Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaJackson CountyCherokee Population 1,631 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Cherokee, North Carolina

A $193,000 home here costs

$1,443

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $992. The real number is $451 higher every month — 45% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Cherokee median: $192,700
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, $154,400 borrowed $992
Property tax0.103% effective rate for Cherokee itself $17
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 $161
Total monthly $1,443

Cherokee against Jackson County and North Carolina

MeasureCherokeeJackson County
Median home value$192,700$253,900
Median property tax$199$938
Effective tax rate0.103%0.369%
Median gross rent$799$855
Population1,63143,089

Cherokee extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Jackson County, where most of its housing sits.

The weather behind that power bill

Cherokee sits in Jackson County, which averages a high of 85.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 25.6°F in its coldest, with 54.18" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 901 cooling and 4,130 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Jackson County

Full Jackson County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Common questions

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

A $193,000 home in Cherokee, North Carolina costs approximately $1,443 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $992 principal and interest, $17 property tax, $70 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $161 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Cherokee?

Cherokee has an effective property tax rate of 0.103%, based on a median home value of $192,700 and median real estate taxes of $199. That is lower than the Jackson County average of 0.369%.

What is the average home price in Cherokee?

The median owner-occupied home value in Cherokee, North Carolina is $192,700, against $253,900 across Jackson County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cherokee?

Median gross rent in Cherokee is $799 a month, against $1,443 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 Cherokee — 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