Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaBrunswick CountyCalabash Population 2,397 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Calabash, North Carolina

A $202,000 home here costs

$1,577

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,038. The real number is $539 higher every month — 52% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Calabash median: $202,000
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, $161,600 borrowed $1,038
Property tax0.556% effective rate for Calabash itself $94
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $73
Electricity15.09¢/kWh — North Carolina residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $168
Total monthly $1,577

Calabash against Brunswick County and North Carolina

MeasureCalabashBrunswick County
Median home value$202,000$314,700
Median property tax$1,124$1,789
Effective tax rate0.556%0.568%
Median gross rent$1,348$1,267
Population2,397145,889

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 $136 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

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Calabash?

A $202,000 home in Calabash, North Carolina costs approximately $1,577 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,038 principal and interest, $94 property tax, $73 homeowners insurance, $204 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 $1,577 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 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.

Full methodology