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,270 principal and interest, $94 property tax, $90 homeowners insurance, $204 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 $1,863 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 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.

Full methodology