Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Clemson, South Carolina
A $359,000 home here costs
$2,687per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,846. The real number is $842 higher every month — 46% 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.
Clemson against Anderson County and South Carolina
| Measure | Clemson | Anderson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $359,100 | $212,500 |
| Median property tax | $1,876 | $985 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.522% | 0.464% |
| Median gross rent | $972 | $952 |
| Population | 17,759 | 207,218 |
Clemson extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Anderson County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Clemson sits in Anderson County, which averages a high of 90.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.5°F in its coldest, with 50.25" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,864 cooling and 2,935 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Anderson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Anderson County
Full Anderson County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Clemson?
A $359,000 home in Clemson, South Carolina costs approximately $2,687 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,846 principal and interest, $156 property tax, $173 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $299 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Clemson?
Clemson has an effective property tax rate of 0.522%, based on a median home value of $359,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,876. That is higher than the Anderson County average of 0.464%.
What is the average home price in Clemson?
The median owner-occupied home value in Clemson, South Carolina is $359,100, against $212,500 across Anderson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Clemson?
Median gross rent in Clemson is $972 a month, against $2,687 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 Clemson — 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.