Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Calabash, North Carolina
A $202,000 home here costs
$1,656per 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 $71,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,101. The real number is $555 higher every month, 50% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Brunswick County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Calabash from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,397 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 Brunswick 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.
Calabash against Brunswick County and North Carolina
| Measure | Calabash | Brunswick County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $202,000 | $314,700 |
| Median property tax | $1,124 | $1,789 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.556% | 0.568% |
| Median gross rent | $1,348 | $1,267 |
| Population | 2,397 | 145,889 |
The weather behind that power bill
Calabash sits in Brunswick County, which averages a high of 87.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 36.4°F in its coldest, with 56.53" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,865 cooling and 2,429 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Brunswick County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Brunswick County
Full Brunswick County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Calabash 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 Calabash every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Calabash I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Calabash?
A $202,000 home in Calabash, North Carolina costs approximately $1,656 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,101 principal and interest, $94 property tax, $73 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $168 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Calabash?
Calabash has an effective property tax rate of 0.556%, based on a median home value of $202,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,124. That is lower than the Brunswick County average of 0.568%.
What is the average home price in Calabash?
The median owner-occupied home value in Calabash, North Carolina is $202,000, against $314,700 across Brunswick County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Calabash?
Median gross rent in Calabash is $1,348 a month, against $1,656 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 Calabash?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Calabash, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $71,000 a year. That covers the full $1,656 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Calabash, 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.