Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Carrboro, North Carolina
A $507,000 home here costs
$4,170per 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 $178,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,764. The real number is $1,406 higher every month, 51% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Orange County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Carrboro against Orange County and North Carolina
| Measure | Carrboro | Orange County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $507,100 | $428,500 |
| Median property tax | $6,957 | $4,105 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.372% | 0.958% |
| Median gross rent | $1,337 | $1,387 |
| Population | 21,170 | 147,292 |
The weather behind that power bill
Carrboro sits in Orange County, which averages a high of 88.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 30.1°F in its coldest, with 46.7" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,380 cooling and 3,496 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Orange County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Orange County
Full Orange County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Carrboro 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 Carrboro every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Carrboro I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Carrboro?
A $507,000 home in Carrboro, North Carolina costs approximately $4,170 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,764 principal and interest, $580 property tax, $184 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $423 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Carrboro?
Carrboro has an effective property tax rate of 1.372%, based on a median home value of $507,100 and median real estate taxes of $6,957. That is higher than the Orange County average of 0.958%.
What is the average home price in Carrboro?
The median owner-occupied home value in Carrboro, North Carolina is $507,100, against $428,500 across Orange County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carrboro?
Median gross rent in Carrboro is $1,337 a month, against $4,170 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 Carrboro?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Carrboro, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $178,500 a year. That covers the full $4,170 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Carrboro, 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.