Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Carolina Forest, South Carolina
A $299,000 home here costs
$2,232per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,537. The real number is $694 higher every month — 45% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Carolina Forest against Horry County and South Carolina
| Measure | Carolina Forest | Horry County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $298,700 | $260,500 |
| Median property tax | $1,051 | $879 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.352% | 0.337% |
| Median gross rent | $1,567 | $1,181 |
| Population | 26,373 | 368,937 |
The weather behind that power bill
Carolina Forest sits in Horry County, which averages a high of 90.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.2°F in its coldest, with 55.21" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,141 cooling and 2,287 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Horry County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Horry County
Full Horry County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Carolina Forest?
A $299,000 home in Carolina Forest, South Carolina costs approximately $2,232 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,537 principal and interest, $88 property tax, $144 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $249 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Carolina Forest?
Carolina Forest has an effective property tax rate of 0.352%, based on a median home value of $298,700 and median real estate taxes of $1,051. That is higher than the Horry County average of 0.337%.
What is the average home price in Carolina Forest?
The median owner-occupied home value in Carolina Forest, South Carolina is $298,700, against $260,500 across Horry County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carolina Forest?
Median gross rent in Carolina Forest is $1,567 a month, against $2,232 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 Carolina Forest — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for South 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.