Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Central, South Carolina
A $229,000 home here costs
$1,854per 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 $79,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,249. The real number is $606 higher every month, 49% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Pickens 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.
Central against Pickens County and South Carolina
| Measure | Central | Pickens County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $228,500 | $216,000 |
| Median property tax | $854 | $821 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.374% | 0.380% |
| Median gross rent | $973 | $936 |
| Population | 5,299 | 132,604 |
The weather behind that power bill
Central sits in Pickens County, which averages a high of 89.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 30.4°F in its coldest, with 56.67" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,643 cooling and 3,229 heating degree days, which is what sets the $165 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Pickens County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Pickens County
Full Pickens County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Central 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 Central every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Central I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Central?
A $229,000 home in Central, South Carolina costs approximately $1,854 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,249 principal and interest, $71 property tax, $110 homeowners insurance, $233 utilities and $191 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Central?
Central has an effective property tax rate of 0.374%, based on a median home value of $228,500 and median real estate taxes of $854. That is in line with the Pickens County average of 0.380%.
What is the average home price in Central?
The median owner-occupied home value in Central, South Carolina is $228,500, against $216,000 across Pickens County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Central?
Median gross rent in Central is $973 a month, against $1,854 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 Central?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Central, South Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $79,500 a year. That covers the full $1,854 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Central, 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.