Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Highlands, North Carolina
A $666,000 home here costs
$4,865per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $208,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,631. The real number is $1,234 higher every month, 34% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Jackson County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Highlands from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,276 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Jackson County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Highlands against Jackson County and North Carolina
| Measure | Highlands | Jackson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $666,300 | $253,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,616 | $938 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.393% | 0.369% |
| Median gross rent | $905 | $855 |
| Population | 1,276 | 43,089 |
Highlands extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Jackson County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Highlands sits in Jackson County, which averages a high of 85.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 25.6°F in its coldest, with 54.18" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 901 cooling and 4,130 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Jackson County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Jackson County
Full Jackson County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Highlands 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 Highlands every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Highlands I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Highlands?
A $666,000 home in Highlands, North Carolina costs approximately $4,865 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $3,631 principal and interest, $218 property tax, $241 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $555 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Highlands?
Highlands has an effective property tax rate of 0.393%, based on a median home value of $666,300 and median real estate taxes of $2,616. That is higher than the Jackson County average of 0.369%.
What is the average home price in Highlands?
The median owner-occupied home value in Highlands, North Carolina is $666,300, against $253,900 across Jackson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Highlands?
Median gross rent in Highlands is $905 a month, against $4,865 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 Highlands?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Highlands, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $208,500 a year. That covers the full $4,865 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Highlands, 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.