Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaMacon CountyFranklin Population 4,221 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Franklin, North Carolina

A $191,000 home here costs

$1,505

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $982. The real number is $523 higher every month — 53% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Franklin median: $190,600
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, $152,800 borrowed $982
Property tax0.570% effective rate for Franklin itself $91
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $69
Electricity15.09¢/kWh — North Carolina residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $159
Total monthly $1,505

Franklin against Macon County and North Carolina

MeasureFranklinMacon County
Median home value$190,600$229,000
Median property tax$1,086$979
Effective tax rate0.570%0.428%
Median gross rent$738$791
Population4,22137,533

The weather behind that power bill

Franklin sits in Macon County, which averages a high of 84.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.1°F in its coldest, with 55.5" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 903 cooling and 4,126 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Macon County

No other places of this size are published in Macon County.

Full Macon County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Common questions

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

A $191,000 home in Franklin, North Carolina costs approximately $1,505 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $982 principal and interest, $91 property tax, $69 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $159 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Franklin?

Franklin has an effective property tax rate of 0.570%, based on a median home value of $190,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,086. That is higher than the Macon County average of 0.428%.

What is the average home price in Franklin?

The median owner-occupied home value in Franklin, North Carolina is $190,600, against $229,000 across Macon County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Franklin?

Median gross rent in Franklin is $738 a month, against $1,505 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 Franklin — 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