Cost to Own
United StatesSouth CarolinaCharleston CountyIsle of Palms Population 4,350 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Isle of Palms, South Carolina

A $1,192,000 home here costs

$8,185

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $6,128. The real number is $2,057 higher every month — 34% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Isle of Palms median: $1,192,200
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, $953,600 borrowed $6,128
Property tax0.278% effective rate for Isle of Palms itself $276
Homeowners insuranceSouth Carolina averages $1,432/yr (NAIC), or 0.578% of home value $574
Electricity16.18¢/kWh — South Carolina residential average, EIA $145
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $993
Total monthly $8,185

Isle of Palms against Charleston County and South Carolina

MeasureIsle of PalmsCharleston County
Median home value$1,192,200$450,800
Median property tax$3,318$1,864
Effective tax rate0.278%0.413%
Median gross rent$3,236$1,506
Population4,350414,711

The weather behind that power bill

Isle of Palms sits in Charleston County, which averages a high of 87.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 43.6°F in its coldest, with 44.26" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,448 cooling and 1,623 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Charleston County

Full Charleston County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Isle of Palms?

A $1,192,000 home in Isle of Palms, South Carolina costs approximately $8,185 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $6,128 principal and interest, $276 property tax, $574 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $993 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Isle of Palms?

Isle of Palms has an effective property tax rate of 0.278%, based on a median home value of $1,192,200 and median real estate taxes of $3,318. That is lower than the Charleston County average of 0.413%.

What is the average home price in Isle of Palms?

The median owner-occupied home value in Isle of Palms, South Carolina is $1,192,200, against $450,800 across Charleston County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Isle of Palms?

Median gross rent in Isle of Palms is $3,236 a month, against $8,185 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 Isle of Palms — 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