Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaGuilford CountyForest Oaks Population 4,095 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Forest Oaks, North Carolina

A $294,000 home here costs

$2,220

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,511. The real number is $708 higher every month — 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Forest Oaks median: $294,400
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, $235,200 borrowed $1,511
Property tax0.624% effective rate for Forest Oaks itself $153
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $107
Electricity15.09¢/kWh — North Carolina residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $245
Total monthly $2,220

Forest Oaks against Guilford County and North Carolina

MeasureForest OaksGuilford County
Median home value$294,400$234,900
Median property tax$1,838$2,075
Effective tax rate0.624%0.883%
Median gross rent$1,732$1,108
Population4,095542,987

The weather behind that power bill

Forest Oaks sits in Guilford County, which averages a high of 88.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 29.8°F in its coldest, with 45.89" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,567 cooling and 3,438 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Guilford County

Full Guilford County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Forest Oaks?

A $294,000 home in Forest Oaks, North Carolina costs approximately $2,220 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,511 principal and interest, $153 property tax, $107 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $245 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Forest Oaks?

Forest Oaks has an effective property tax rate of 0.624%, based on a median home value of $294,400 and median real estate taxes of $1,838. That is lower than the Guilford County average of 0.883%.

What is the average home price in Forest Oaks?

The median owner-occupied home value in Forest Oaks, North Carolina is $294,400, against $234,900 across Guilford County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Forest Oaks?

Median gross rent in Forest Oaks is $1,732 a month, against $2,220 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 Forest Oaks — 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