Cost to Own
United States › North Carolina › Wake County › Garner Population 32,543 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-10-15
Before you budget for Garner FEMA rates natural hazard risk in Wake County Relatively High, with hail its highest-ranked hazard against other US counties. It shapes what insurers charge here. See what threatens homes in this county

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Garner, North Carolina

A $320,000 home here costs

$2,586

per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $111,000 a year.

P&I 69%Tax 8%Insurance 4%Utilities 9%Upkeep 10%

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,772. The real number is $813 higher every month, 46% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Compare Wake County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown

Garner median: $320,300
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
NC 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, $256,000 borrowed $1,772
Property tax0.782% effective rate for Garner itself $209
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $116
Electricity15.16ยข/kWh, North Carolina residential average, EIA $154
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $267
Total monthly $2,586

Garner against Wake County and North Carolina

MeasureGarnerWake County
Median home value$320,300$422,800
Median property tax$2,506$3,023
Effective tax rate0.782%0.715%
Median gross rent$1,452$1,508
Population32,5431,151,009

The weather behind that power bill

Garner sits in Wake County, which averages a high of 90.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 31.6°F in its coldest, with 49.36" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,779 cooling and 3,165 heating degree days, which is what sets the $154 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Wake County

Full Wake County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Talk to someone who works this market

These are Garner averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Garner every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.

I'm looking to buy in Garner I already own here and may sell

Common questions

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

A $320,000 home in Garner, North Carolina costs approximately $2,586 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $1,772 principal and interest, $209 property tax, $116 homeowners insurance, $222 utilities and $267 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Garner?

Garner has an effective property tax rate of 0.782%, based on a median home value of $320,300 and median real estate taxes of $2,506. That is higher than the Wake County average of 0.715%.

What is the average home price in Garner?

The median owner-occupied home value in Garner, North Carolina is $320,300, against $422,800 across Wake County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Garner?

Median gross rent in Garner is $1,452 a month, against $2,586 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

What salary do you need to buy a home in Garner?

Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Garner, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $111,000 a year. That covers the full $2,586 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Garner, 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