Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaMoore CountyCarthage Population 2,840 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Carthage, North Carolina

A $194,000 home here costs

$1,544

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $997. The real number is $547 higher every month — 55% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Carthage median: $194,100
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, $155,200 borrowed $997
Property tax0.686% effective rate for Carthage itself $111
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $70
Electricity15.09¢/kWh — North Carolina residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $162
Total monthly $1,544

Carthage against Moore County and North Carolina

MeasureCarthageMoore County
Median home value$194,100$315,300
Median property tax$1,332$1,784
Effective tax rate0.686%0.566%
Median gross rent$856$1,181
Population2,840102,840

The weather behind that power bill

Carthage sits in Moore County, which averages a high of 90.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 30.6°F in its coldest, with 47.81" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,641 cooling and 3,172 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Moore County

Full Moore County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Common questions

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

A $194,000 home in Carthage, North Carolina costs approximately $1,544 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $997 principal and interest, $111 property tax, $70 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $162 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Carthage?

Carthage has an effective property tax rate of 0.686%, based on a median home value of $194,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,332. That is higher than the Moore County average of 0.566%.

What is the average home price in Carthage?

The median owner-occupied home value in Carthage, North Carolina is $194,100, against $315,300 across Moore County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carthage?

Median gross rent in Carthage is $856 a month, against $1,544 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 Carthage — 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