Cost to Own
United StatesSouth CarolinaSpartanburg CountyFairforest Population 1,711 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Fairforest, South Carolina

A $176,000 home here costs

$1,388

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $905. The real number is $483 higher every month — 53% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Fairforest median: $176,000
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, $140,800 borrowed $905
Property tax0.260% effective rate for Fairforest itself $38
Homeowners insuranceSouth Carolina averages $1,432/yr (NAIC), or 0.578% of home value $85
Electricity16.18¢/kWh — South Carolina residential average, EIA $145
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $147
Total monthly $1,388

Fairforest against Spartanburg County and South Carolina

MeasureFairforestSpartanburg County
Median home value$176,000$216,000
Median property tax$457$1,217
Effective tax rate0.260%0.563%
Median gross rent$696$1,019
Population1,711338,096

The weather behind that power bill

Fairforest sits in Spartanburg County, which averages a high of 90.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 31.5°F in its coldest, with 50.24" of precipitation a year and 26% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,664 cooling and 3,015 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Spartanburg County

Full Spartanburg County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina

Common questions

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

A $176,000 home in Fairforest, South Carolina costs approximately $1,388 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $905 principal and interest, $38 property tax, $85 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $147 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Fairforest?

Fairforest has an effective property tax rate of 0.260%, based on a median home value of $176,000 and median real estate taxes of $457. That is lower than the Spartanburg County average of 0.563%.

What is the average home price in Fairforest?

The median owner-occupied home value in Fairforest, South Carolina is $176,000, against $216,000 across Spartanburg County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fairforest?

Median gross rent in Fairforest is $696 a month, against $1,388 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 Fairforest — 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.

Full methodology