Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaCaldwell CountyCajah's Mountain Population 2,696 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Cajah's Mountain, North Carolina

A $176,000 home here costs

$1,411

per 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 $506 higher every month — 56% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Cajah's Mountain median: $175,900
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, $140,800 borrowed $905
Property tax0.628% effective rate for Cajah's Mountain itself $92
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $64
Electricity15.09¢/kWh — North Carolina residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $147
Total monthly $1,411

Cajah's Mountain against Caldwell County and North Carolina

MeasureCajah's MountainCaldwell County
Median home value$175,900$174,000
Median property tax$1,104$1,112
Effective tax rate0.628%0.639%
Median gross rent$677$735
Population2,69680,618

The weather behind that power bill

Cajah's Mountain sits in Caldwell County, which averages a high of 87.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 27.3°F in its coldest, with 49.66" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,289 cooling and 3,851 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Caldwell County

Full Caldwell County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Cajah's Mountain?

A $176,000 home in Cajah's Mountain, North Carolina costs approximately $1,411 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $905 principal and interest, $92 property tax, $64 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $147 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Cajah's Mountain?

Cajah's Mountain has an effective property tax rate of 0.628%, based on a median home value of $175,900 and median real estate taxes of $1,104. That is lower than the Caldwell County average of 0.639%.

What is the average home price in Cajah's Mountain?

The median owner-occupied home value in Cajah's Mountain, North Carolina is $175,900, against $174,000 across Caldwell County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cajah's Mountain?

Median gross rent in Cajah's Mountain is $677 a month, against $1,411 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 Cajah's Mountain — 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